How to Draft Basic Patterns

Rating:
Summary: Simple, easy to understand but expensive for what you get
Review: My benefits included basic instructions regarding sleeve cap design, and detailed instruction on taking accurate measurements. I've added this book to my most available resources in my office, and refer to it frequently in the course of designing my own patterns and "fixing" commercially printed ones.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent resource!
Review: My benefits included basic instructions regarding sleeve cap design, and detailed instruction on taking accurate measurements. I've added this book to my most available resources in my office, and refer to it frequently in the course of designing my own patterns and "fixing" commercially printed ones.

Rating:
Summary: Simple, easy to understand but expensive for what you get
Review: This book offers the most basic (and some selected not so basic) patterns such as the front and back bodice, the sleeve, and the skirt draft. If you are already familiar with fashion design, you know that from those 4 drafts, you can go on to produce anywhere from coats to pants.

The book is written in a clear and straight-to-the point manner; no confusing terms if you are, as I had mentioned, already familiar with fashion design. The diagrams are in black in white and are clearly labeled. The steps are laid out clearly and the instructions are very to-the-point. Another great feature about this book is that in it had black and white photos of the tools needed to make patterns, a must for those beginners who have no idea what a french curve looks like. There are also some brief but clear definitions and explanations to certain terms or phrases used in the book.

The only downside to this book is that it is expensive for what you get (By the way, that's the reason why I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5). The book is thinner than you'd expect... I'd say that it is less than 200 pages, probably even less. I myself was surprised despite the fact that I bought it used for [less]. I couldn't believe how thin it was. I was expecting a thick and heavy text book. Go figure.

Oh and another thing, the book also includes a neckline measuring device supposedly produced by the publisher. I'm not sure if that contributes to the price but if it does, I say "What!?" It's made out of plastic but works beautifully. Luckily, my used version came with one in tact.