Behind the Seams Part 2: Patterns and Muslin Samples
This article is part of a series on how I got Holdette off the ground and how you too can launch your own clothing line without having a background in apparel design. I studied Computer Science in undergrad and never expected to start a clothing line, but I’ve found it’s often the places we never expected to find ourselves that are the most exciting. This article is not meant for people who already know how to design clothes, but instead for people starting from absolute scratch. I didn’t know anything about this process, now I do, so now I can share what I do know.
Once you have your sketches done, you’re ready to move onto step 2: Patterns. When I first learned about patterns I thought that was the print you had on your garments, i.e. a leopard pattern or a striped pattern. I only wanted to produce solid color pieces so I assumed this step was not for me. Luckily, I realized this was very much not what a pattern was before it was too late.
Patterns: The pieces that you lay on your fabric so you know where to cut.
Truthfully, I never learned how to actually make patterns myself, just that they were the next step in the fashion development process. That fashion professor from RISD I mentioned in my last article was able to create my patterns.
What I do know is that you want to start with a size that is in the middle of the range of sizes you plan to offer. I’ll talk more about the process of grading (putting your pattern into different sizes) in a future article, but for now, I can tell you that you want to create your patterns in a middle size because, ultimately, you’ll be scaling the measurements of the pattern up and down and if you start with a small or large size for your patterns, you’ll likely have skewed sizes by the time you get to the other end of the spectrum. At Holdette, we’re launching in size 0–14 so we’ve developed our patterns and samples in a size 6.
Once you’ve created your patterns in a nice middle-of-the-pack size, you can opt to go straight to a fabric sample or start with a muslin sample.
Muslin: a thin cotton fabric of a plain weave that can come in a variety of weights
By creating a sample of your garment out of muslin, you’ll get a sense of what the product will look like so you can make adjustments to your pattern before you spend time sourcing the final fabric. It also allows you to make any adjustments to the pattern before spending time sourcing the true fabric you will end up using for that piece. Creating your first sample out of muslin rather than the actual fabric will save you time, money, and a headache later on down the road.
To build a muslin sample, lay your patterns on top of the muslin fabric then cut each piece separately. Sew these pieces together and you’ll have your first muslin sample!
This entire step of the process can take anywhere from a couple of days if you’re doing it yourself, to a few weeks if you’re working with an agency or freelance designer.
Don’t be surprised if you end up having to make pattern changes after creating your muslin sample. That’s all part of the process of creating the perfect garment!
I hope you found this helpful and if you design something utilizing this article tag @Holdette and me!
Tune in next time for a how-to guide on sourcing fabric.
