Part One: Fabric Estimation For Pattern Cutting
Part One: Fabric Estimation For Pattern Cutting
Figure 6 Three different fabrics cut in circular shapes of varying lengths and scales.
Weight
The weight of a fabric is important, large amounts of heavy type of broad categorisation that students may wish to
fabric can be uncomfortable to wear, but weight in a fabric undertake for themselves when calculating from a 20 cm
will help to make graceful vertical folds and will ‘swing’ square of fabric. Very accurate scales are required for more
dramatically. There has been a general movement to lighter rigorous tests (example: British Standards). These scales are
weight cloths, but some manufacturers are finding some usually available in university textile departments.
resistance where customers attach weight to fabric quality,
especially in wool fabrics. Often it is the reverse. Lighter wool
fabrics are often made from higher-grade fibres or yarns and Method for student practice
can be more difficult to weave. Light fabrics with low-drape If the weight is not listed on the fabric swatch, weigh a
and low-shear (example: cotton organdy) often give sharp 20 cm square piece of fabric (Fig. 7), then multiply the
crisp outlines but often crumple in use. This feature has been weight by 25 to calculate weight per square metre.
enhanced by many of the crinkle finishes available. Light The categories shown below were decided by judging
fabrics with high levels of drape and stretch (example: single that any fabric over 450 gm should be described as ‘heavy’,
jersey) give wonderful body fitting and drape lines. Compact, and then five divisions were created.
closely woven medium-weight fabrics with high-drape and
medium–high shear are excellent for crossway cutting The weight characteristic scale (in grams)
(example: crepes or some micro-fibre fabrics).
Weight information is usually recorded by the square 1 2 3 4 5
metre and to the nearest gm, although some fabric ranges Light Light– Medium Medium– Heavy
give 5 gm intervals. In most cases, the weight will be listed medium heavy
on the fabric swatch or is available from the manufacturer. 0–79.9 80–179.9 180–299.9 300–449.9 450+
European manufacturers generally list the weight per
running metre. To convert grams per metre length to grams
per metre square: divide the weight by the fabric width and Equipment used for weighing the fabrics recorded
multiply by 100. Some UK manufacturers may still show in this book
the weight in ounces. To convert oz weight to gm weight: The fabrics used and recorded in the book were weighed
multiply the oz weight by 33.91. (20 cm square) on an accurate TANITA Cal-Q-Scale which
Some domestic scales (see the photograph below) will calculated to 0.1 gm. See Appendix Three, page 212.
measure in 1 gm intervals, this would be adequate for the
Figure 7 Measuring weight. A method suitable for student practice. A 20 cm square of fabric measured on a domestic scale
that records in 1 gm intervals.
Thickness
Fabric thickness is so variable that each fabric has to Method for student practice
be judged individually. Fabrics that appear thick can Place the 20 cm square of fabric between two blocks (Fig. 8).
be highly compressible, other fabrics have uneven Use a linen tester (a magnifying glass marked in
thickness that may be unevenly distributed. Very close millimetres and used in thread counting) to determine the
fitting garments will require extra ease allowances thickness of the cloth. Linen testers are available from
unless the fabric has stretch and recovery qualities. Most MORPLAN, a major supplier to the clothing trade.
thick garments are adapted from the easy fitting blocks. The categories shown below were decided by judging
Particular pattern cutting techniques have to be used that any fabric over 5 mm thick should be described as
where there is gathered or pleated fullness to reduce ‘thick’, and then five divisions were created. For illustrations
the bulk. Thick fabrics with low-drape and low-shear of a wider range of fabrics see Appendix Three, page 212.
characteristics can give exaggerated and stable geometric
outlines. Extravagant but soft shapes can be achieved The thickness characteristic scale (in mm)
with fabrics that are thick and have high-drape
qualities. 1 2 3 4 5
Fabric thickness is extremely difficult to measure. Thin Light– Medium Medium–thick Thick
Technical laboratories measure it under pressure, medium
it is recorded with a ‘load’ reference which flattens 0–0.4 0.5–0.9 1–2.4 2.5–4.9 5+
the fabric. This is useful for the making up of fabrics;
but for pattern cutting a visual measurement which Equipment used for measuring the thickness of
does not distort the fabric is more useful. When fabrics recorded in this book
comparing fabrics that are very textured or are The fabrics used in the book were hung vertically and
unevenly woven or knitted, a measurement can record scanned on an A4 SHARP flat-bed scanner. See Appendix
the thinnest and thickest points and take an average Three, page 212.
measurement.
Figure 8 Measuring thickness. A method suitable for student practice. A 20 cm square of fabric placed between blocks and
measured with a magnifying glass marked in mm.
Shear
The amount the fabric shears (distorts in the warp and Percentages
weft; see diagram) can be measured. Shear can be an The percentage shear can be calculated by the following
advantage or disadvantage and the amount is important. equation.
The amount of recovery after strain is important. Closely
amount sheared 2 cm
woven fabrics with a high-shear characteristic (for example, × 100 e.g. × 100 = 10%
micro-fibre silk-like fabrics or some crepe weave fabrics) are original length 20 cm
very stable when used in crossway cutting. Open-weave
high-shear fabrics distort if under strain. Many complicated Equipment used for measuring the fabric shear
luxury fabrics, particularly fabrics in linen, silk and viscose recorded in this book
have this characteristic. Fabrics will tailor more A special piece of equipment was constructed that held the
satisfactorily if there is some shear quality, it allows the fabric under tension between two bars. A photograph of it
tailor to shape the garment; however, too much shear in use is shown in Appendix Three, page 213.
becomes a problem.
