Metric Pattern Cutting, Third Edition

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I will also concede that this book relies heavily on its pleasantly stylised illustrations and crisp diagrams to impart information rather than through reams of detailed text. The bespoke tailor can still compete with the retailed ‘designer’ suit, and young radical designers are still entering the trade. As you can see from the above photo, the layout is super clear, with diagrams illustrating the feature of the garment that you want to make, how you need to hack the block, and then some very concise writing accompanying the diagrams so that you know which measurements to use and where to cut to get there. The thing that I would note about this book is that it has a fair amount of material geared towards uni students and those wanting to get into the industry.

I would recommend it to anyone who has experience of dressmaking and pattern adaptation but wants to branch out into creating their own patterns. I love the way that this book takes the basic shapes and shows how to adapt them to create such a huge variety of garment shapes and sizes. The demands of the manufacturing process and the engineered garment have produced a rapid expansion of textile testing related to machinery use. It doesn't cover draping or more complicated cutting but ultimately that's something you learn over time anyway. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered.

Here’s the first bodice block I drafted to my measurements, using the Close Fitting Bodice block from Aldrich.

The reason that Metric Pattern Cutting is so great is that it covers BOTH of these key skills and waaay more!Pattern cutting paper - I tend just to use a roll of recycled brown paper at the moment by RUSPEPA which you can find here . Es wird nicht lange um etwas kompliziert herum geredet wie es in den deutschen Büchern leider immer der Fall ist (da tu ich mich als gelernte und lange Zeit in diesem Beruf tätige Kraft schon manchmal schwer) sondern man kommt sofort auf den Punkt und erklärt wieso und weshalb! There are straightforward instructions for creating a basic bodice, skirt, dress, trouser and sleeve block. This sixth edition remains true to the original concept: it offers a range of good basic blocks, an introduction to the basic principles of pattern cutting and examples of their application into garments.

The rest of the book has been updated where necessary: in particular, new blocks for tailored shirts, new details on how to adapt men’s blocks for women’s wear, and a revision of sizing and labelling information. The right of Winifred Aldrich to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.These block patterns form the perfect groundwork to help you create perfect fitting clothes right from the start. Part One covers ‘flat’ blocks and pattern adaptation for a wide range of garments for leisurewear, workwear and nightwear. The fifth edition continues to offer an introduction to the principles of pattern cutting, with a range of good basic blocks and examples of their application to garments. My copy is the third edition, published in 1994, but little of the book’s foundation has been altered since the initial 1976 version.