Monday, November 23, 2009

Method of drafting and cutting for beginners


When there are identical parts usually pattern is drafted on folded paper. For example right and left sleeves front and back of bodice etc…. Both the shapes of front and back such as neck, armhole etc……are marked on the top fold itself. Outer line is cut first .Sheets are separated. This forms the back. On the top sheet the inner lines are also cut .This forms the front. Care should be taken to measure from the fold line. Facing line for neck, armhole etc …can also be marked .position for darts can also be marked.
Precautions to be taken while cutting the material.
1. It is better to shrink cotton material before cutting or ½’ extra should be added for width.
For the length we can add still more. It depends on the material. I prefer to wash, iron and
then cut the pattern.
2. Straighten the grain of the fabric by pulling the corners material .If the fabric is long you need help of another person. Lay the fabric on a table keeping both the selvedges together. If it forms a rectangle and the warf and weft are perpendicular it means fabric is grain perfect. Sometimes shopkeepers also would have cut the fabric bias. That also should be corrected. Pull a thread from width wise from end to end and cut on the line got by pulling the thread.
3. Fabric should be ironed lengthwise. Length wise means the grains that run parallel to the selvedge.
4. Selvedges should always come to sides .(side of the sleeve, side of the bodice etc…..)If the garment is stitched width wise it will not stretch. It will be uncomfortable to wear. Dresses get torn fast.
Measure the width of the draft and fold the material according to that. Keep the fabric on table and smoothen it so that there are no folds. Place the large pieces of the paper draft first. Check whether the garment has back opening or front opening. Keep the one that has got no opening on fold line. Selvedges should come to the sides. Arrange the other small pieces .Pin the pieces to the fabric without lifting the fabric.If there is not enough fabric to cut same pieces together cut them separately. Mark darts and notches and then remove the pins.

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13 comments:

  1. AnneDecember 3, 2009 at 7:28 AM

    Great tips!! Accurate cutting is crucial to a successful sewing project, and there's no way to "uncut" a piece of fabric once you've done it wrong.

    I posted a link to your tips on Craft Gossip Sewing:
    http://sewing.craftgossip.com/sewing-tips-preparing-to-cut-your-fabric/2009/12/03/

    --Anne

    ReplyDelete
  2. vaniDecember 7, 2009 at 7:12 AM

    Thank you very much for the appreciation.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Godson GeraDecember 9, 2009 at 1:30 AM

    can u teach sewing different neck patterns the same way,also how a bout postting videos vani

    ReplyDelete
  4. Godson GeraDecember 9, 2009 at 11:16 PM

    hi vani,actually the mesage posted above name "godson" is me its my husband id,i didnt notice it while sending,any way can u reply to me on that post

    ReplyDelete
  5. yasskamalFebruary 8, 2010 at 6:10 AM

    Hai vani,
    Your Tips is very useful like beginners in sewing like me. Thank you so much. Can you tell to me in tamil. If you are telling in tamil, i am very lucky.
    Thanks in advance

    with love
    yasskamal

    ReplyDelete
  6. vaniFebruary 8, 2010 at 8:01 AM

    Hi Yasskamal,

    I am sorry.I can understand
    tamil.I can talk.But I cannot read or write.

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownJanuary 2, 2011 at 2:30 AM

    Can u tell me how to take measurement for a blouse, from an existing blouse? your help will be of great use. Thanks you

    ReplyDelete
  8. DurgaJanuary 7, 2011 at 4:23 AM

    Hi,
    Happy New Year. Very good info. Please share the formulae used for cutting garments like armhole sleeve if any..

    Tips like how much cloth to take for neck facing , bias binding

    which are common to all garments

    Thank You

    ReplyDelete
  9. PrasheilaAugust 23, 2011 at 11:58 PM

    hi vani,

    i am glad to find a teacher like you. i have been searching for a good teacher for a long time.

    since most are beginners here,it would be great if you showed the selvedge on a proper cloth, so we correctly know which part of the cloth it is.

    ReplyDelete
  10. vaniAugust 24, 2011 at 1:28 AM

    Selvedge is the term for the self-finished edges of fabric. The selvages keep the fabric from unraveling or fraying.I have added an other image in this post.I hope you will understand now.

    ReplyDelete
  11. VanisriMay 17, 2015 at 8:53 PM

    very good n so useful, it shows ur command on the subject, thanks so much,

    ReplyDelete
  12. UnknownFebruary 18, 2016 at 9:00 PM

    Madam,for churidar materials border is on one selvage side.how to cut that for making churidar with border on bottom of kammeez

    ReplyDelete
  13. vaniFebruary 19, 2016 at 5:44 AM

    in case of sewing with materials with border we do not take in to consideration that selvage should come to the sides

    ReplyDelete