If you’ve scooted around these parts for awhile you may have noticed that I like to make fancy-dancy illustrations for my tutorials. Most of the time, those illustrations are scaled down versions of actual patterns that I either drafted on my computer or scanned and then turned into a digital pattern. Many readers have been interested in how I draft or what program I use to do those things, so I thought it’d be fun to open up the subject of pattern drafting software. I use Adobe Illustrator, which is a vector program.

I’ve been using Adobe software since the 90s and feel very comfortable with the tools in Illustrator so it was easy to teach myself how to draft in it. However, my ease with Illustrator did not make me a good patternmaker. Even if a computer or some online program automatically drafted a pattern after inputting your measurements, there is still the work of learning to to fit, learning what makes for a good pattern. Whether you like drafting old-school on a big piece of paper or in software, the end results can have the same greatness or the same mistakes depending on your skill or the method of drafting you use. A pro for paper drafting: A drafter can view the pattern in “real life scale”. Pros for computer drafting: The ability to copy, paste and repeat very quickly. (No more tracing pattern to make adjustments.) Lines and curves can be measured down to millimeters which makes tasks like walking a pattern and matches notches very quick and accurate.

So let’s talk about the types of software you can use for pattern drafting. VECTOR In the software industry, CAD is short for “computer aided design”. CAD is a type of modeling software that is used in many fields including architecture design, interior design, 3D modeling and pattern drafting.

Adobe Illustrator and other vector drawing programs are not technically “CAD”, although some like to call it that, short for “computer aided drawing”. If you have ever tried to import a CAD drawing into a vector program or vice versa, you know the chaos that ensues! They are two totally different languages with different purposes. Three Types of Software Tools Among options for pattern drafting software, I’d boil them down to three types: 1.

CAD-based software for the fashion industry. There are many different companies making professional pattern software. The biggies are Gerber, Lectra and Optitex. These are all based on CAD technology, very specialized, and cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. Scaled down CAD software for home sewists or custom clothing makers. Software of this nature is based on CAD technology but has less options in order to make it more affordable. A few programs of this type: Some of these programs work by measurement input.

You put in measurements, it forms the pattern blocks for you. Others offer full-fledged tools to draft from the ground up. Some of them include additional “style libraries” to add on to your blocks. The market for these kind of programs varies from home sewists to custom apparel and smaller garment companies. One very important caveat about all of the CAD-based programs: they are based on Windows and only run on a Mac when you own a copy of Windows and run it through Bootcamp or an emulator. (Both of which really slow down my computer) 3. Vector drawing software.

While vector software is not created specifically for drafting, it is a wonderful tool that puts a highly accurate ruler and pen in your hand. With this kind of software, you draw the patterns as you wish. There are a lot of little tools within a vector program that speed up the process over paper drafting. The main options: (free) Another option: Adobe just released, a free iPad version of Illustrator. It used to be called “Adobe Ideas”, which I used quite a bit last year. It’s actually pretty sweet and has all the important tools you need for drawing. I drafted a pair of pants on it!

Despite its cost I keep using Adobe Illustrator since I am so familiar with how it works and have collected a lot of plugins over the years that increase its functionality. I’ll admit that I was never attracted to the CAD-based programs because I’m such a Mac girl.

In my next patternmaking post, I’ll explore some different ways you can use Illustrator (or any vector program) to draft patterns, along with some of my favorite tricks. Have you tried using a patternmaking program? And if so, do you feel comfortable working in it? I’d love to hear what others use. Your post is very useful. I use PatternMaker. What I like about it, is that it comes with MacroGen – a program in which you design the template of a pattern from scratch.

In this template you set what measurements are needed. So that later, you can use your design but with clients measurements. I would also add to your list of CAD’s this one:. The drawing mechanism, and macro drawing is one of the best, in my opinion, since it is similar to drawing on paper with a pencil, compass, special rulers.

I’ve used illustrator before for pattern making but terms to prefer the specialised software, particularly as they have the added functionality and I can always import into illustrator later. I’ve used Gerber but I dislike it.

It just feels clunky and dated. StyleCAD is an improvement and it is intuitive and fun to use but I’ve recently started training in Grafis. It comes loaded with brilliant blocks (including lingerie blocks) and these can be quickly modified using sliders to manipulate seams, angles, darts and ease withing minutes before beginning the pattern making work.

