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Today we’re going to do a book review. Most of my knowledge comes from books and videos so we’re going to look into one of my favourite ones. Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph Armstrong (Fifth Edition).
I bought this book in 2023 because of one simple reason, Pattern Contouring. The project I had in mind was a camisole. I had my basic top pattern but when trying to modify it, gaping would appear everywhere. I couldn’t understand why, so I googled it and I found this book which was the only source that would explain what pattern contouring was.
Since then, I think I have used it every single day… so let’s get into the book review.
Book introduction
This book has 2 versions, the hard cover and the paperback. The price varies a lot depending on which one you get, in my case I bought the paper copy.
- Hard cover: It has 840 pages and it is printed in colour. The version comes with a photocopy of the basic blocks that you can print, scale and modify. This book is also the expensive option and it costs around 150€.
- Paper copy: Has 920 pages and it is printed in black and white. In this case there are no basic block patterns but the price is way lower at around 50€.
For what I’ve seen, this is the book most people use when studying flat pattern making. It mostly focusses on clothing for women but it has a small section for men and children.
The book covers the following topics:
- Patternmaking Essentials
- Drafting basic pattern sets
- Dart Manipulation (style lines, adding fullness, yokes, flanges, tucks,…)
- Contouring
- Necklines (high, low, collars, cowls, strapless,…)
- Skirts
- Sleeves (kimono, raglan, drop shoulders,…)
- Buttons
- Plackets
- Pockets
- Dresses
- Shirts
- Jackets
- Coats
- Capes and Hoods
- Trousers
- Knits
- Activewear
- Swimwear
- Men’s wear
- Children’s wear
Now, let’s look at the pros and cons for this book review.
Book review – Pros
1
PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS
This author assumes you know nothing about this topic and starts the explanations from 0. It gives a small introduction, shows you how to take measurements, what tools you need, vocabulary, etc. Difficulty increases as it goes and once something has been explained it is assumed you know it. I would always recommend to read it all the way once, before jumping in between chapters or it might get confusing.
2
THROROUGH EXPLANATIONS
When introducing new methods, there is always an introduction on the topic. After that, there is an extensive explanation about the steps to follow, which has graphs on how to draft a design example. Finally, there are some extra designs for practise.
3
PRACTISE EXERCISES
This book is full of exercises. At the end of every chapter, there are always two pages to take notes and measurements.
A part from that, there are always practise exercises when explaining a new topic. For example, when talking about pattern contouring it will show an example of how to make a lower neckline (design 1). Next to this example it will give you one or two more designs to make you think and practise that principle.
4
FULL OF EXAMPLES
If you are short for ideas, this book is going to change that. A part from all the extra design practises I explained below, it is full of style variations. For example, when pants are introduced and explained, the book shows you plenty of different types of trousers. Baggy, with a pleat, with yoke, different lengths, etc.
So this book doesn’t only cover techniques to modify your basic patterns, but also explanations for specific pattern designs.
Book review – Cons
1
COMPLEX BASIC PATTERNS
When starting from 0 it can be confusing to know how many basic patterns you need. Most drafting books give you 5 blocks: top, sleeve, skirt, dress and trousers. Sometimes they even add variations with less darts or with more ease. In this case, Helen gives you way more than that. For example it gives you 4 trouser foundations instead of 1.
Also, the instructions given can sometimes be too hard to follow. When drafting the basic top pattern, it uses a lot of measurements. It might not be a problem for some people but in my opinion, the more measurements, the more errors.
2
ASSUMES KNOWLEDGE
I believe this book has almost all the information you need to draft any design you want. The problem is that once something has been explained, it is assumed that you already know it. For example, the book tells you that when there’s one dart, the end point should be 1.5cm before the bust. This is in chapter 2. If you start the book in chapter 9, there is no way you will understand why this reduction is happening.
You can imagine that in 920 pages there is A LOT of knowledge. So finding any small detail would be like finding a needle in a haystack. One last thing, I think the chapters should follow a different order, but that’s just personal preference.
3
NO SEWING INSTRUCTIONS
If what you are looking for is a sewing book, this is not it. It does come with the most basic techniques to sew things like collars, waistbands or trousers, but that’s all. Having said that, the sewing instructions that come with the book are really nice and easy to follow.
4
BIG AND HEAVY
This book is huge. If you’re like me and move around a lot, it’s not the most comfortable thing to pack. A little tip, read the book from beginning to end and summarise the information you need. That way, when you travel, you can take the summary with you instead of the whole book.
Book Review summary
To end this book review, let’s summarise everything I talked about.
Overall, this is my favourite pattern drafting book. I got it as a beginner and it helped me improve my skills in the course of 6 months. Every time I look at it I learn something new so I think I’m also going to love it once I’m more experienced. This book is good for patterns like trousers but for some others like the basic tops I use other books that are easier to follow.
If I could ask for anything, I would love to have a compact version of this book. With all the basic information, the basic block patterns and the modifications without the examples. That way I could bring it with me anywhere.
With all that said, I think it’s important to have more than one book. Other authors might explain things in another way and patterns could suit you better. If you want to see an example of how different books give you a different fit, follow this link.
For more pattern reviews, check my book library! And if you want to buy this book, follow this amazon link.