Two decades drafting, correcting, and developing samples across every kind of garment. That industry experience is what I bring to independent designers, and what I teach sewists ready to understand how clothes are truly built.
Patternmaking classes
Learn how garments are built
Draft, fit, and design your own garments from your own measurements. The series is built to be taken in order, but individual courses stand on their own. All booking happens on Sew Inspired.
Body Measurements
Full Set of Body Measurements
The foundation of every good fit, and the perfect place to begin.
Learn to accurately take a complete set of body measurements using professional techniques from the fashion industry: where and how to measure, what each measurement means, and how to use them to choose pattern sizes with confidence.
The confidence to choose the right pattern size every time
No prerequisites. Bring a pencil and a tape measure.
Custom Pattern Making 101
The Basic Block Set
The foundation behind every well-fitting garment.
Draft a personalized bodice, sleeve, and skirt block from your own measurements, then refine fit through multiple muslin fittings, the way professional patternmakers work.
Take accurate body measurements for custom drafting
Draft a fitted bodice, custom sleeve, and skirt block
Sew and evaluate a muslin test garment
Apply professional fitting techniques and corrections
Transfer patterns onto durable paper for lasting use
Prerequisite: basic sewing experience and prior use of commercial patterns.
Custom Pattern Making 102
Pant Block
A custom-fit pant pattern, built for your body.
Draft front and back pant patterns from your own measurements, sew a test garment, and learn to read and correct fit issues through muslin fittings, your foundation for trousers, jeans, and shorts.
Transfer your finalized pattern onto durable paper
Prerequisite: basic sewing experience and prior use of commercial patterns.
Custom Pattern Making 201
Bodice Design
Where patternmaking becomes creative.
Learn the techniques professional patternmakers use to create endless variations from a single fitted block: dart manipulation, added fullness, collars, and sleeves, then draft an original bodice of your own.
Manipulate darts into new silhouettes and design lines
Draft princess seams and seam or yoke variations
Add fullness through pleats and shirring
Draft classic collars and sleeve variations
Develop and draft your own original bodice design
Prerequisite: 101, or your own fitted basic block.
Custom Pattern Making 202
Skirt Design
Every skirt shape, from one custom block.
Transform your skirt block into circle skirts, fit-and-flare shapes, pleated and gathered styles, tiers, and more, then draft an original skirt design that reflects your style.
Draft your own original skirt pattern from your block
Prerequisite: 101, or your own fitted basic block.
Custom Pattern Making 203
Pants Design
From classic trousers to fashion-forward silhouettes.
Transform your pant block into new shapes and styles while learning the construction details that make them work: fullness, pleats, and the fly and pocket pieces that turn a block into a finished design.
Modify your pant block into new silhouettes and proportions
Add fullness for relaxed and fashion-forward styles
Create pleated pant variations
Draft fly and pocket pieces and their construction
Develop and draft an original pant design
Prerequisite: 102, or your own fitted pant block.
Copy Your Favorite Garments
Copy a Favorite Garment
Turn clothes you love into reusable patterns.
Using professional trace-off techniques, map each component, true your seams, and add proper seam allowance to create a clean, accurate pattern. Runs as two separate classes.
