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| WHAT
is a sloper? |
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 | 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. |
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| WHO uses custom slopers? |
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| 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. |
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| WHY
would I want a custom sloper? |
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| 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. |
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| HOW
would I use a Custom Sloper? |
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| 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. |
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| Whichever way they are styled, patterns that start with
personal slopers can become the basis of a personal, made-to-measure wardrobe. |
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| WHAT is Personal Patternmaking? |
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| 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. |
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| HOW can I learn personal patternmaking? |
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| 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. |
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| At which schools can I study or review CADTERNS Custom
Patternmaking? |
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| Post secondary institutions include:
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| With WHICH CAD programs can CADTERNS personal slopers be styled? |
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| 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. |
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| HOW do I tape
the sloper printout sheets together? |
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| General
| CADTERNS places small arrows in the corners of the printed area of each
sheet
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| The points of the arrows mark the corners
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| Printouts are arranged in vertical strips,
with sheets being individual tiles on these strips
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| Each sheet is numbered with the strip number
and the tile number
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| Strips are numbered left to right and tiles
from top to bottom as follows:
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Strip 1 |
Strip 2 |
Strip 3 |
Strip4 |
| Tile 1 |
1-1 |
2-1 |
3-1 |
4-1 |
| Tile 2 |
1-2 |
2-2 |
3-2 |
4-2 |
| Tile 3 |
1-3 |
2-3 |
3-3 |
4-3 |
| Tile 4 |
1-4 |
2-4 |
3-4 |
4-4 |
| Single Sheet Feed Printers
| Most laser printers leave a border around
each sheet
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| If necessary, trim the left and top sides of
each sheet back to the sheet corner marks
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| Tape the sheets together with transparent
tape
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| Tractor Feed Printers
| Cut the printout at the joint between
strips. e.g. In the example above, cut between sheets 1-4 and 2-1, 2-4 and 3-1, 3-4
and 4-1
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| Trim the left side of each sheet back to the
sheet corner marks
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| Tape the sheets together with transparent
tape
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| WHAT makes CADTERNS different from other patternmaking programs? |
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| 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. |
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| Is CADTERNS only for those who
operate BUSINESSES making patterns and sewing? |
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| By all means NO, though it would be a great tool for someone
with a home-based business to have in the sewing workshop. |
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| Will the program FIT a person with heavier upper arms and a protruding tummy and derriere? |
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| 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. |
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| Can CADTERNS be operated by someone
with no TRAINING in any CAD program? |
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| 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. |
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| Is the Lite version a PRE-REQUISITE for the Pro version? |
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| 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. |
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| What’s the difference between a pattern and a sloper? |
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| 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. |
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