Online Pattern Making Service

You may be aware of the arrival of online pattern making services in recent years. I took to the internet this month to try out one of them and see what the results were. I went with Lekala (www.lekala.co), but there are plenty more that you can find as well using a search engine. Just to be 100% clear that I have no affiliation with Lekala and nor do endorse or not endorse their service, this was purely to try out an online pattern making service and experience the process and the results.  

The idea behind the service is that you can create a pattern for an item that's to your specific measurements or those of someone you're making the garment for. Using the online design tools you create your pattern and once paid for you can download it as a PDF ready to print off. It comes to scale so you will be printing off individual sheets that you'll stick together to form your total pattern sheet. For this first try I went with a shirt design for myself. 

I should say that the pattern instructions weren't the best, but I did get there in the end. Don't be put off by that, but be aware of that. To make sure the fit was OK I first made a 'Toile' out of Calico...always good practise before you take a pair of scissors to your finished fabric. I cut out the pattern pieces and pinned them to the Calico and cut them out to the size. Once I'd done this I got them sewn up into a 'mock' garment to check the fit on myself and make any amendments needed. The fit of the pattern was actually OK, but was a little long for me. 

Once I was happy with my 'Toile' I selected my fabrics to make a couple of shirts...a really lovely fine needle cord. I got two different fabrics, the blue & red came from Dashwood Studios and the other from Material Magic in Leicester (by the Market Place). I used a pressed-stud on the cuffs as well - see pictures below. 

I've since been back on Lekala and designed a pattern for a Jumper...so looking forward to seeing how that goes as well. 

In summary...give it a go! :) Its a great process in the main and a great opportunity to have a garment pattern made just for you, or for someone else you're making something for. 

That's all for this post...I'll catch up with you all very soon 

Naomi x