• WHAT is a sloper?
• WHO uses custom slopers?
• WHY would I want a custom sloper?
• HOW would I use a Custom Sloper?
• WHAT is Personal Patternmaking?
• HOW can I learn personal patternmaking?
• At WHICH schools can I study or review CADTERNS Custom Patternmaking?
• With WHICH CAD programs can CADTERNS personal slopers be styled?
• HOW do I tape the sloper printout sheets together?
• WHAT makes CADTERNS different from other patternmaking programs?
• Is CADTERNS only for those who operate BUSINESSES making patterns and sewing?
• WILL the program FIT a person with heavier upper arms and a protruding tummy and derriere?
• Can CADTERNS be operated by someone with no TRAINING in any CAD program?
• Is the Lite version a PRE-REQUISITE for the Pro version?
• WHAT’s the difference between a pattern and a sloper?
• WHAT do CADTERNS screens look like?

• A sloper is a basic flat pattern that is drafted to standard measurements and can be modified to change the style of a garment.
• A CADTERNS sloper is a Computer Generated flat pattern which is drafted to Personal Measurements and can be modified to change the Style or Fit of a garment. CADTERNS slopers are described as first or second generation.
• A first generation sloper is one which has been drafted "from scratch", starting simply with personal measurements and mathematical formulae. Second generation slopers involve modifications and perhaps combinations of first generation slopers. You might choose to create third generation slopers, based on your specific CADTERNS slopers with repeatedly used modifications.

• Entrepreneurs:  Home-based businesses that supply personal patterns for recreational sewing enthusiasts provide both a product and a service. Personal slopers and styled personal patterns are very difficult to find and very satisfying to use.

• CAD (Computer-Aided Drafting) Labs:  Drafting teachers and students enjoy computer-assisted patternmaking as yet another practical application of CAD (Computer-Aided Drafting) skills. This particularly benefits those interested in fashion, theatre arts and apparel in general.

• Patterns that start with custom (personal) slopers can become the basis of a personal made-to-measure wardrobe. Well-fitting clothes feel great and help to build self-confidence. These qualities are especially important for special occasion garments such as wedding gowns, graduation dresses, and other formal and informal events.

• A fitted personal sloper can be used as:
  • An alteration tool to adjust standard sized patterns for personal fit:  Alter the fit of commercial patterns by laying a tissue pattern over a personal sloper then adjusting the pattern at reference lines and points such as bust line and bust point.
  • A personal template for styling and designing new clothes: Style new patterns using flat patternmaking techniques with manual or Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) tools and techniques. Manual techniques involve cutting and spreading a sloper, requiring a paper sloper pattern, a comfortable work table, paper, pencils, erasers, rulers and drafting tools. CAD techniques require a computer, a patternmaking program (or sloper drawing files) and a CAD program.
• Whichever way they are styled, patterns that start with personal slopers can become the basis of a personal, made-to-measure wardrobe. 

• A sloper is a basic flat pattern that is drafted to standard measurements and can be modified to change the style of a garment. CADTERNS slopers, drafted to personal measurements for personal fit, can be used for personal patternmaking in a variety of ways.
  • Create wardrobe basics:  Use slopers as patterns for classic wardrobe basics. Coordinate fabrics and finishes to enhance a particular "look", then vary fabrics, finishes and hemlines . . . Wow!
  • Style basic variations:  Accomplish subtle styling in the very generation of a sloper by modifying the ease allotment. The automatically calculated default amount of ease represents the recommended minimum for wearing comfort. Add or remove ease for special fabric, fit or style requirements and preferences
  • Fit other patterns:  Adjust tissue patterns to fit using a personal sloper created with either Pro or Lite. Simply lay the tissue pattern over your personal sloper adjusting pattern reference lines (such as bust line) and reference points (such as bust point) to correspond with your own figure. Reference lines and reference points are clearly marked on CADTERNS slopers.
  • Style new patterns at the cutting table using CADTERNS Lite: Print slopers directly from CADTERNS to use as personal patterns for classic wardrobe basics. Add variety by styling slopers manually using traditional cut-and-spread flat pattern design techniques and pattern drafting tools. Each variation becomes a separate personal pattern.
  • Style new personal patterns at the computer using CADTERNS Pro plus a CAD program: Export sloper drawings to a CAD program for styling. Using traditional patternmaking techniques together with CAD tools, style countless new personal patterns before printing or plotting. Use each new pattern as a base for further development of more new styles yet.

