Clone a Favourite Garment - Tessa - West 1

Is your favourite garment wearing out and you don't have the pattern? Learn professional techniques to trace a pattern from a garment, then refine the fit or add some growing room. This technique is suitable for any type of garment: blouses, jackets, pants and even kids clothes. 

This is a non sewing class focused on replicating the pattern from a garment. We will trace the pattern off an existing sewn garment without unpicking or damaging the garment. This will include replicating darts, pleats and gathers and design details. The traced pattern pieces will be trued against each other and adjusted, and seam allowances added. Using simplified grading methods the pattern can be graded one or two sizes larger or smaller. A cutting layout and sewing instruction outline for your garment will be discussed.

Avoid delicate fabrics (silk, charmeuse, waterproof fabrics) which may easily snag or be damaged by the needlepoint wheel.

Pre-Class Preparation:

• The garment to be copied (##See below) should be laundered and lightly pressed. This will remove any bagginess which occurs from wearing. Lightly press the garment without distorting the grain of the fabric. *Denotes items available from Central Sewing
• *Professional needlepoint tracing wheel. (Essential - only available from Central Sewing)
• (N.B.  This is not the regular kind of tracing wheel)
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• **Cork bulletin board or alternative large enough for garment. (See note ## below)
• **Garment to be copied. (See note ## below)
• *Chaco Liner or other chalk pencil
• * [opt.]  Fabric marking pen (wash away or air erase)
• *Hand sewing needle
• *Contrast thread (for baste marking)
• *Pattern tracing paper
• *Glass head pins
• *Pin cushion
• Push pins (as used on a bulletin board) if your garment has elastic
• Pen, Mechanical pencil, coloured pencils, eraser
• Scotch Tape
• * 6" x 24" ruler or other ruler
• * [opt.]  Yardstick
• * [opt.]  Fashion / French curve
• *Paper scissors
• *Tape measure
• * [opt.]  Seam gauge
• **Cork Board. I use sheet of cork approximately 90cm by 1.2m (3’ by 4’) glued onto 1/4” thick plywood of the same size. An alternative and cheaper option is a large cork bulletin board (eg: from Staples); Foam insulation board; or polystyrene board, thick corrugated cardboard. Less desirable options are a ½” blue foam camping mat; or yoga mat. It should be a smooth, non rippled, firm, yet pin-able surface, large enough for each garment panel to be laid out on.
• **Garment to be copied. Choose a fairly simple style in woven fabric to learn the technique on, where the fabric is not too heavily patterned and the fabric grain is easily visible. Good examples would be: blouse with simple bust dart; man’s shirt; flared skirt; unlined jacket; simple pants. Garments with one or two darts or pleats (eg: pants waist) and short gathered sections (eg: sleeve head, shirt yoke) is okay. Knit garments are difficult to learn on and not recommended as they have frequently stretched out of shape with use.