Pattern Making

Pattern Making: Learning objectives, indicators of progression, and teacher guidance (PDF, 59 KB)

Pattern making includes stills in pattern adaptation and pattern drafting.

Pattern drafting requires using a pattern block or establishing a working drawing based on key measurements. These are used to develop a pattern which interprets a garments or items design including its special features.

Patterns are tested using toiles and mock-ups to make sure pattern pieces correctly interpret a design and its special features.

Initially, students learn how to select and adapt existing patterns to enable a garment to correctly fit for the body or an item to meet desired size and fit specifications. This should progress to students learning how to draft patterns and test these using toiles and mock-ups to ensure the final pattern correctly interprets a design and its special features.

Students also learn how to develop a pattern guide sheet that incorporates appropriate language, symbols, or diagrams to communicate pattern layout and the step-by-step instructions required to construct a garment or item.

Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Make basic adaptations to a pattern to enable a design to fit a person or item	Make advanced adaptations to a pattern to change structural and/or style features of a design	Draft a pattern to interpret a design for a garment
To support students to make basic adaptations to a pattern to enable a design to fit a person or item at level 6, teachers could do the following, Provide opportunity for students to take key body or item measurements and select a suitable pattern size(s). Guide students to interpret a selected patterns guide sheet to identify the correct pattern pieces for a selected design. Guide students to show independence and accuracy when: making basic adaptations to a pattern to accommodate the key measurements interpreting pattern symbols and using a patterns guide sheet to correctly place pattern pieces to suit material width and type developing a construction plan, using appropriate language, symbols and diagrams. Provide opportunity for students to construct a toile or mock up using an adapted pattern and test to ensure that it interprets the design, providing the correct fit for the body or item in a manner that economises time, effort and materials.	To support students to make advanced adaptations to a pattern to change structural and/or style features of a design at level 7, teachers could do the following. Provide opportunity for students to undertake advanced adaptations to a pattern which has three or more pieces, by making changes to pieces to enable structural and/or style design features to be achieved. Such features requiring advanced pattern adaptation may include: manipulated darts sleeves added pleats, gores, yokes, button wraps, facings and collars deep buttoning, waterproof openings, and changing the types of fastenings. Guide students to correctly labell the adapted pattern with grainline, cutting information, pattern piece names, dots and notches. Guide students to demonstrate independence and accuracy when constructing a toile/or mock-up; testing and refining the pattern where necessary, to ensure the final pattern correctly interprets the design and provides the correct fit for the body or item. Guide students to undertake advance pattern adaptation in a manner that economises time, effort and materials.	To support students to draft a pattern to interpret a design for a garment at level 8, teachers could do the following. Provide opportunity for students to critique and evaluate how patterns allow for designs to be interpreted. Support students to work independently and accurately to: establish and take key measurements, and draft a template (pattern block, working drawings) that uses these measurements use their templates to develop a pattern which interprets the design and its special features, where the special features need to be realised through the creation of a pattern rather than the manipulation of the fabric test and refine the pattern to ensure it provides the special features required by the design develop a pattern guide sheet, using appropriate language, symbols and/or diagrams, to communicate pattern layout and the step by step instructions required to construct a garment or item construct a final toile/or mock-up of the adapted pattern to ensure the final pattern correctly interprets the design and its special features. Guide students to undertake pattern drafting in a manner that economises time, effort, and materials.
Students are able to do the following. Take key body or item measurements to select pattern size(s) Interpret a selected patterns guide sheet to identify the correct pattern pieces for the selected design. Show independence and accuracy when: making basic adaptations to a pattern to accommodate the key measurements interpreting pattern symbols and using a patterns guide sheet to correctly place pattern pieces to suit material width and type developing a construction plan, using appropriate language, symbols and diagrams. Construct a toile or mock up using the adapted pattern and test to ensure that it interprets the design, providing the correct fit for the body or item in a manner that economises time, effort, and materials.	Students are able to do the following. Undertake advanced adaptations to a pattern that has three or more pieces, by making changes to pieces to enable structural and/or style design features to be achieved. Correctly labelling the adapted pattern with grainline, cutting information, pattern piece names, dots and notches. Demonstrate independence and accuracy when constructing a toile/or mock-up; testing and refining the pattern where necessary, to ensure the final pattern correctly interprets the design and provides the correct fit for the body or item. Undertake advance pattern adaptation in a manner that economises time, effort and materials.	Students are able to do the following. Establish and take key measurements, and draft a template that uses these measurements. Use the template to develop a pattern which interprets the design and its special features. Test and refine the pattern to ensure it provides the special features required by the design. Develop a pattern guide sheet to ensure correct construction. Construct a final toile or mock up of the adapted pattern to ensure the final pattern correctly interprets the design and its special features. Draft a pattern with independence and accuracy and in a manner that economises time, effort and materials.
AS91096 Construction & Mechanical Technologies 1.26 Make basic adaptations to a pattern to enable a design to fit a person or item Standards & Assessment	AS91350 Construction & Mechanical Technologies 2.26 Make advanced adaptations to a pattern to change the structure and/or style feature of a design Standards & Assessment	AS91626 Construction & Mechanical Technologies 3.26 Draft a pattern to interpret a design for a garment Standards & Assessment