Scaling Patterns & Scale Rulers

Working in quarter scale as described in Fashion & Costume Design in Quarter Scale can be an end in itself for people who want to pursue it as a hobby or for demonstration purposes. When I taught the History of Costume, I would have liked to have period clothes available in three-dimension. As I had not worked out how to make Mini-Mes I had to rely on two-dimensional sketches and photos from museum collections.

For most people working in quarter scale can be a way to learn and practise sewing techmiques, create original designs, and/or verify fit for garments intended to be worn by a variety of different body shapes. The quarter-scale patterns then need to be scaled up for full-size wearable garments. This process is described in detail on pages on pages 185 through 188 of Fashion & Costume Design in Quarter Scale and the videos below.

Quarter-scale patterns can be scaled up either with pencil and paper or using Computer Aided Pattern Design, CAPD techniques. The videos included here show how to scale patterns up and down using pencil and paper. For CAPD scaling, see the following two classes.

Contents

Scale Rulers

Scale Rulers can simplify the process of scaling patterns up and down. These patternmaking classes offer two examples of scale rulers. The rulers designed specifically for patterns include 1/4, 1/3, and 1/2 scales in either inches or centimeters. These rulers can simply be printed on copy paper for a flexible ruler or adhered to a stiffner for a more traditional type of ruler as described on pages 180 through 184 of Fashion & Costume Design in Quarter Scale.

The other ruler has scales for 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5 1/6, 1/8, and the circumference of a circle all of which can be useful for designing patterns. The web page for the double rulers also includes a video showing how to scale down a full size pattern to quarter scale using an radial scaling technique. The videos that follow show how to scale patterns using a grid technique.

Scaling Up

This video shows how to scale up a quarter-scale pattern to full size. In addition to the Scale Ruler described above you will need the following tools and supplies.

The images are links to the necessary resources with the Dotted Marking paper and Scotch Tape available from Amazon.

1. The PGM-8 Master Pattern is from page 93 of the Ready-Print-Patterns pdf file.
2. The Quarter-Inch Grid is a PDF file that needs to be printed on tracing paper.
3. The Alpha Numeric Dotted Marking Paper is Pattern Paper used for Fashion Design that is typically 45" wide.

Scaling Down

This video shows how to scale down a full-size pattern to quarter scale. Commercial patterns can be used to learn how designers have altered Master Patterns to achieve a given look. The Vogue-14 Mini-Me and Master Pattern described elsewhere can be used to understand how other Vogue size 14 patterns have been created. This video uses the Donna Karan design V2893. In addition to the Scale Ruler described above you will need the following tools and supplies.

The images with blue borders are links to the necessary resources with the Dotted Marking paper and C-Thru ruler available from Amazon.

1. Vogue 2893 by Donna Karan (This pattern is no longer available from Vogue. See also: Custom-Fit Contoured Waistbands. )
2. The Alpha Numeric Dotted Marking Paper is Pattern Paper used for Fashion Design that is typically 45" wide.
3. The Quarter Inch Grid is a PDF file that needs to be printed on copy paper.
4. C-Thru ruler for removing and adding seam allowances.