Book Review : Design-It-Yourself Clothes : Patternmaking Simplified By Cal Patch

 Design-It-Yourself Clothes : Patternmaking Simplified By Cal Patch

Stella Blouse, Betsy Jacket, Charlotte Top
Gertie Dress, Miette Dress, Basic Dress

Design-It-Yourself Clothes : Patternmaking Simplified By Cal Patch is not a book for beginners. The book includes Pattern making details of Skirt, T-Shirt, Shirt, Dress and Pants. The instructions would be very difficult to understand if you are a beginner. 

The Book has a total of 20 designs:

Skirts: 

Basic Skirt - Basic Drafting of a Skirt, Pockets and Side Zipper is used

Laura Skirt - Skirt Variation with Yoke and Ruffle

Rosie Skirt - Skirt Variation with Waistband and Side Button Closure

Phoebe Skirt - Flared Skirt using Slash and Spread technique from basic skirt pattern, Pockets

T-Shirts:

Basic T - Basic Drafting of T-Shirt and Sleeve, Long Sleeve

Marguerite T - T-Shirt Variation with Yoke

Charlotte Top - T-Shirt Variation with Shirring in Neckline and Sleeve, Short Sleeve

Sofie T - T-Shirt Pattern with little flare using Slash and Spread technique, Gathered Cuff

Shirts:

Basic Shirt - Basic Drafting of T-Shirt, Sleeve and Collar

Betsy Jacket - Shirt Variation with Gathered Waistline

Stella Blouse - Shirt Variation with Pin tucked Placket and Mandarin Collar 

Miho Shirt - Shirt Pattern with little flare using Slash and Spread technique and Shirring in Neckline

Dress:

Basic Dress - Gathered Flare Dress with Strappy Bodice

Gertie Dress - T-Shirt Pattern with Yoke and Ruffle

Miette Dress - Shirt Pattern with Drawstring Gathered Waist

Kathy Dress - Miette Dress Pattern with a flare using Slash and Spread technique and Yoke in Neckline

Pants:

Basic Pant - Basic Pant Drafting with Pockets and Side Button Closure

Annie Trousers -  Pant Variation with Front Zip Closure and Pleated Patch Pockets

Olivia Knickers - Pant Variation with Drawstring Closure, Pockets and Ties at the knees

Carla Palazzo - Pant Pattern with flare using Slash and Spread technique and Pockets

Good Points:

• The Design Detail of the Dress is Shown in all the 20 designs
• The Measurements required is Shown with Picture and Explained Clearly
• The Pattern detail in Skirt and T-Shirt are nice and Shirt Pattern is Similar to T-shirt with functional ease taken on measurements
• The Pockets made in garments are all of different styles and the drafting is explained nicely

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Bad Points:

This book has more of bad points than the good ones, the garments are very nice and lovely, but to make the garments no proper instructions are given.

• Since it is a pattern making book, the Sewing instructions are not in detail, if you are a beginner you will find it difficult to understand many things.
• The Pant Pattern is very confusing to follow.
• Not enough pictures of drafting steps, I could not understand which side of the pattern I have to mark for a particular measurement as only the final drafted picture of the Pant is shown.
• The Basic Dress bodice pattern is just a rectangle with a curved shape marked for neckline and Shoulder Straps are added to the dress, it is just like a simple baby dress made with rectangle pieces of fabric - the one on the bottom right side of cover page, rest 3 dresses are made from T-shirt and Shirt Patterns.
• Too much explanation and not enough pictures.
• Insider Sewing Techniques includes Seam Finishes, Neckline Finishes, adding Invisible Zipper and again just explanations and no pictures except there is one picture of Blind Hemming.

Overall the book is not worth the price, the T-shirt pattern is the only useful pattern. I loved the book and its designs when I bought it but while trying to draft the patterns I did not like it. I would say skip it. There are few details which is very useful in this book like the Taking Your  Measurements Page, the Placket, the Pockets and the T-Shirt Pattern.

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Book Rating : ⭐⭐