Your Pattern Maker is not a Psychic
As a pattern maker, there is nothing in our education and experience that automatically connects us to a higher source of information that has all the answers. But that would be amazing, right? Yes, you’ve provided your sketch and you’ve been making it work on your end for awhile, figuring things out as you go. But when a pattern maker approaches your project we see blank spots that require further explanation. This is the type of stuff that are considered variables—things that a pattern maker does not automatically know but is specific to your vision and your brand.
Your sample size
Yes, you can say my sample size is a medium. Ok, that’s good, but what is a medium? As we all know, these kind of standards just don’t exist. Each brand sets their own standards so it’s up to you to provide the body measurements that correspond to this size.
If I am asked to make a size medium pattern, at the bare minimum, if I have measurements for chest, waist and hip circumference that correspond to your medium standard I can work with this. You do not want to leave it up to your pattern maker to choose the body measurements. They may have a very educated guess, but then you try your sample on someone who you feel is a size medium and it doesn’t fit at all. Who is in the wrong here? If there is no agreement on the standard size, you are wasting time and money.
Design specific measurements
TBH, a tech pack would be ideal. I’d love you forever. However, I realize that a lot of brands have their own sample request set ups and figuring out the numbers can be stressful. I get this and I’m not relying on you to give every single point of measure.
The measurements that you should be providing are for anything that is very design specific. For instance, a 3/4 sleeve. For some this means above the elbow, for others it can mean between the wrist and elbow. If you want to make sure your pattern comes back correctly then be specific with the sleeve length measurement. No special skills required. Just a measuring tape.
Measurement specificity also extends towards any revisions. Saying “shorten the skirt so it is sexier” does not give me much to go by. Are we talking an inch or two or some serious shortness? Unless I completely understand who your customer is I may not guess correctly.
What fabrics you are using
Let’s say we are making a pair of jeans. It’s going to make a helluva difference in the fit if your fabric is non stretch vs stretch. I don’t necessarily need to know the specific content breakdown of fiber percentages of weight, but knowing what you are planning to make the garment out of helps me to determine what kind of shapes and measurements that I will develop.
It’s when we are talking about fabrics that you can be a little more descriptive about properties, such as a double faced silk charmeuse or a heavy ponte knit vs a rayon spandex t-shirt knit.
I once had a client ask me to make a polo shirt. It was a good pattern. He took it to a professional sample maker in NYC and it looked beautiful. But, he was upset because he could not get it on. I was very confused. How was this possible? Once I saw the sample it made total sense- he made a stretchy polo shirt with a woven fabric that had zero stretch. He may have not understood fabric but if he detailed out his plans then it would have saved a sample.
To build on this concept, also keep in mind that providing fabric content information does not tell us enough about what you are using. You can say that you will be using 50% cotton, 45% polyester, 5% spandex. But this doesn’t mean a whole lot, is it a knit, is it a woven, how heavy is it, what kind of drape does it have, etc… Swatches work best, or at least a website link to the product you are using.
Your Deadlines
For the most part, you will find that most pattern makers can be booked up weeks in advance. I’m fast and keep things moving. However, having an idea of when your factory is scheduled to start production or when you need your digital files can help me out and I’ll make sure that I have what you need by the time you need it. Be honest about your timeline and most pattern makers will try to make it happen.
I am all about avoiding grey areas. Grey areas are devoid of pertinent information that is assumed rather than listed as a given. It just leaves too much room for interpretation and you want to make sure that you provide as much supporting information as you can. You don’t have the time and bandwidth to answer a billion questions over email and neither does your pattern maker. By being as specific as possible it provides benchmarks that the final project can be judged against.