Don McCunn's Blog

Period Patternmaking

The history of patternmaking is an interesting field which I have only explored minimally. From the research I have done, the early patternmaking techniques use detailed instructions to create patterns from measurements for specific garments. These instructions must be followed by rote.

To show you what I mean, below I am including an illustration and instructions from the Cutters’ Practical Guide: Gentlemen’s Garments for making Jodhpurs. To the best of my knowledge the copyright of this book has expired so sharing this page is not a violation of anyone’s rights to this material. The written instructions are exactly as they appear in the book.

JODHPURS.

Diagram 6.

Measures. 32 waist, 38 seat, 13½ to knee, 30 full length, 42 sideseam, 14 knee, 12½ small, 14 calf. Bottom measure to taste. Scale equals half seat 19.
1 from O equals the bodyrise, 12ins. 2 from 1 equals 2ins. 3 from 1 equals ½in. 4 from 0 equals half-scale. 5 from 4 equals 1½ins. 6 from 2 equals one-fourth waist plus ½in. Spring out ¼in. to 7. 8 from 0 equals one-sixth scale plus 1in. 9 from 8 equals 1in. 10 from 9 equals length to knee. 11 from 9 equals length to small, 2½ins. below. 12 from 11 equals 3½ins. 13 from 9 equals full leg length plus a seam. 14 from 10 equals 1in. square down to 15, 16 and 17. 18 from 10 equals one-fourth of knee. Square down from 18 to 19 and 20. 21 from 18 equals half knee. 22 from 19 equals half small. 23 from 20 equals half calf. 24 from 17 equals ½in. less than 23 to 16. 25 from 0 equals one-sixth of scale. 26 from 14 equals 1½ins. Join 26 to 5 and add 3ins. of round to the sideseam.
The Undersides. 27 from 0 equals one-third of scale plus 1in. Draw the seat angle from 25 through 27 to 28. 28 from the waistline equals 4ins. Hollow the seat seam 3/8in. at 29. Measure from 2 to 6 and apply by half waist measure from 29 to 30 plus 2ins. for seams and waist dart. Spring out 1/4in. to 31. 32 from 28 equals 2ins. 33 from 32 equals 1½ins. 34 from 25 equals 2½ins. 35, 36, 37 and 38 are each 1in. Measure from 21 to 14 and apply from 35 to 39, the knee measure plus 1½ins. for seams and ease. Measure from 22 to 15 and apply the small measure plus 1½ins. from 36 to 40. Measure from 23 to 16 and apply the calf measure plus 1½ins. from 37 to 41. 42 from 13 is ½in. less than 41 to 12. 43 from 39 equals ½in. 44 from 36 equals ½in. Shape the knee gore seam as shown to intersect at 45. 46 from 5 equals 2ins. Join 46 to 43 and shape sideseam,. 47 from 46 is ½in. less than from 5 to the knee tack, ½in. below 14. Shape 47, 45 and 44, making the seams equal in length. 48 from 31 equals 3½ins. Mark out ½in. dart as shown to 49 and 50. Add 4½ins. for permanent turn-up bottoms. When the pattern is cut, add seams to each of the gore seams from 43 to 44 and 47 to 44. Reduce to bottom measure by dart to calf line.

The reason I have not explored more of the history of patternmaking is that when I was developing my book How to Make Sewing Patterns, I wanted to understand the concept behind the patterns and how two-dimensional patterns related to the three-dimensional shapes of the body. I did not want to have instructions that had to be followed blindly. I find the instructions above rather intimidating but historically very interesting.

I would love to see a scholarly work that traces all the variations of patternmaking techniques through the centuries. I am afraid this is not a project I will undertake as I have enough to do with my own approach which continues to evolve as you can see by this blog.

Classic Patternmaking Instructions

The example below is the type of instruction you will find in classic patternmaking books. This is from an early edition of Cutters’ Practical Guide: Gentlemen’s Garments. The instructions below describe how to draft a pattern for Jodhpurs. I have retained the paragraph structure used in the book.

(No copyright is indicated on this very early edition of the book. It was possibly published in the 19th century.)

JODHPURS.

Diagram 6.

Measures. 32 waist, 38 seat, 13½ to knee, 30 full length, 42 sideseam, 14 knee, 12½ small, 14 calf. Bottom measure to taste. Scale equals half seat 19.
1 from O equals the bodyrise, 12ins. 2 from 1 equals 2ins. 3 from 1 equals ½in. 4 from 0 equals half-scale. 5 from 4 equals 1½ins. 6 from 2 equals one-fourth waist plus ½in. Spring out ¼in. to 7. 8 from 0 equals one-sixth scale plus 1in. 9 from 8 equals 1in. 10 from 9 equals length to knee. 11 from 9 equals length to small, 2½ins. below. 12 from 11 equals 3½ins. 13 from 9 equals full leg length plus a seam. 14 from 10 equals 1in. square down to 15, 16 and 17. 18 from 10 equals one-fourth of knee. Square down from 18 to 19 and 20. 21 from 18 equals half knee. 22 from 19 equals half small. 23 from 20 equals half calf. 24 from 17 equals ½in. less than 23 to 16. 25 from 0 equals one-sixth of scale. 26 from 14 equals 1½ins. Join 26 to 5 and add 3ins. of round to the sideseam.
The Undersides. 27 from 0 equals one-third of scale plus 1in. Draw the seat angle from 25 through 27 to 28. 28 from the waistline equals 4ins. Hollow the seat seam 3/8in. at 29. Measure from 2 to 6 and apply by half waist measure from 29 to 30 plus 2ins. for seams and waist dart. Spring out 1/4in. to 31. 32 from 28 equals 2ins. 33 from 32 equals 1½ins. 34 from 25 equals 2½ins. 35, 36, 37 and 38 are each 1in. Measure from 21 to 14 and apply from 35 to 39, the knee measure plus 1½ins. for seams and ease. Measure from 22 to 15 and apply the small measure plus 1½ins. from 36 to 40. Measure from 23 to 16 and apply the calf measure plus 1½ins. from 37 to 41. 42 from 13 is ½in. less than 41 to 12. 43 from 39 equals ½in. 44 from 36 equals ½in. Shape the knee gore seam as shown to intersect at 45. 46 from 5 equals 2ins. Join 46 to 43 and shape sideseam,. 47 from 46 is ½in. less than from 5 to the knee tack, ½in. below 14. Shape 47, 45 and 44, making the seams equal in length. 48 from 31 equals 3½ins. Mark out ½in. dart as shown to 49 and 50. Add 4½ins. for permanent turn-up bottoms. When the pattern is cut, add seams to each of the gore seams from 43 to 44 and 47 to 44. Reduce to bottom measure by dart to calf line.