Pattern making, patternmaking, pattern cutting or flat patterning, are all words that describe the process of creating a two-dimensional diagram or template of a garment, drafted on a flat surface from either body measurements or transferred from a draped muslin. The starting point of a pattern is a sloper. Slopers are basic patterns that are drafted containing a certain amount of wearing ease for the wearer’s comfort and are created without seam allowances. Slopers are used as the foundation or template for creating design variations that are subsequently cut and sewn in fabric.

In this book you will start by learning how to create a sloper for a basic sleeve before moving on to collars, bodices, skirts, and trousers. Each lesson in the book is illustrated in meticulous detail in a series of step-by-step photographs accompanied by charts, diagrams, and photos from the catwalk. Videos to accompany this book are available at www.universityoffashion.com.