Development pieces can be traced off but the best thing is that if you go back and manipulate the blocks, these changes are applied to your pattern as well. There are many other awesome features that I’m discovering but it really does feel fresh. GarmentDesigner, from, is available for both Macs and PC, and AFAIK is developed on a Mac. The software designer is Susan Lazear, Professor of Fashion at Mesa College in San Diego.

I’ve seen lots of demos for this and for the wildGinger products (great folks all:), but Illustrator is just such a part of my body, it’s hard to imagine using something else. I do more fiddling with scanned and traced outlines than drafting, though, and tend to often just grab scanned drafts and stretch ’em to fit over my own blocks, since I’m working only on personal projects. But Illustrator (AND a cheap ledger-sized—11×17-in.—Epson office printer/scanner) are basic to every thing I do with patterns. Looking forward to more on this topic! Oh, yes, TOTAL fan-person for Astute Graphics plugins esp. VectorScribe and SubScribe (the free one!); transformative, to say the least!

More please:). Hi David, thanks for sharing more software ideas. I’ve never heard of AFAIK, but am glad to hear there are more Mac options. It’s been 18 years since I had a Windows-based computer and I don’t know the shortcuts and navigation anymore, so that’s what has kept me from really thinking about CAD.

I don’t do any scanning/digitizing, because I drafted all my blocks in Illustrator, but I know a lot of people want to know how to do this! I’m a total fangirl of VectorScribe, too. Don’t know what I’d do without it. And you’re all making me rethink the size of my printer, ha! I figured anyone who even mentions Illustrator plugins these days is onto VectorScribe, but PLEASE tell me you’ve got or will GO GET SubScribe, too! My most used functions within all these tools are: Bending lines with VS’s PathScribe tool (altho every time I use it I feel sad for my little neglected pen tool, like an out-grown teddy bear:( Extending lines and checking line lengths with VS’s Extend Path tool Setting some line or other in an object (along with the whole object) to horizontal or vertical, to get access to or simplify some other IL function, with the Orient tool in SubScribe.

I’m surprised I don’t use MirrorMe as much as I thought I would, since I was ALWAYS using Stephen Vincent’s wonderful Mirror function in his Kimbo plug-in suite. How I wish Astute would buy Vincent’s entire collection and update/improve it for CC! Mirror was WAY more efficient and useful than MirrorMe, for my IL work anyway—which is more how-to diagram-making than pattern drafting, truth be told. And Vincent’s many tools still contain functions I’ve never seen elsewhere Last thing: Pretty much everything I have to share about using IL for sewing/patterns/drafting is linked to in my Pinterest board on the topic, here: And PS: (AFAIK=”as far as I know”; sorry to be confusing!). Hi Amanda, I draft all my patterns in Illustrator and I manipulate them in Illustrator, too.

Others may draft with paper and then scan them into an image file, but then you’d still have to do the work of drawing over the scan with the pen and line tools. That would be an extra step for me, personally, as I find it faster to just draft in Illustrator. I know that with professional CAD you can use digital pucks to scan in the paper patterns but that requires a special digitizing table and those aren’t cheap!

Vector programs like Illustrator don’t have pre-made blocks. If you are wanting to design home patterns to sell, I would think you’d want to draft your own blocks to work with the sizing and fit you want your patterns to have. If you’re just making stuff for yourself I can see why pre-made blocks would be helpful. But you probably already know that they’re not that hard to draft! I hope that helps!

I know this is a couple of months later, but I know these sorts of discussions always draw people for years to come, so I figured I’d ask away anyway! 🙂 I am starting my own business.

It is a slow, SLOW process because I am working on it in bits and pieces, on the weekends and in the evenings when my kiddos are asleep and the regular daily grind is done. I’ve always hand drafted BUT I will need drafting software- mainly for grading. I hate grading. Anyway, cost isn’t completely limiting. I know I have to budget for a decent amount, but ‘tens of thousands’ is also out of the question.

I have some basic CAD experience from my former life as a mapping tech, but I’m not sure it’d be the same. So, this long winded comment is all to ask- Do you, or any of your dear readers who might happen back to a months old post- have any advice on this specific use? It seems that most pattern drafters are either home sewists who are using their creations for their size exclusively, or big time corporate drafters.

It’s tough to know what the best option is for a small business. Also, I believe this is the first time I’ve ever commented on your blog, but I love it. Hi Jen, actually there is a big middle ground of small pattern companies or one-person businesses that sell patterns and have need for a less expensive software.

As I mentioned in the post there are several CAD programs that are in that middle ground (not 10s of thousands of dollars) and will do what you want, Cameo being one of them. Quite a few (including me) use Illustrator to draft and grade. It’s less expensive than CAD and works a bit differently. I wrote about the various tools I use in Illustrator and also linked to a few related courses, one of which will take you from sketch to product using Illustrator.

