pattern making & GARMENT CONSTRUCTION

Many sewists start out using commercial patterns and then become more ambitious with their designs. If you would like to draft patterns that exactly match your body shape and proportions or develop your own fashion design skills, Pattern Making & Garment Construction is for you. This course is also a good choice if you want to learn to sew and to draft patterns at the same time.

pattern-making-tools-equipment

Skill Level: Beginners/Intermediate

You'll learn how to draft perfectly-fitting garments starting from your body measurements AND learn the perfect sewing and finishing techniques to complete your garment.

What You’ll Learn

A major point of difference is that our courses are blended (theory and practice, pattern making and sewing). These classes are based on the same curriculum as our Diploma of Fashion Design & Garment Production, but you get to choose the areas you want to learn, for example, Womenswear, Menswear or Childrenswear.

pattern-making-class-sydney

Class Times & Cost

3 hours/week | $875
3.5 hours/week | $999
7 hours/week | $1,869

 
 
 

CAFA 2025 TERM DATES

Term 1: 20 January - 5 April 2025
Term 2: 14 April - 28 June 2025
Term 3: 7 July - 20 September 2025
Term 4: 29 September - 13 December 2025

Course Summary

This course is based on our professional program and is taught in modules that are designed to build your on your skills as your ability to handle more complex garments increases.

Pattern making uses blocks which are base patterns for garments including skirts, bodices, dresses and pants. At CAFA, we specialise in couture sewing which uses a snug fitting block that is enlarged depending on the garment to be made. This style of block development suits dressmakers undertaking custom work.

For those wanting to undertake commercial work, and are only designing in specific size ranges, the blocks can be adjusted to be more specialised and include base fittings and features such as collars, sleeves and cuffs.

A pattern is not considered complete until a sample is sewn and the pattern tested for fit. Students have the option to learn commercial, high end, ready to wear or couture sewing techniques while undertaking the pattern making course. Those learning couture techniques will also be taught the pattern making skills to design the underpinnings associated with couture dressmaking.

The first module is designed to give you enough skills to start pattern making your own designs whilst simultaneously learning how to tackle more complex garments taught in the later modules.

MODULE 1

  • Basic blocks for skirts, bodice and pants

  • Pattern alteration methods for skirts to produce popular designs including a tapered, A-line, high and low waisted, gored, pleated, wrapped, bubble, circle and cascade skirt

  • Bodice enlargement and style changes using dart manipulation

  • Basic shirts and bodice variations

  • Strapless garments and contouring garments for close fit

  • Necklines, collars and sleeve variations

  • Pants and trousers

 MODULE 2

  • Dresses and uncomplicated evening wear.

  • Shirt and blouse variations using advanced techniques.

  • Unstructured jackets

  • Capes and hoods

MODULE 3

  • Stretch fabric pattern making techniques

  • Tops, pants, dresses and unstructured coats in stretch fabric

  • Lingerie and swimwear

  • Corsetry

  • Exercise wear

MODULE 4

  • Jacket pattern making

  • Coat pattern making

MODULE 5

  • Introductory draped pattern making for garments in modules 1 to 4

MODULE 6

  • Draped pattern making for evening wear and bridal

Feeling Social?

There's nothing we love more than to see our students work in progress or finished creations!