Pattern Drafting Software By Judy Heim |
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Program Round Up Fortunately, most software companies offer demonstration versions of their programs you can download from their World Wide Web sites on the Internet. Some also display pictures of the patterns built into their programs. The addresses for these sites are given below with the product information. Note: Program capabilities and computer requirements may change; consult the program manufacturer for the most current details. Pattern-making software is available for most computers purchased within the last six years. The newest versions of all the PC software described below require Windows™ 3.1x or later and a 386 or better processor; one package requires a 586. If your PC is a 286 running DOS, you still can purchase old versions of the Personal Patterns® programs and Dress Shop® from the software manufacturer. Two pattern-making programs are sold for use with Macintosh systems, although one requires a PC card or software. All of these programs will print their patterns on an ordinary home computer printer or a plotter. The only one that works with a drawing tablet is Wild Ginger's Symmetry. |
This information was current at the time of publication in Sew News magazine. Please contact the vendor for current information.
| Dress Shop® 2.5 |
Dress Shop®, Version 2.5. This is the quintessential no-patternmaking-skills-necessary software. You begin by entering your measurements into the program, then choose a garment from a selection of patterns. After you select the style of sleeves, waist, collar, etc., the program calculates a custom-fit pattern to print. No drawing of slopers or drafting of pattern pieces is necessary. This newest Dress Shop® version remedies some problems that plagued the earlier versions. You no longer need to enter a burdensome 101 body measurements; the number has been reduced to 50. The program also includes standard women's sizes 6 to 18 you can use if you prefer to forgo the measuring (children's and men's sizes will be added to future versions). The program also includes a tutorial for creating a test garment and adjusting its measurements if necessary. The garment patterns in Dress Shop® also have changed. The basic program for Windows® or Macintosh versions includes patterns for nine skirts, five pants, eight dresses, two bodices, three blazers, two vests and a cape. Additional available garment patterns include sets for pants, skirts, dresses, blouses and outerwear and a combination set with one pattern each for pants, skirt, dress, blouse, vest and blazer. |
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| Manufacturer: | Livingsoft Inc., Dept. SN, 40 S. Lassen St., Box 819, Susanville, CA
96130; phone 800-626-1262 or 530-257-1100; e-mail
lvngsft@psln.com |
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| Web site: | http://www.livingsoft.com/
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| Demo available on Web site: |
Yes |
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| Price: | $149.95 for basic program; $49.95 for each set of additional patterns;$79.95 for combination pattern set | ||
| Requirements: |
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| Additional learning aids: | The company offers a 30-minute video (retail, $12.95) on how
to take measurements for Dress Shop®, and a 90-minute Dress Shop® Designer Video
(retail, $39.95) which shows how to make simple changes to program patterns to create a
variety of unique patterns. |
| PatternMaker Software |
PatternMaker. This two-dimensional CAD software includes eight slopers for basic women's garments, including jackets, pants, dresses and blouses, all of which can be modified. Patterns are drawn with the aid of drawing tools, like circles, lines and rectangles; they're fit by inserting either standard pattern measurements or personal measurements. PatternMaker offers the added convenience of being able to add notes and instructions to your pattern pieces. Three PatternMaker versions are available. The Home version offers the basic drawing tools and some built-in slopers. The Expert version adds a grading feature that will draw a nest of pattern sizes based on the rule you give it. It also works with digitizing tablets to copy paper patterns into the computer. The Marker version will generate manufacturing markers and help make cost estimates. |
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| Manufacturer: | PatternMaker Software, Dept. SN, PO Box 70306, Bellevue,
> WA 98005, phone 425-644-8161; e-mail pmaker@eskimo.com |
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| Web site: | http://www.eskimo.com/~pmaker |
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| Demo available on Web site: |
Yes, or through the company for $9.95 |
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| Price: | $189 for Home version; $1,199 for Expert version; $2,499 for Market
version |
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| Requirements: | PC with 386 or higher processor (486 or higher recommended);
Windows® 3.1x or higher; 4MB RAM minimum; mouse or digitizer |
| Personal Patterns® 3+ |
Personal Patterns® 3+. This program offers patterns for hundreds of pre-designed women's pants, tops and skirts, and men's fitted shirts. You can print the patterns in standard or custom-fit sizes; built-in sizes range from 6 to 44. You pick garment elements, such as sleeve, collar and hemline styles, from screen pictures in this highly graphic Windows® program. Personal Patterns® 3+ shows your chosen garment and draws its pattern pieces; you can change the pattern piece measurements by typing in new dimensions. When you've finished making choices, the program prints the pattern. You also can export pattern pieces in the .DXF computer-aided design file format so you can redraw pattern pieces in a CAD program or in CorelDraw! The program includes 288 top styles, four basic pant styles and three skirts styles for women, as well as more than a hundred shirt styles, including fitted shirts, for men. It also offers 15 sloper styles for basic designing. See below for some other Personal Patterns® products; see the company's Web site for the full line and combination specials. |
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| Manufacturer: | Water Fountain Software Inc., Dept. SN, 13 E. 17th St., 3rd Floor, New
York, NY 10003; phone (212) 929-6204 or (800) 605-7460; e-mail:
wfsinc@wfsinc.com |
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| Web site: | http://www.wfsinc.com/ |
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| Demo available on Web site: |
Yes |
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| Price: | $169 |
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| Requirements: | PC with 386 or higher processor; Windows® 3.1x or higher;
4MB RAM minimum |
| Personal Patterns® Designer Jackets
& Suits |
