Should I Scale Up a Gridded Pattern? | How To Use Patterns of Fashion

Should you even bother to scale up a gridded pattern from historical fashion books? Historical fashion books like Patterns of Fashion, the Cut of Women's Clothes, etc. are amazing! But before you scale up a gridded pattern from these books you should consider if it's the right choice for you. With this video, I can help you answer that question and more!
Whether you're just a beginner trying to learn historical sewing, or if you're a seasoned pattern drafter looking for inspiration, it can be hard to know if Patterns of Fashion, The Cut of Women's Clothes, or any other books with gridded patterns can be worth your time or energy. But answering just a few questions and understanding what these books are meant to be used for will get you on the right track and save you a lot of grief, not to mention paper and fabric.

Relevant Links:

@Mood_Fabrics Draping Tutorial:

London Museum Bodice and Skirt:

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#patternsoffashion #janetarnold #historicalcostume

[lesliecrawford]

I fear scaling gridded patterns. I did it once with a ridiculously complicated choli for my dance troupe. Then had to make it to fit 9 very different women. Haven't attempted it since.

[blktauna]

When I was a teen, I cut patters from Carl Kohler's history of costume... So Janet Arnold was never an issue. I love her books. Grading is key. Also yes, the extant garments are really to give you the grasp on the shapes, techniques and proportions in play during the time period.

[nicolahanna]

Slowly realising that despite being very beginner at sewing/costuming, i am at an advantage for dealing with scaling and adjusting gridded patterns because I'm a geologist used to scaling things for cross-section or map and doing related math. Such a weird skill cross-over.

[angelakarl]

Thank you Liz for this video! It puts the whole subject of gridded patterns into perspective for me as a beginner. I saw these books and was wondering "Why" and your explanation that they were observations and deconstructions of a specific garment really helped.

[nanner]

I have experience with modern patterns but who can find 1590's pair of bodies patterns in the store? You can't. I scaled up a gridded pattern. It wasn't perfect but with draping and multiple muslin fittings and draping i got a garment that I am very proud of and I learned so much about the process and getting away from strict pattern making. I'm glad I gave it a try.

[sallyp]

After owning Patterns of Fashion for years but only scaling up once for a really simple twenties dress, I ended up doing a bunch of scaling up and trying making things with random bits of fabric during lockdown (when I had some time) just for fun. I think that's what I'd recommend for anyone trying it for the first time - have a go just for fun, like you're doing a puzzle, and don't do it for something you're really invested in. If you enjoy the process and like the result, you'll know it's worth it for you.

Having said that, I'm now back to mostly using commercial patterns now i don't have the time for all that faff!

[ShannonLambert]

I have not made anything from a gridded pattern, and after this video I'm confident it's not the tool for me. I'm quite differently shaped from any "standard" ideas and I have to mod my patterns accordingly anyway. That said, I'm super happy there are a variety of tools available to accommodate a variety of sewists and I will still be eagerly awaiting the gridded pattern video. <3

[xiluvOreox]

So happy to see you back Liz! This was actually a really helpful video as I'm planning on diving into trying to scale up a gridded pattern sometime soon and this video definitely made me consider what I might need to be prepared for and what specific pattern would be worth doing the scaling on... So, looking forward to upcoming videos!

[rebeccacuthbertson]

Welcome back Liz! I hope you and your family are doing well.

Love the video, and it definitely reinforced my level of sewing skills to myself…that no matter what everyone on IG says, I’m not quite ready for anything Janet Arnold and that I need to get back to sewing once we’re moved into the new house 😅

All the best hun 💖

[Majmysza]

Back when I just started costuming, made 18th century stays using a gridded pattern (because it was free from a library book...). First time I made all the panels, hand stitched them together, only to find out it was a couple of sizes too small and totally not my shape. Second attempt (after sulking for half a year) took me 8 mockups to get the fit right. I stubbornly kept going this way and more or less know what I'm doing now. It probably would have been a better idea to just buy a pattern or two to start with and learn the basics with proper instructions, but... guess that's what headstrong means? 😅

[Cxizent]

Oh, well if I'm not meant to use this hammer on everything, then why does everything look like a nail?
I tried draping a pattern for a jerkin on a mannequin that I made of myself from duct tape and foam, and it was disastrous! Definitely in awe of your ability to make cloth behave like it ought to, but I've always found it easier to just draw patterns from scratch.

[michellecornum]

Funny you should mention it. I've been scaling and grading and drafting and draping, and Franken-patterning since September. Of course, dealing with vintage and antique patterns, I am used to finding these patterns in a twenty something waist.
Right now, I am procrastinating making an 1882 outfit based on Manet's A Bar at The Folies-Bergere. After finally finding that the non-existent name of the blasted skirt I'm looking for that EVERY ONE seems to totally take for granted and totally ignore is an underskirt, I found the perfect pattern. It has a diagram and measurements, and all of it, conveniently fit on one piece of paper. I totally expected to add up the pieces and come up with a 26 inch waist. BUT NO!!!!
Without the pleats pleated up, it was 50 inches, and with the pleats done, it was 38!! I'm a 36. This is one of the only times I have ever NOT had to do math or alter or adjust or-- ANYTHING!! The really wonderful thing about this is that the pattern was taken from a magazine at the time, and it didn't automatically assume the reader was a twenty something inch waist.
HUZZAH!
Glad to see you again. I hope things are well, or at least, better.

[elainebye]

Yes, this helped me not fear trying to reproduce historical-looking fashions as much. Thank you.

[believeinfaeries]

I haven’t used gridded patterns but have used some of the patterns from the National Garment cutters books with middling success. This last time I made a Victorian bodice I used my bodice block and fitted it to my corseted body. Then used that to draft the pattern pieces. Not perfect but much less hair pulling and math.

[annelieserose]

Wait now can you show us how to scale one up. Can you do the effigy stays 😅😀🥰

[linr]

Welcome back!!!
I haven't done any grading up, but at this point I'm starting to be able to do a chaotic mixture of vague drafting, frankenpatterning and draping-on-myself.

[autumn]

I have to scale everything up. I try just grading, but it’s not possible to just grade when going up several inches. On average 8-10 to make things fit.

[sekhmetsaes]

Being the inhabitor of a "non-traditionally shaped (tm)" body, and a former Rainbow Girl (IYKYK) I got a crash course on frankenpatterning and pattern alteration VERY early in life. I'd like to offer my top 3 tips as follows: 1.) gift wrap with the measured grid on the back is your new best friend. 2.) as tempting s it may be to just add an inch/cm or 2 at the seamlines, DON'T. learn to slash-and-spread your pattern pieces to make them fit your body. 3.) make mock-ups. if you can make a mock-up that fits, you can usually finagle it into a wearable garment after!

[barbaraferron]

There's a book titled, Bodymapping by Kathy Illian, that gives directions to have someone drape one inch gingham on you, when the fitting is done you have a gridded sloper.

[meamela]

I had nearly forgot about this, but I have actually used a gridded pattern once, and I clearly should have opted for another method. It is currently one of the very few projects in my UFO-bin. But I learnt a lot from the process, even though the pattern didn't fit my proportions at all and I had to fiddle around with it for so long my motivation run out. But just two months ago I made a pattern that I later realised could be the perfect base for frankenpatterning for said ufo-project. Now when I know what I'm up to, I can use the gridded pattern just as a reference to what pieces I need to make the garment, but I should to the pattern pieces myself instead.