Apparel Making in Fashion Design
by Injoo Kim and Mykyung Uh
To avoid copyright infringement material, I cannot show you the pages. In future, I will add a link if I find any.
This book is thick, over 450+ pages to be precise! This book is jammed packed with everything you need to know about pattern cutting and construction from start to finish. This is by far the most expensive book I own to date.
I remember contemplating whether to buy it or not. At around £50 at the time, it blew a hole in my pocket!
The book comes in paperback format, with thin pages to compensate for the thickness of the book. Otherwise it would be very heavy if it wasn’t. It is not one of the largest pattern cutting books I own but it is a comfortable size relatively to the amount of information it contains.
A lot of Americans would love this book since it uses inches instead of centimetres. Flicking through the book at first glance I knew it was worth the price and a space on my book shelf at home. The book starts off with a bit of text explaining about the flat pattern cutting method it uses and all the basic knowledge all pattern cutters should know, then it quickly jumps into where the action is without wasting your time. The book shows you how to take measurements and draft all the main basic blocks to use for drafting your patterns later.
The layout of the book, instructions and diagrams are clear and easy to follow. The illustrations are basic line drawings but you can make out what the designs are before drafting your pattern. The designs are all the basic, fundamental designs every pattern cutter should know before advancing to more complicated or challenging designs. No Pattern Magic here.
Sometimes in the industry, the seam allowance is different on different edges of a pattern. This book seems to demonstrate this and not like some pattern cutting book where one set of measurement is use throughout the who process, except hems.
There is a big section covering dart manipulation, with detailed step by step instructions illustrated. I found a segment where it explains the different sleeve heads and why it is drafted this way. Great for people not understanding pattern cutting visually in their heads. The book contains some useful construction techniques to help you sew the garment. Putting a basic shirt, trousers, and skirt from start to finish is provided. This is a great book to start pattern cutting with as well as a good resource book for people who know how to pattern cut already but might need a refreshers course. At around £50, is a little expensive for the average student or home sewer. It is worth getting your local library to stock this for the cash strap people out there.
Happy Pattern Cutting!
Shan x
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