My Top 3 Favorite Pattern Making/Grading Books

Dear readers,

If you have been sewing for a long time, you may share my addiction to sewing books. For me, the impulse to buy is particularly strong when it comes to pattern making books. Over the years, I’ve bought, read and used many books, and today I’m excited to share my top three favorites. I use at least one, if not all three of these books for each of my designs. They are slightly more advanced than most pattern making books, but to me, they are invaluable. Let’s dive in!

1. Metric Pattern making for Dresses and Blouses by Mueller & Sohn

Mueller & Sohn are renowned for their pattern making system, particularly for men’s tailoring. Their offering for women's wear is divided into several books (skirts and trousers, jackets and coats, and lingerie). Here’s why it's always the first place I turn to:

• Detailed Size Chart: The book starts with an excellent size chart of over 20 standard European measurements from size 32 to 60 (roughly US 2 to 30). If you have used other books before, you know that this is actually a missing element in many, and that a detailed size chart is often something you have to buy. I don't use a modified version of their size chart for Just Patterns, but this is a very helpful starting point, especially when it comes to grading.
• Different Blocks for Different Purposes: If you ever tried patternmaking, you were probably tempted or told to do a "moulage" type of block (0 ease) only to realize that it has very little use in real life. The Mueller & Sohn method takes you through the drafting of a fitted and a semi-fitted block, as well as more efficient ways to develop blocks rather than drafting an entirely new one every time.
• Plus Size Blocks: Mueller & Sohn is the only method I know that includes great plus size blocks (the skirts & pants book has one too, which I used and loved). The armscye/sleeve fit was an absolute lifesaver when I extended the size range of the Linda Wrap Dress. I used their block to completely redraft the pattern and restarted the test that was already ongoing.
• The Best Set-in Sleeve Block: This one is quite subjective, but I'm not the only one convinced about this. It's not the easiest draft, but the result is really, really, really good!
• Metric & Digital: This book is perfect for those, like me, who prefer to work with metric measurements and digital books since I have them with me all the time!

Whether you’re a professional indie pattern maker or you just want to take your pattern making skills to the next level, I highly recommend this book or their skirt and trousers one.

2. Grading Women’s and Kids’ Garments by Mueller & Sohn

I don't think it's possible to grade using only one method or one book, meaning that if you get serious about it, it is likely that you will need more than one reference and that you will end up creating your own system. Here’s why this one stands out:

• Detailed Size Chart: The book starts with an excellent size chart of over 20 standard European measurements from size 32 to 60 (roughly US 2 to 30) and the related grading rules. In my eyes, just that fact makes it a must considering how sparse plus size grading information is.
• Many Styles Including Complex Ones: It includes a wide array of styles being demonstrated. Grading simple blocks is not particularly difficult once you have grading rules, but you will often refer to books when you are trying to grade new-to-you shapes.
• Versatility & Digital: It covers women and kids, which can be useful to some of you. It is also available as an e-book, which fits the way I work.

Let me be fully honest, their grading approach is not the easiest and also not the most suitable for home sewing patterns. For instance, with Just Patterns, I don't want to change body proportions while I'm grading within the same size range, which this method has you do. The front bodice grades faster than the back as you go up in sizes, which is most likely more anatomically correct (larger sizes tend to have larger bra cups on average), but I think sewists value consistency within the size range so that they easily know what adjustments they might need. Similarly, I do not grade for height, i.e., I do not assume that smaller sizes are shorter in height and larger sizes are taller. Although it might be true statistically for large populations, sewists prefer to know the height the pattern was drafted for.

3. Grading Women’s Garments by ESMOD

This book is bilingual French/English (and I have to warn you, the English translation can be lacking) and edited by one of the leading French fashion schools.

• Simplified Grading: This method is much easier than the previous one and produces good results when it comes to shoulders, armscyes, and sleeve heads (grading those while maintaining ease and shape is my personal hell).
• Detailed Diagrams Suitable for CAD Grading: The way the grading is presented is easily translated into grading using CAD software (that's what I do), which is less the case of the Mueller & Sohn method.
• Many Styles Including Knits: As I said above, with grading, you need a library of different styles to see how block variations are graded to come up with an approach for the particular pattern you are working on.

Some of the grade rules in this book I do not love. They grade "too fast" for my taste, but it's easy to combine with the size chart and grading rules of the other references.

These three books have been instrumental in my journey with Just Patterns, and I hope they can help you too!

Happy sewing and happy reading!

Delphine