Personal Patterns® Designer Jackets and Suits. This program is similar to Personal Patterns® 3+, except it offers hundreds of easily customized jacket patterns. Patterns for various fitted, semi-fitted and boxy jackets styles are included, and you can choose from six button layouts, seven lapel styles and many pocket designs. As with Personal Patterns® 3+, the patterns can be sized according to standard sizes or custom body measurements. |
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| Manufacturer: | Water Fountain Software Inc., Dept. SN, 13 E. 17th St., 3rd Floor, New
York, NY 10003; phone (212) 929-6204 or (800) 605-7460; e-mail: wfsinc@wfsinc.com |
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| Web site: | http://www.wfsinc.com/ |
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| Demo available on Web site: |
Yes |
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| Price: | $199 |
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| Requirements: | PC with 386 or higher processor; Windows® 3.1x or higher;
4MB RAM minimum or higher |
| Personal Patterns® For Children |
Personal Patterns® for Children. Similar to Personal Patterns® 3+, this program offers nine slopers for basic children's garments. The slopers can be sized according to standard sizes or custom body measurements you enter into the program. Patterns include a bodice, T-shirt, pants and skirts. These are very simple patterns with few ways to customize them. The program's strength is its ability to create basic garments for a wide variety of children's sizes. |
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| Manufacturer: | Water Fountain Software Inc., Dept. SN, 13 E. 17th St., 3rd Floor, New
York, NY 10003; phone (212) 929-6204 or (800) 605-7460; e-mail: wfsinc@wfsinc.com |
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| Web site: | http://www.wfsinc.com/ |
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| Demo available on Web site: |
Yes |
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| Price: | $50 |
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| Requirements: | PC with 386 or higher processor; Windows® 3.1x or higher;
4MB RAM minimum |
| Personal Patterns® Pants & Shorts |
Personal Patterns®
Pants & Shorts. This program offers patterns for approximately 100 pre-designed
pants and shorts. You can print the patterns in standard or custom-fit sizes; built-in
sizes range from 6 to 44. Using screen pictures in this highly graphic Windows® program,
you select from such styles as straight leg, basic, flair, fleece, stretch, capri, gaucho,
shorts and jeans and such garment elements as pleats, gathers, darts, pockets and
waistband styles. The program prints all pattern pieces necessary to make the garment,
including pockets. |
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| Manufacturer: | Water Fountain Software Inc., Dept. SN, 13 E. 17th St., 3rd Floor, New
York, NY 10003; phone (212) 929-6204 or (800) 605-7460; e-mail: wfsinc@wfsinc.com |
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| Web site: | http://www.wfsinc.com/ |
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| Demo available on Web site: |
Yes |
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| Price: | $99 |
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| Requirements: | PC with 386 or higher processor; Windows® 3.1x or higher;
4MB RAM minimum |
| Symmetry |
Symmetry, Version 2.1. Very different from the previously mentioned software programs, this is computer-aided design software for clothing designers. It doesn't come with any pre-designed garment patterns; you draw your own patterns on a screen grid, or manipulate slopers to create your own garments. Needless to say, you need a high level of pattern-making skills to use this program effectively, something Wild Ginger warns its customers before purchasing the software. In this regard, Symmetry is similar to full-blown garment industry CAD software like ApparelCAD, but its lower price--$295 to $1,995, depending on the modules you buy, compared with the many thousands of dollars for apparel industry CAD software--puts it within the price range of professional sewers and schools that might not otherwise consider buying apparel CAD software. Symmetry's drawing tools are similar to those found in a high-end drawing program. You need to master tools such as snap-to-object, layers and drawing with drafting lines. In addition to the basic drawing tools, Symmetry also offers tools to speed pattern drafting, such as measurement boxes and dart and button placement tools. The Symmetry basic version comes with 150 standard slopers you can print out or modify by drawing on the computer screen, manipulating their lines, darts, etc. These include basic shapes for a bodice, straight skirt, pants, dress and jacket with two-piece sleeve. You can import patterns with a digitizing tablet, although not a scanner like the kind used with many home computers. You also can export drawings in .DXS and other CAD drawing file formats, so you can use the patterns you create in Symmetry with other CAD and apparel-design software. The Custom Pattern Drafting version adds the ability to type in 19 body measurements to create custom-fit slopers, and the Coordinate Grading Package lets you grade patterns like professional garment makers. |
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| Manufacturer: | Wild Ginger Software Inc., Dept. SN, 4847 Mockingbird Lane, Old Hickory,
TN 37076; phone (888) 929-9453; e-mail info@wild-ginger.com |
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| Web site: | http://www.wild-ginger.com/ |
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| Demo available on Web site: |
Yes |
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| Price: | $295 for starter kit geared to home-sewers; $695 for custom package geared
to custom clothiers and theatrical costumers; $1,295 for mass customization package geared
to the apparel industry; $1,995 for mass customization and grading package geared to
producers in the apparel industry. |
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| Requirements: | PC with 586 or higher processor or Power Macintosh series with PC card or
PC software listed below; Windows® 95, Windows NT or higher for PC or SoftWindows 95 or
Virtual PC for the Power Macintosh (consult your Macintosh dealer); hard drive with 30 MB
of free space on the C: drive;16MB RAM minimum; two-button mouse |
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| Additional learning aids: | Wild Ginger Software offers on-site training on request;
call or e-mail for more information and pricing. Judy Heim, a long-time columnist and software tester for PC World magazine, is the author of "The Needlecrafter's Computer Companion: Hundreds of Easy Ways to Use Your Computer for Sewing, Quilting, Cross-Stitch, Knitting, and More!," published by No Starch Press. Call (800) 420-7240 for ordering information. |
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