• Flat Pattern Design (Patternmaking) is taught along with other Fashion Arts courses at many high schools, community colleges and other post secondary institutions. Patternmaking may be taught using either manual or computer tools and techniques or a combination of both. Personal patternmaking is patternmaking using personal slopers.
• Instruction in using CADTERNS for computer-assisted patternmaking is available at CADTERNS
• Central either privately or in small groups. Alternatively, special arrangements can be made for CADTERNS instructors to teach computer-assisted patternmaking at other locations with computer facilities.
• CADTERNS Custom Patternmaking program comes with illustrated tutorials for computer patternmaking. Documentation uses CADTERNS in combination with AutoSketch, an entry level CAD (Computer-Aided Drafting) program. Other CAD programs can be used, provided that they can accept drawings in DXF format, by following the illustrations and adapting terminology to suit the CAD program used.
• CADTERNS Computer-Assisted Patternmaking instructions can be adapted for manual patternmaking by actually cutting and spreading or rotating pattern pieces to achieve the same results as accomplished at the computer. Similarly, manual patternmaking techniques can be converted to computer techniques using a Computer-Assisted Drafting (CAD) program and CAD tools
• Learn by experimenting and doing. Patterns can be printed in smaller scale to test patternmaking techniques in miniature before applying procedures to the full-size pattern. Both CADTERNS Lite and CADTERNS Pro enable you to print patterns in a variety of scales.
• Maximize and nurture your interest in both patterns and computers with computer-assisted patternmaking. Watch CADTERNS for ever changing on-line options.

• Post secondary institutions include:
  
  • University College of the Fraser Valley:      www.ucfv.bc.ca/fashion
  • Kwantlen College:                                    www.kwantlen.bc.ca

• CADTERNS will work with either AutoSketch or AutoCAD as well as other CAD and drawing programs that accept drawing files in DXF format. CADTERNS Pro is tested extensively for use with AutoSketch and AutoCAD.
• Patternmaking tutorials are written specifically for use with AutoSketch but can be adapted for use with AutoCAD or other CAD programs. The most notable differences will be in terminology. Tutorials are generously illustrated to facilitate patternmaking with ANY CAD program.

• General

  • CADTERNS places small arrows in the corners of the printed area of each sheet

  • The points of the arrows mark the corners

  • Printouts are arranged in vertical columns, with sheets being individual rows on these strips

  • Each sheet is numbered with the column number and the row number

  • Columns are numbered left to right and rows from top to bottom as follows:

   

• Single Sheet Feed Printers

  • Most laser printers leave a border around each sheet

  • If necessary, trim the left and top sides of each sheet back to the sheet corner marks

  • Tape the sheets together with transparent tape

   

• Tractor Feed Printers

  • Cut the printout at the joint between columns.  e.g. In the example above, cut between sheets 1-4 and 2-1, 2-4 and 3-1, 3-4 and 4-1

  • Trim the left side of each sheet back to the sheet corner marks

  • Tape the sheets together with transparent tape

• The central Purpose of CADTERNS is to Teach, Learn and Apply personal patternmaking at a standard Windows based personal computer. This differentiates it from many patternmaking programs that provide specific styles in a "cookie-cutter" method whereby you access patterns already styled for you.
  
