Fashion-Incubator

Oh I totally forgot about this =P. I had bookmarked it and meant to blog about it months and months ago, and it's still sitting there in my folder.

I'm so sorry. I'm glad that JC got you a copy though!

Wow, that is amazing. AMAZING. Can I resist?

oh my.

oh my.

wow.

*silence*

wow.

So, Kathleen, forgive me for asking a question that you've probably already answered a thousand times. What's a good starting place for drafting. I know nothing about it - remember I'm a pattern-phobe. I'm exactly what you described about the draping and not developing drafting abilities. I just imagine what I want, lay it out in my head and cut. I then fit it on the client and sew, or vice versa. I guess that's draping?

That braided shirt is so so wow. I love stuff like that- Where are the seams!!! That's just total genius.

This reminds me of the feeling I had a few weeks ago. I got to sit front row at a concert put on by one of the best celtic harpists in the world. It's like she grew twenty extra fingers or something. My brain just short-circuited trying to watch what all she was doing. I deeply admire people that focus on one thing and master it. I love that "how'd they do that!!?" feeling.

Kathleen you will love this book, as much as I do.
I bought this fantastic book “Pattern Magic” in June last year ,ordered it by emailing the Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya in San Francisco.It took the bookstore 2 weeks to receive the book from Japan and a friend of mine picked it up for me and did the shipping which was much less than shipping by the bookstore.

Maki / Japanese Book Customer Service
Kinokuniya Bookstores of America,
San Francisco Store
1581 Webster St., San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 567-7625 / Fax (415) 567-4109
email: san_francisco@kinokuniya.com
I told several Dutch colleague dressmakers about this boook and they ordered it from a Japanese website but it is in french ( easier to read)
http://www.junku.fr/fr/detail.php?id=7429

Aha... I thought you'd like that!

Get this... all those photos are done on a 1/2 scale mannequin. This designer, I suspect, mostly works on 1/2 scale dolls and puppets. Either way, she has a lot of latitude to design; and, demonstrates a favorable balance between the technical and aesthetic.

It would be very nice if I could read Japanese. But, it's not necessary with this publishing house. The books they turn out are well-illustrated. I also have one on menswear hats from this eBay seller that I like, too.

Shoemaking... got quite a few books and amateur DVDs on that subject, too. Now there's an obsession...

I own this book, and I like the "zig-zag" techniques by drafting used in this book, not the "bamboo" technique above in the picture. The book doens't use draping technique, but it uses "paper draping" or "paper crafting" in a sense for realization of some complicated styles. Unfortunately, this book isn't popular in Japan though...

I checked out Amazon.co.jp, this book costs about $40 at today's rate(expedited shipping included).

Wow.

My wishlist just got longer.

When I was in college Helen Joseph Armstrong was my pattern making instructor. We used to come into class an hour early for absolutely no credit & do timed pattern tests. She would have these wicked little garments sewn up on a half scale form. With out touching them, we would have 5 minutes to draft the pattern. I think I learned more from that than anything else I did the entire time I was there.

Thanks for the book link. I'm such a junkie for more books. :-)

Btw, when I wrote my entry If I were to produce a line these types of details are exactly what I had in mind. I made a version of that taupe braided top several years ago. I also put this stuff on sleeves. Most blouse sleeves are boring. I want the sleeves on my blouses to be showpieces themselves. Simple fabrications, one color, one fabric, stunning details. I think it'd sell.

Hi,
I enjoy reading your blog and I was overwhelmed by this book. Thank you for pointing it out. I found another seller in France, this is the website: http://www.junku.fr/fr/index.php and I've just ordered this book.

Oh that is really cool.

Love it!
Joan

I brought this book about a year ago (I live in Japan) but I have never used it because of my Japanese level is so low and I don't know anything about pattern making. Maybe it's about time I got it off the shelf and had a go!

Kathleen, I managed to buy this book from Amazon.jp, but let me tell you it was rather 'difficult' to navigate Amazon in Japanese! Its a fabulous book, great photos, (which is all I needed) everything else is in Japaneses!
Judy

I love books like this! Thanks Kathleen for the info!

I've been doodling that braided detail on paper for ages now and haven't figured out how to make the pattern for it!!! Yes, it's possible!
Thanks Kathleen.

