Cut Out + Keep

How To Draft A Pattern From Your Favourite Clothing

How to Turn Commercial Clothing into your Own Patterns

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/how-to-draft-a-pattern-from-your-favourite-clothing • Posted by Katharine Sophia

After buying the most amazing fabric in the world I discovered I didn't have the pattern to suit it. Enter my favourite skirt and some sewing scrutiny. This is how I did it...

You will need

Project Budget
Almost Nothing

Time

2 h 00

Difficulty

Nice & Simple
Medium 115306 2f2016 10 31 170915 img 4704

Description

After buying the most amazing fabric in the world I discovered I didn't have the pattern to suit it. Enter my favourite skirt and some sewing scrutiny. This is how I did it...

Instructions

  1. Small 115306 2f2016 10 31 171331 img 4671

    Take your chosen garment and turn it inside out and fold it in half. I chose this floral mini skirt from New Look. I also looked at how it had been put together. It was pretty simply put together - a front skirt and two back pieces with a centre back zip. I traced around the skirt and added an inch for seam allowance as I went. I then cut the piece out, I only needed one as I'm clever! You'll see why.

  2. Small 115306 2f2016 10 31 172051 img 4677

    Then pin and cut. Once on the fold and then another... not on the fold so that you get two matching pieces.

  3. Small 115306 2f2016 10 31 172203 img 4682

    Enlist your crafting cat to help you out.

  4. Small 115306 2f2016 10 31 172227 img 4684

    Now, I stupidly didn't photograph cutting out the waistband and creating it. But basically I lay the skirt on the fabric and cut double the amount it showed me that I needed. I then sewed it along the edge, fold it over and sewed it again.

  5. Small 115306 2f2016 10 31 172434 img 4704

    Once my zip was inserted it was finished and ready!

  6. MAKING THE PATTERN Essentially, this is a tracing exercise, but you need to look carefully at where the seams have been sewn together. For example, if you're making a top, look at all the seams and make each pattern piece in turn, rather than just tracing around the shape. For good measure add an inch for seam allowance to each edge and connect them all.