CREATE ANY SIZE: PATTERN GRADING
FOR SEWERS
with
Kathleen Cheetham
Supplies & Resources
SUPPLIES
Cardboard grid to protect table
Permanent markers in different colors
Micro/ extra-fine tip permanent felt pen (Sharpie
or other), in black and red
Old business cards, index cards or card stock
Highlighter
Paper scissors
Pattern weights
Clear grading ruler
French curve
Kraft paper
Kathleen uses Rainbow brand Colored Kraft
Duo-Finish in light blue; available at teacher
and classroom supply stores or online at
mpmschoolsupplies.com
Transparent tape
Pattern awl
Pattern paper, resilient for tracing patterns
Needle wheel
SUGGESTED READING
Grading Workbook by Connie Amaden-Crawford
(Fashion Patterns By Coni, 2011)
Master Patterns and Grading for Women's
Outsizes by Gerry Cooklin (Wiley-Blackwell, 1995)
Pattern Grading for Women's Clothes by Gerry
Cooklin (Wiley-Blackwell, 1991)
Pattern Grading for Children's Clothes by Gerry
Cooklin (Wiley-Blackwell, 1991)
Pattern Grading for Men's Clothes by Gerry
Cooklin (Wiley-Blackwell, 1991)
The Entrepreneurs Guide to Sewn Product
Manufacturing by Kathleen Fasanella (Apparel
Technical Services, 1998)
Concepts of Pattern Grading by Carolyn L Moore,
Kathy K Mullet & Margaret Prevatt Young (Fairchild
Books, second edition 2008)
Grading Techniques for Fashion Design by Jeanne
Price & Bernard Zamkoff (Fairchild Publications,
second edition 1996)
CONTINUED >
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CREATE ANY SIZE: PATTERN GRADING
FOR SEWERS
with
Kathleen Cheetham
Supplies & Resources
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Grade (noun)
The total increase or decrease in circumference between each size, e.g., 2" between size 12 and 14; or the incremental growth/decrease at each cardinal point
on a pattern piece.
Grade (verb)
To proportionally increase or decrease the size of a pattern.
Total or overall grade
The total increase or decrease in circumference between each size. For example, 2" between size 12 and 14.
Allocated grade
The portion of the total grade to be applied to one pattern piece.
Incremental grade
The growth/decrease at each cardinal point on a pattern piece.
Nest or graded nest
A set of graded pattern pieces stacked, illustrating the difference in each size.
You will also see graded nests in multi-size patterns.
Cardinal points
The places on a pattern piece where we will insert or take away room to increase/decrease its size.
Grade rule library
Also called Grade Rule Table or Chart; a list of cardinal points along with their
grade increments for each pattern piece.
Base size
Also called the master pattern; the original (usually middle) pattern size that is
graded up and down to create the full size range
Production pattern
A master pattern which has been graded for all of its sizes.
True up or truing
Checking the graded pattern pieces to ensure they fit accurately together at
their connecting seams.
Size run
The sizes in a specific style, such as 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Machine grading
Mechanically moving a pattern to grade. When this method is used, the pattern
is clamped into the grading machine and a knob is turned to set the grading
increment.
Computer grading
The base pattern is first digitized, then grade rules are applied using software to
create the new sizes.
Manual/hand grading
Grading on paper using ruler and pencil.
Cut and spread grading
Manually grading by cutting the pattern apart along cardinal points, then either
spreading to grade up or overlapping to grade down.
Pattern shifting
Grading the pattern by shifting it back and forth, up and down along an X and Y axis.
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Charts
GARMENT SIZE CHART
BASE
SIZE
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
in.
cm
in.
cm
in.
cm
in.
cm
in.
cm
in.
cm
in.
cm
in.
cm
in.
cm
in.
cm
in.
cm
Bust
30
77
32
82
34
87
36
92
38
97
40
102
42
107
44
112
46
117
48
122
50
127
Waist
22
57
24
62
26
67
28
72
30
77
32
82
34
87
36
92
38
97
40
102
42
107
Hip
32
82
34
87
36
92
38
97
40
102
42
107
44
112
46
117
48
122
50
127
52
132
CONTINUED >
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CREATE ANY SIZE: PATTERN GRADING
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Charts
PATTERN GRADING CHART
CARDINAL
POINTS
FORMULA
1 SIZE
2" (5 CM) GRADE
2 SIZES
4" (10 CM) GRADE
Top/Blouse
Allocated Grade
inches
cm
inches
cm
Front & Back
of the full grade of
2" or 5 cm
1 and 6
of allocated grade
" or 1.25 cm
Midpoint of neckline to waist
1 8
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
2 and 7
Shoulder seam to waist
1 8
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
3 and 8
Lower armscye to waist
"
.62 cm
"
1.25 cm
Circumference check
4 8
/"
1.25 cm
1"
2.5 cm
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
PLACEMENT
4 and 9
Center front or center back to armscye
1 8
5 and 10
Center front or center back to side seam
1 8
CONTINUED >
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CREATE ANY SIZE: PATTERN GRADING
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Charts
CARDINAL
POINTS
FORMULA
Skirt Front & Back
Allocated Grade
11 and 16
