How do You Get Your Patterns Graded?

If you are reading this you probably are currently performing all the tasks: Designer, pattern maker, and pattern grader. This is the typical life of the startup designers. But eventually things change and you get busy and can’t do everything anymore. Or maybe you are at the point where you want to pass off the tasks that are just not your thing. For most designers this is generally grading. It can be really tedious and hard physical labor if you are doing it manually. I hear a lot of this because pattern grading is the number one service request that I get.

I advertise my skill as a pattern maker, but if we are being technical, my main job title is pattern grader. I enjoy it, but totally understand that it’s not for everyone. It boggles my mind that there are designers still grading patterns manually because that’s the stuff that kinda slowly disintegrates your sanity and gives your body physical pain because it’s an intense, laborious process. Even if someone is using illustrator to do their grading, it is super tedious and the accuracy is lacking. I grade patterns in a completely digital environment and the painstaking precision is done with a few clicks of the mouse and can be accurate within 1/64”. So let’s talk about how you can pass your pattern grading over to a professional and get your sanity back.

What is the cost of pattern grading?

Yeah, I’m just going to cut right to it because this is the main concern, right? Will it be affordable? I can only speak to my own services, but I would say it averages from around $100-250 per style. I charge per size so that means the final bill is determined by how many sizes you are doing.

How do I send over my patterns to be graded?

-Digital copy- This is how most patterns are passed to me. Either the pattern was developed in a drafting program or adobe illustrator. As long as it’s digital, it keeps the cost down. The preferred file formats are usually .ai or .dxf.

-Scanned copy- Fedex Kinkos offers large format scanning. I have quite a few clients that do this method and it works pretty well. Just make sure your lines are dark enough to show up on the scan and you include a box for scale reference. From this you can create a digital pattern in Adobe Illustrator and send the file as .ai. I sometimes even do this part for clients who don’t have Adobe Illustrator capabilities for an additional fee.

-Hard copy- The important thing to remember about hard copies is they are sent in the mail. Do you trust the postal service? My suggestion is to always make a copy of your original pattern before sending it off. Once I receive a hard copy pattern, it needs to be digitized, which is it’s own separate fee because clean up and checking all the seams needs to be done to ensure the digital version looks the same as the hard copy.

What other information do you need from me to grade patterns?

Must:

-Your sizing chart
-Flat sketch or photo in case it’s not clear where a piece goes or how it sews together.

Optional:

-Length grades - How much length do you want each size to grow/reduce? Does your sleeve length grade? These are specific to each brand. However, I don’t get this info too frequently so it’s no big deal if you are unsure. Happy to make suggestions.

-Any specific considerations for the style. Maybe you are thinking you need to keep all zipper lengths the same or only want the pockets to become larger/smaller for every other size. Let your grader know this in advance.

-Grade rules- most small brands are not quite to this point yet. So just let your grader know if they need to follow a specific rule or go based on their judgment using their sizing chart as reference. (more on grade rules is coming in a later post!)

How long does pattern grading take?

It depends on the complexity of the style. I would say an average numerically sized blouse takes me about 3 hours because once I get the pattern, I check all the seams and make tiny adjustments. Then the pattern is graded and I go back and check all the seams and notches for every size to ensure they sew together. For complex styles it could take much longer. Don’t forget that a pattern grader has other projects lined up as well, so it’s also going to depend on the work that is in line before yours.

What does the final graded pattern product look like?

The graded can be a digital file, markers, or printouts of a nest or separated sizes. Just make sure to share your expectations for the output.

What should I do after getting the grading back?

Take a look at the final, making sure this meets your expectations. I always like to tell my clients that it’s easy for me to tweak something if they would like it graded differently, so be sure to speak up.

How to make your pattern grading work for your small lot or on–demand production

Flexibility with production runs is so critical for start-ups or small brands.

I work with a lot of designers that are working on an on demand basis or only producing a limited amount of pieces at a time so they need the grading output in a way that can go straight into production, but without markers. To do this I arrange the pieces in groups of same size and create a printout, which gets sent in the mail as a roll of all the sizes for an additional fee. Let your grader know in advance that this is your plan so arrangements can be made.

Pattern grading for home sewing businesses
I also do a lot of pattern grading for home sewing patterns. Doing the grading digitally for the home sewing market is the only logical way to go because all of the patterns must be optimized for digital prints for home printers, copy shop, and/or mass printing process. Now, I don’t do the part of applying all the labels and visual prettiness, but I am able to export the files to adobe illustrator, where the magic happens. Find out more about this process clicking here.

All of us are control freaks to a certain level. You want everything to be a certain way. But there comes a point where certain tasks need to get off your to-do list. Technically, pattern grading is an easy project to pass off as there’s not a ton of individualism and it can be pretty standard. It also does not require a lot of handholding. However, everyone has their methods and it’s important to pass the right information to the grader to maintain your standards. Once you get a good rhythm going with your grader it will be one of the best things you can do to free up your time.