How to Design Patterns: Step 8 - Garment Construction Basics

When it comes to designing garments, there's no one right way to do it. There are tons of construction methods you could use, and the more you know, the better (and more creative) your patterns will be! Learning the different options will help you design sweaters that not only look great, but also fit and feel amazing. Let's break it all down!

⬇️ Top-Down vs 🔝 Bottom-Up

When starting a garment design, one of your first big choices is which direction you want to build it.

• Top-Down: You start at the neckline or shoulders and work your way downward. This method is great because you and your customers can try it on as you go and easily adjust the length of the body and sleeves.

• Bottom-Up: You start at the bottom ribbing and work upwards towards the shoulders or neck. Bottom-up sweaters usually have a bit less shaping, and it's harder to customize length mid-project. But it's a classic construction that I think has the easiest math behind.

  
  

Neither one is better than the other; it fully just depends on the stitch or vibe you're going for!

👕 Common Sweater Constructions

Now let's talk about the shape of sweaters. The two most popular sweater styles you'll most likely run into are:

• Drop-Shoulder: This is essentially rectangles for the body and sleeves. It's super simple and comfy, and a great style for beginners. Plus, the oversized, boxy look is super cute.

• Raglan: Raglans are worked seamlessly with diagonal "seam" lines going from the neck to the armpit. This creates a more fitted look at the top and shoulders. They're mainly worked top-down, but you can make them bottom-up as well.

  
  

👉 Bonus Tips:

• You can use short rows to add shaping in places like the neckline, bust, or shoulders.

• Sleeve construction can vary too: work them flat, in the round, pick them up from the body, or even attach them later. You can even decrease the sleeves for a tighter fit to the wrists.

• You can even get creative with sideways sweaters, yokes, or modular builds!

  
  

Knowing these options gives you the freedom to design for different fits, styles, and skill levels.

📏 Important Measurements to Know

Before you get too deep into designing, make sure that you know what measurements you need. Here are the basics for a sweater:

• Chest Circumference

• Arm Circumference

• Neck Circumference

• Wrist Circumference

• Neck to Wrist (overall sleeve length)

✨ And remember: larger sizes don't just mean longer arms or torsos. People of all sizes have different body proportions. Be mindful when designing sweaters that they will fit real humans, not just measurements. To learn more about size-inclusive pattern design, read my blog post here!

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There are so many ways to construct a garment, and that's what makes designing fun! 🎉 Learning different techniques lets you be more creative, more inclusive, and way more confident as a designer.

Start simple, play around, and don’t be afraid to experiment. You’ll build your skills and develop your own unique design style along the way!

Do you have any questions about garment construction or a favorite way of constructing garments I didn't include? Drop them in the comments! ⬇️