How do jacket makers create their sewing patterns?

[user290389023]

Hello again everyone.
For a while now, the idea of making jackets and being able to choose material and such, has been very appealing to me.
There is just one problem, and its how im supposed to begin creating my own sewing patterns. The idea is that i am able to customize everything about the jacket, and thus buying premade patterns is something i am not interested in.
So if anyone on this forum has any experience on how pattern-making is done from scratch, information would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ton312]

If you look around the forum you will see that @navetsea creates his own patterns. He would be a good resource for you to speak with.

 

[El Marro]

I have a friend here in Berkeley who has been making handbags and purses for over 50 years now. He told me that when he was starting out he used to buy every nice bag that he could find at thrift stores and disassemble them in order to study the pattern and how they had been put together.
I understand and admire your desire to create your own unique patterns. For starters though I would think you might want to study some of the tried-and-true techniques that others use in order to make a comfortable and functional jacket.
Please keep us posted on your progress, this is not something we see very much of around here and I would love to read about it as you move forward.

 

[user290389023]

I have a friend here in Berkeley who has been making handbags and purses for over 50 years now. He told me that when he was starting out he used to buy every nice bag that he could find at thrift stores and disassemble them in order to study the pattern and how they had been put together.
I understand and admire your desire to create your own unique patterns. For starters though I would think you might want to study some of the tried-and-true techniques that others use in order to make a comfortable and functional jacket.
Please keep us posted on your progress, this is not something we see very much of around here and I would love to read about it as you move forward.

One project that i would be interested in is making a denim jacket, which i feel would be a first good jacket to start with.

 

[Mich486]

There are books with patterns on Amazon. For example:

https://www.amazon.com/Simplicity-US8845A-Pattern-Jacket-XS-S-M-L-XL/dp/B07KQZ552Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=denim+jacket+pattern&qid=1589655652&sr=8-3

You’ll probably still require access to a big enough printer to transfer them on paper?

As others have suggested probably easier to take a Levi’s trucker, take it apart and start from there.

 

[Will Zach]

^^
That is a nice-looking denim jacket, actually. Should be fun to select fabrics for it.

 

[Edward]

I'd start with buying a few old, knackered noes for buttons, ones nobody wants and that are effectively 'disposable', then take them apart and see how they are made. I'd love to see somebody do something new with the Type 3, which has been really overdone by now. Equally, it's be interesting to see somebody experiment with colours... e.g. black denim has been around since at least the Type 2, but we only ever seem to see it in yet more Type 3s.... Have a look for alternative cuts, off beat designs, try looking at old Wranglers rather than the same Levis or Lees....

I think whether you're looking at leather, denim, or both, you can learn a lot from Aero's approach. Aero's civilian models are rarely based on being exact repops of jackets that were actually made, but Ken has a strict rule that everything made in the factory in Gala must predate 1960 in aesthetic - i.e. they're making "vintage possible" as much as "vintage repro". I think that's an approach where you have a little more creative freedom, and also allows the development of something that can be just that bit different to everything else.

Think about proportion too - one thing that really ruins great vintage repro denim designs is when they elongate jackets that were designed to be 24/25" long to 28/29" without also properly redeveloping all the proportions. It's surprising how much that can throw off a great design.

 

[navetsea]

while I do sketch the jacket I want but I don't do the real pattern myself, the people at the company I custom order my jackets do the pattern.

sometime I do pattern for decoration like patch pockets and overlapping front to modify a straight zip pattern I already have with them into a lancer front, simple things like that every person with paper and scissors able to do, but the body and the sleeve, sleeve post hole, etc. I leave it to the people with experience.

the first jacket is patterned after my orange sheepskin with tweaks, the following jackets is patterned after a well fitting blazer I have, with tweaks of course for more mobility, like rotating the sleeve a bit forward and make more room on the back of the neck so the collar wont hit the back of my neck when my arms down as consequence, curving the sleeve more for elbow, and reducing arm hole since said blazer has shoulder padding, tapering the cuff, etc . not a 100% copy since the reference jackets were not dismantled, I just left them there for the duration of the making.

then the following jackets are basically using the same pattern that works last time with slight upgrade around the collar and shoulder ,just slightly longer or shorter different details, and how the hem is cut, but the body has the same outline

sometime the choice of leather and sleeve cuff details can make the following order or joining the panels and the liner change completely,as they need to pull the leather sleeve outside in and back, so if the leather is too thick, and cuff is narrow then it needs different following order.

I like collarless with sloping down shoulder from neck to the sleeve post, but I'm a square shouldered with no trapezeus at all with a neck of a goose on top, so partly my dream is to keep the shoulder standing unsupported when the jacket worn open, and not crumbling down and flaring out at the hem as consequence. since my jacket budget is limited I only order one annually thus the journey takes 6 years so far since I have no background in the subject and just trying different solutions based on my own "theories" based on small paper cutout "experiments" without real world or real material testing still hoping for the ultimate shoulder slope for me to be happy
so far I tried doubling the panel around the neck, make dart, make slight curve, make half collar on the back to support the front collarless look, punch eyelets near the collar to join facing and outer shell together

sorry not much of a help there but just sharing my story

 

[handymike]

Have you taken a class?
My local community college offers a patternmaking class coming up...this year it’s online. If you’re interested PM me and I can get you info. I took my beginner sewing class from the same instructor- she’s great

 

[fishmeok]

Modern patterns are completely different from vintage. I make mine using original period jackets. Making a basic pattern is not difficult but grading is the tricky part. It is incredibly time consuming when you are trying to replicate a specific jacket. It helps to be obsessive and get your hands on as many vintage jackets as possible.

Mark (NorShor)

 

[El Marro]

Modern patterns are completely different from vintage. I make mine using original period jackets. Making a basic pattern is not difficult but grading is the tricky part. It is incredibly time consuming when you are trying to replicate a specific jacket. It helps to be obsessive and get your hands on as many vintage jackets as possible.

Mark (NorShor)

Very cool to hear from someone who actually does this for a living, thank you!

 

[Blackadder]

I don't really understand why you are reluctance to buy existing pattern. If you have no experience and don't know how to create a pattern, isn't it easier to buy existing pattern book then modify the design yourself. Afterall you did ask for existing pattern in your earlier thread.
http://www.alliemjackson.com/2017/12/japanese-pattern-books-for-men.html

 

[user290389023]

I don't really understand why you are reluctance to buy existing pattern. If you have no experience and don't know how to create a pattern, isn't it easier to buy existing pattern book then modify the design yourself. Afterall you did ask for existing pattern in your earlier thread.
http://www.alliemjackson.com/2017/12/japanese-pattern-books-for-men.html

I dont remember making a similiar thread asking for that..?

 

[handymike]

I don't really understand why you are reluctance to buy existing pattern. If you have no experience and don't know how to create a pattern, isn't it easier to buy existing pattern book then modify the design yourself. Afterall you did ask for existing pattern in your earlier thread.
http://www.alliemjackson.com/2017/12/japanese-pattern-books-for-men.html

Thanks for this link

 

[Blackadder]

I dont remember making a similiar thread asking for that..?

Sorry my mistake. There was another guy asking for it a little over a week ago.
Here are some pattern books for different denim jackets
https://www.muellerundsohn.com/en/shop/pattern-making-denim-jackets/
https://www.muellerundsohn.com/en/shop/pattern-making-jeans-basics-for-men/
and
how to modify one of the patterns
https://www.muellerundsohn.com/en/allgemein/pattern-construction-for-a-mens-denim-jacket/