I'm still struggling with the "how'd they do that" feeling, Kathleen.

I'd love for you to do some quick and dirty sketches of some wacky stuff --like your braided sleeves. Show me a flat sketch version and a sketch of what the finished sleeve would look like.

Am I asking for something that's insulting and a complete no-no?

I'd love for you to post on this. Just some examples of far out stuff. - Not good enough for us to copy, of course. I'd just like to see how this works. Kinda like the exercise that Alisa was talking about.

Also my book question, I'd like to read a little book that is extremely b-a-s-i-c. I'm kinda boggled by the terminology just in this post and the following comments.

I'm just requesting this stuff because I know you have nothing better to do and have totally run out of posting ideas. ha ha ha, (falls off of chair laughing), ha ha ha!!! You should have these questions wrapped up for me in about 10 minutes, right? ha ha ha...(purple gasp) ha ha ha!!!

thanks heaps kathleen for the link - this really makes me so proud XD

carissa, the process of drafting isn't that complicated at all. the japanese books usually have good and clear pictures, so you won't feel lost.
if you prefer to start with drafting with instructions in your language there might be something like mueller & sohn or lutterloh systems available in your area. ebay usually has lots of stuff for both.

Very interesting book. I took draping once and hated it. Is it possible to do drafting without having done well in draping?

Regarding the difference between draping, drafting (and genius), consider reviewing Re-inventing Vionnet & 24001 draft. Regarding related topological design effects (courtesy of Mansfield and Hillhouse) see Vintage pattern post #4 which has links to all the drafts in the series.

I would love to meet Helen Joseph Armstrong. I love her book and use it to teach flat patternmaking. I do not use her draping book but it is a decent book in its own right.

I love drafting, flat patternmaking and draping...well, I also love CAD so you can see I am a pattern-o-holic!!!

I got my copy of this book in Tokyo last spring at Okadaya, a big fabric and hobby shop in Shinjuku. They were even selling the half-scale dress forms like those used in the book.

For what it's worth, Okadaya has an online shop.
http://store.yahoo.co.jp/okadaya-ec/

Thanks for the direction, Katrin and Kathleen! I'll get to studying as I catch my breath from spring.

hi, i got about 10 japanese craft book including this one, which i ordered on yesasia and postage is free worldwide and much more cheaper than anywhere else. I used the translation on google to navigate and that was it, easy!

www.yesasia.com

I got my copy on Friday! It's pretty cool. A funny thing about the shipping package, it was mailed from Hong Kong and it wasn't sealed in the ways we typically think of sealing a package. No tape, no glue, just the wrap around string thing that anyone could have opened. Eric teased, saying it's required to leave all packages open to inspection...

I am making the drrawstring- side-hole dress pattern right now!!!

i want to make it in a knit fabric- do you think it will work?

Have just made this (hole dress), fabric around hole is quite bulky- no prob in the lightweight stuff I used , but in knit you might need to rejig the amount of spread in the sections cut from the circle.

Hey there!
I too, have the Pattern Magic book and LOVE it! I have actually made my slopers from it, using their meauring/percentages, being larger than the largest Japanes dress size, their templates were too small for me. I have made several samples of the designs: the circular hole-type pocket dress and the little cubes/boxes on a top. I am just amazed at the interesting architectural designing that the author uses. I am not surprised that the book is not popular in Japan right now, as it seems from my Japanese crat mags that they are into simpler,straighter lines. I love your blog and site.
Marion :-)

Glad you like the book too- it's so inspiring. I originally found out about it from a good (non-blogging) friend who visited Japan in Jan 2006, and brought a copy back with her. I loved it so much I had to get my own copy.
Thanks for such nice comments about my work and blog- although I feel a bit deceptive if I come across as being that productive..

The book arrived yesterday from YesAsia. Wow! I love the braided bodice. I am not so sure about the hole in one skirt. I fear my friends will try to putt into the hole.

The braided sleeve sounds wonderful.

I just managed to get both volume 1 and 2 from my local kinokuniya bookstore (I live in Malaysia). They're awesome.

Pattern Magic is a dream come to help inspiring to think more than the box, but outside the realm of possibility. I saw pattern number two book is out and soon as i have set the finance I going to buy It.

you are a gift from a bove
a trouly angel
thank you