1 2 3 4 5
High High– Medium Medium– Low-shear
shear medium low
5+ 4.9–3.5 3.4–2 1.9–0.5 0.4–0
Figure 9 Measuring shear. A method suitable for student practice. The card scale and a 20 cm square of fabric taped to two
rulers and the amount of shear measured on the scale.
Drape
Drape is the ability of a fabric to hang in soft folds and to fit Method for student practice
around a figure, particularly in movement, without creating On a piece of thick white card mark a central point at the
angular distorted creases and buckles. The strain is often top. Mark a central line. Draw two lines at 45º each side of
across the fabric, thus good draping is needed across the the line. Divide the area each side of the line into five
fabric falling from flared shapes. The drape test done for sections. Mark them 1–5. Drive a nail or large drawing pin
these experiments concentrated on a crossway hanging test through the top point. Hang the corner of the 20 cm square
as this is a good guide to a fabric’s potential to drape. of fabric onto the point at the top centre. The drape category
Drape is a characteristic valued in many fabrics, it is only a can then be recorded.
part of that elusive quality ‘hand’. ‘Hand’ is a combination
of many qualities that will differ in different fabrics and The drape characteristic scale
this, I believe, is not measureable.
A simple assessment of the drape of a fabric, cut on the 1 2 3 4 5
straight grain, can be made by holding a gathered sample High- High– Medium Medium– Low-drape
piece vertically. The increased drop that would result from drape medium low
the weight of a larger piece of fabric would have to be taken
into account. The difficulty of assessing how fabric may A low-shear fabric will hang as a flat shape on the board;
behave in circular cut is demonstrated on page 21. therefore, in pattern cutting terms, low-drape means
Asymmetrical shapes, crossway cutting and the effects of virtually no drape. Note the difference in the two fabrics
joining different curve shapes would add further shown in Fig. 10.
complexity. The drapeometer test (BS 5058, see Appendix
Four), which drapes a 30 cm circle of cloth over a circular Equipment used for measuring the fabric drape
disk, has little relationship to the hang of clothing. The new recorded in this book
simple visual test, using a 20 cm sample piece, is only given The equipment described for student practice was used for
as guide across the five categories. the fabric codes recorded in this book.
Figure 10 Measuring drape. A method of measuring drape suitable for student practice. The left fabric records 1 (high-drape).
The right fabric records 4 (medium–low drape).
Stretch
Stretch characteristics in fabrics offer the opportunity to cut The categories shown were decided by judging that any
close to the body without complex body shaping. Quite fabric which had a visual stretch of more than 5 cm should
simple shapes will fit closely to the body. Knitted fabrics be described as ‘high-stretch’, and then five divisions were
may stretch but their recovery can be weak. The created.
introduction of a small amount of elastane can make a
remarkable difference to its stability. The introduction of The stretch characteristic scale (in cm)
elastane into woven and knitted fabrics has penetrated a
large sector of the market, but there is still some resistance 1 2 3 4 5
to the rather ‘unnatural’ hang of some of the garments. The High- High– Medium Medium– Low-
amount a fabric will stretch can be measured; the stretch medium low stretch
instrument below will measure the maximum stretch 3.5+ 3.4–2.5 2.4–1.5 1.4–0.5 0.4–0
horizontally, followed by the stretch vertically. However,
these practical amounts are of little use if the fabric appears Close body fitting garments
visually unpleasant at very high stretch or near the stretch Four other measurements can be taken on the scale when
limits of the fabric. The basic pattern cutting shape has to cutting close body fitting garments in stretch fabrics.
be based on a basic ‘visual stretch’ measurement. On body (1) The horizontal visual ‘action’ stretch (visually
fitting garments or other garments, the designer has to acceptable stretch when the body is in action).
decide the amount of stretch that is visually acceptable (2) The vertical (warp) stretch of bi-stretch fabrics.
and then has to cut the garment pattern accordingly. (3) The decrease in measurement of the fabric vertically
This is the ‘visual stretch’ that is recorded in the work when the fabric is stretched horizontally.
in this book. (4) The amount of recovery after the fabric has been
stretched.
Method for student practice Percentages
Use the card scale created for measuring shear and stretch The percentage stretch can be calculated by the following
(see the diagram on page 25). Tape the 20 cm square of equation.
fabric onto the underside of two rulers using 2 cm of cloth
on each ruler. Place the first ruler firmly at the left-hand amount stretched 2 cm
× 100 e.g. × 100 = 12.5%
start of the scale. Move the second ruler under tension in a original length 16 cm
horizontal direction along the marked horizontal scale. The
‘visual stretch’ measurement in the weft direction is the Equipment used for measuring the fabric stretch
amount that the fabric stretches before it begins to distort recorded in this book
the fabric unpleasantly. The amount can measured on the A special piece of equipment was constructed that held the
horizontal line of the scale. The amount of recovery can fabric under tension between two bars. A photograph of it
also be measured. in use is shown in Appendix Three, page 213.
Figure 11 Measuring ‘visual stretch’. A method suitable for student practice. A 20 cm square of fabric taped to two rulers
and the amount of ‘visual stretch’ measured on a card scale.