  Four features of particular note about CADTERNS :
  • CADTERNS enables you to create personal slopers with the input of as few as Four Personal Measurements. It has been our experience through the years that the first and most prevalent problem that people usually encounter with computer patterns involves measurement taking. Because of this, CADTERNS calculates complete patterns with the input of a minimum number of measurements. In addition, calculations at several specific figure locations can be modified for specific figure irregularities. Other irregularities can be addressed by draping (pinch fitting) the test garment and transferring any changes to the sloper drawing that you use for fitting or styling other patterns.
  • CADTERNS accepts Unlimited Ease variations at a number of specific figure locations. Accomplish some styling and fitting variations within the sloper itself! This can be particularly beneficial for establishing your Signature Cut for your own Signature Styles.
  • CADTERNS has a Lite version available to test program function and suitability for your needs. Lite is a stand-alone program useful for manual pattern styling, using traditional Cut and Spread techniques of flat patternmaking. The Lite version can be upgraded to Pro.
  • Using CADTERNS Pro, you are able to export your Ready-to-Style Sloper into a recognized Industry Standard CAD (Computer-Aided Drafting) program used by architects and engineers as well as a wide variety of other drafting careers.
    Use the companion CAD program for designing brochures, posters, emblems, batik, beadwork, trapunto, embroidery…and so forth. An entry-level CAD program such as AutoSketch gives you the highest level of ease, accuracy and flexibility you might ever need. A sophisticated program such as AutoCAD LT or AutoCAD gives you added opportunities beyond entry level, such as 3-dimensional experimentation.
    Other applications of the companion CAD program can be of particular interest to someone who chooses to apply their creativity and talent beyond apparel, such as interior design, landscaping, woodwork, etc. Computer-Assisted Patternmaking provides yet another application with which
    to learn and apply basic CAD.

• By all means no, though it would be a great tool for someone with a home-based business to have in the sewing workshop.

• CADTERNS will make the pattern for a Ready-to Style Sloper to match any set of measurements that you input.  In order to keep the program friendly for recreational sewers and computer users, the number of measurements used to calculate and draft the slopers is limited, with a correspondingly limited number of measuring mistakes that could be made.
• If you do have figure irregularities (and most commercial patterns make everyone think that they do) you may need to do some additional "pinch fitting" to redistribute locations of greatest fullness. We have found that most people can do most of the pattern changes that they need by modifying the measurement or ease inputs used to calculate the sloper. 

• CADTERNS itself is very easy to operate. As you can see at the Website, there are only 3 main steps:
  • Input personal information including height, bust and waist measurements.
  • Modify measurements and ease, if desired. (This step can be eliminated for the first test pattern to establish where changes need to be made.)
  • Preview sloper pattern and print.

• The Pro version automatically includes the Lite version. The necessary addition to PRO is a CAD program.  We recommend the introductory CAD program AutoSketch for the easiest and least expensive CAD companion to CADTERNS.
• Some information for getting started with combining CADTERNS and AutoSketch for styling other patterns is included in CADTERNS Pro.  More tutorials are planned for access on-line. They will appear gradually, starting by September 1999.  These tutorials will be step by step instructions for using AutoSketch to style personal slopers into personal patterns.

• First, consider that every daisy is a flower but not every flower is a daisy. So too, every sloper is a pattern but not every pattern is a sloper.
• Slopers are very basic apparel patterns without style lines, seam allowances or hems. Garment manufacturers use slopers at the beginning or repeatedly throughout the evolution of fashion to develop patterns for new styles. They are also called standard patterns, foundation patterns, master patterns and blocks.
• CADTERNS slopers can be used as patterns for Wardrobe Classics by including seam allowances and hems. These can be styled with fullness adjustments using ease modifications and enhanced using signature design and finishing techniques.
• Hems and seam allowances can be set or toggled on and off from the CADTERNS Configure menu. Fullness can be adjusted by modifying length and width ease allotments in the Measurements folder.

• Screen 1 (Sloper Definition screen)
  • Choose from options and add personal variables

• Screen 2 (Measurements and Ease)
  • How much personal information does CADTERNS need to create my sloper?
  • Q: Inputs required? A: Only if desired

While viewing the Sloper Preview screen, you may also save and/or print the sloper pattern

• Screen 3 (Sloper preview)
  • Choose to either
    • Accept [Save] or
    • Reject [Do not save] the sloper pattern that you see on your monitor.