As far as grading CAD programs will have modules that allow you to define grading points and then automate grades. In Illustrator you still have to grade out each piece separately, but it’s definitely faster than by hand because duplicating is instantaneous. Just to throw in a suggestion for any readers that are considering starting a pattern business: It is perfectly legitimate to outsource grading! (And pattern drafting, for that matter.) There is a unspoken belief among indie start-ups that to be “legit” you must do it all–be the designer, drafter, grader, samplemaker, etc. If you’re new to pattern drafting, using a professional service to do some of the work will make a better product.

Professional grading is actually very inexpensive and quite cost-effective. Some patternmakers will even digitize patterns for you. These posts are a bit older but still good advice from Fashion Incubator:.

I’m looking forward to reading your post on using Illustrator, I’ll give it a shot. As a freelance patternmaker, I’ve worked on Lectra, PAD, Gerber and my favorite, TukaTech. PAD is like drafting with crayons compared to the others.

I haven’t used Lectra since 2001, and just remember it being way too complicated. You had to switch back and forth between multiple pages of functions while altering a pattern.

Gerber is the scourge of my existence because it’s the dominant software in LA. I finally have a client that’s willing to let me learn it on the job, and I’m picking it up. PAD was the easiest to learn, Lectra’s “trainer” in NYC had never actually made a pattern, so I learned more from my boss at one of my clients.

Tukatech is my favorite because it’s easy to use, the functions make sense and pattern changes are easy. Best feature of it is that you can show (or hide) a “ghost line” (I forget what they call it) that helps you see what changes you’ve made. Tuka is $200/month to rent plus $100 for the key, but that doesn’t include training. They provide 2 days free training to full time patternmakers, so I got trained while at a company.

Now that I’m using Gerber, it kills me how much longer it takes to do anything, and I seriously don’t know why they’re getting away with charging $10k per key these days. I read an article about how Lectra is killing it because the Euro is so weak they can sell at a discount in foreign countries. The thing is, it’s all software. The company who makes it cheap & easy enough for the masses could make a killing.

I don’t mind working on PC, these days there’s not much difference between Mac & PC, especially with Apple being so lame since Jobs died.

It has a fabrics clip art gallery and design specs workbook which will guide you through the lessons for casting and fitting of your designs. The trial version can be downloaded and then upgraded to the complete Toolbox version to benefit from all the features. EDraw has a straightforward and flexible software experience to offer for fashion designers. All the templates are vector so that modification can be done easily. There are many skin tones and other accessories that can be chosen to go with the clothing designs.

About 110 digital fabrics can be chosen as the raw material for the clothing. And the software has a unisex approach to keep up with the latest trends and presentations. Still if you find the software difficult to use, there are training videos with step by step illustrations. Cameo Apparel Pattern Software is a complete package for designers. You can buy the entire package or get different modules. There are separate design software modules for children’s clothing, men’s clothing and similar design suites to select. So depending on the type of clothes you design, you can get the perfect software.

You can save the designs and sync them with all your Apple devices using iCloud support. The software has many items, outfits, and events that can be associated with multiple wardrobes. You can duplicate outfits and sort them manually or automatically.

Optitex is a brilliant software with 3D designing and creation suites. It can also be used by sewn product manufacturers and designers alike. It has a straightforward and interactive interface with marker making suite and cutting room optimization suite. Technical drawing and virtual fitting are just a couple of other features of this product.

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You can create your style library and work on multiple designs simultaneously. There is help with examples for beginners, and it supports multiple languages. The simulations using Browzwear software are so realistic because they make use of many factors such as weight, mass and fabric type to come up with the previews. It has V-Stitcher for designers to create new patterns, V-Styler to attend to the colors and designs.

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V-Viewer for merchants to see the different finished apparels. How to setup x-lite for mac. All of these are integrated to make your work easier.

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They can also be used with other software packages such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Bottom Line These clothing design software will be of great help to students and fashion designers.

You have the freedom to create the designs from scratch or use the templates and add modifications and enhancements. The design ideas in your mind can be converted into products or be shared with others for reviews and appreciations. Virtual studios can cut your costs as you can see the previews of your designs with originality even before you manufacture them.

For students, who cannot have a fully functional designer studio at their early stage of learning, such designer software will be of much help. Even if you are not a professional designer, you can get some of these trial versions and create that one lovely dress for a special occasion.