Waist to hem: halfway between center front
and first dart
1 8
12 and 17
Waist to hem: halfway between first
and second dart
13 and 18
14 and 19
15 and 20
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1 SIZE
2" (5 CM) GRADE
2 SIZES
4" (10 CM) GRADE
inches
cm
inches
cm
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
1 8
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
Waist to hem: halfway between second dart
and side seam
"
.62 cm
"
1.25 cm
Hip line: center front or center back
to side seam
"
.62 cm
"
1.25 cm
Knee: center front or center back
to side seam
"
.62 cm
"
1.25 cm
PLACEMENT
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CREATE ANY SIZE: PATTERN GRADING
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Sewing
Charts
CARDINAL
POINTS
FORMULA
Sleeve
Allocated Grade
21
Midway under arm and center front notch
to hem
1 8
22
Midway center front notch
and shoulder notch to hem
1 8
23
Midway shoulder notch
and center back notch to hem
1 8
24
Midway center back notch
and under arm to hem
1 8
25
Section sleeve cap roughly in half
above notches
1 8
PLACEMENT
1 SIZE
2" (5 CM) GRADE
2 SIZES
4" (10 CM) GRADE
inches
cm
inches
cm
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
/"
.31 cm
"
.62 cm
CONTINUED >
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CREATE ANY SIZE: PATTERN GRADING
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Kathleen Cheetham
Sewing
Charts
PATTERN GRADING CHART TEMPLATE
CARDINAL
POINTS
FORMULA
Top/Blouse
Allocated Grade
Front & Back
of the full grade of
2" or 5 cm
1 and 6
of allocated grade
" or 1.25 cm
2 and 7
3 and 8
PLACEMENT
1 SIZE
2" (5 CM) GRADE
2 SIZES
4" (10 CM) GRADE
inches
inches
cm
cm
"
cm
"
cm
Midpoint of neckline to waist
"
cm
"
cm
Shoulder seam to waist
"
cm
"
cm
Lower armscye to waist
"
cm
"
cm
Circumference check
/"
1.25 cm
4 8
1"
2.5 cm
4 and 9
Center front or center back to armscye
"
cm
"
cm
5 and 10
Center front or center back to side seam
"
cm
"
cm
CONTINUED >
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CREATE ANY SIZE: PATTERN GRADING
FOR SEWERS
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Kathleen Cheetham
Sewing
Charts
CARDINAL
POINTS
FORMULA
Skirt Front & Back
Allocated Grade
11 and 16
Waist to hem: halfway between center front
and first dart
"
cm
"
cm
12 and 17
Waist to hem: halfway between first
and second dart
"
cm
"
cm
13 and 18
Waist to hem: halfway between second dart
and side seam
"
cm
"
cm
14 and 19
Hip line: center front or center back
to side seam
"
cm
"
cm
15 and 20
Knee: center front or center back
to side seam
"
cm
"
cm
PLACEMENT
1 SIZE
2" (5 CM) GRADE
2 SIZES
4" (10 CM) GRADE
inches
inches
cm
cm
CONTINUED >
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CREATE ANY SIZE: PATTERN GRADING
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Kathleen Cheetham
Sewing
Charts
CARDINAL
POINTS
FORMULA
Sleeve
Allocated Grade
21
Midway under arm and center front notch
to hem
"
cm
"
cm
22
Midway center front notch
and shoulder notch to hem
"
cm
"
cm
23
Midway shoulder notch
and center back notch to hem
"
cm
"
cm
24
Midway center back notch
and under arm to hem
"
cm
"
cm
25
Section sleeve cap roughly in half
above notches
"
cm
"
cm
Craftsy and Sympoz Inc.
PLACEMENT
Craftsy.com
1 SIZE
2" (5 CM) GRADE
2 SIZES
4" (10 CM) GRADE
inches
inches
cm
cm
Blouse Practise Pattern Pieces
Back
BLOUSE BACK PRACTICE PATTERN
7
6
CB
Back
(cut one on fold)
SEAM ALLOWANCE 3/8 IN (1 CM)
SIZE 14
10
19
Create Any Size:
Pattern Grading for Sewers
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CB
10
TOTAL BLOUSE PRACTICE PATTERN
Grading a Blouse
Placement of Cardinal Points
7
6
CB
25
9
3
Sleeve
(cut two)
SEAM ALLOWANCE 3/8 IN (1 CM)
Back
SIZE 14
(cut one on fold)
SEAM ALLOWANCE 3/8 IN (1 CM)
CF
SIZE 14
Front
(cut two)
SEAM ALLOWANCE 3/8 IN (1 CM)
SIZE 14
Bust Point
21
22
23
24
10
19
14
CF
CB
Create Any Size:
Pattern Grading for Sewers
with Kathleen Cheetham
Craftsy and Sympoz Inc.
11
Blouse Practise Pattern Pieces
Facings and Collar
BLOUSE FACINGS & COLLAR
SIZE 14
Back Facing
(cut one fabric, cut one interfacing)
SEAM ALLOWANCE 3/8 IN (1 CM)
SIZE 14
Front Facing
(cut two fabric, cut two interfacing)
SEAM ALLOWANCE 3/8 IN (1 CM)
CF
CB
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CF
SIZE 14
Collar
(cut two fabric, cut one interfacing)
SEAM ALLOWANCE 3/8 IN (1 CM)
Create Any Size:
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12
Front
BLOUSE FRONT
PRACTICE PATTERN
4
3
1
CF
Front
(cut two)
SEAM ALLOWANCE 3/8 IN (1 CM)
SIZE 14
Bust Point
14
CF
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Pattern Grading for Sewers
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13
SKIRT BACK PRACTICE PATTERN
Skirt Back
CB
Back
19
20
18
17
16
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14
SKIRT FRONT PRACTICE PATTERN
Skirt Front
CF
Front
14
15
11
12
13
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15
CB
TOTAL SKIRT
PRACTICE PATTERN
CB
SS
CF
SS
SS
CF
SS
CB
CB
CF
CB
Front
Create Any Size:
Pattern Grading for Sewers
with Kathleen Cheetham
Craftsy and Sympoz Inc.
Back
14
19
15
20
11
12
13
18
17
16
16
SKIRT WAISTBAND PRACTICE PATTERN
CB
CB
SS
CF
SS
SS
CF
SS
CB
CB
Create Any Size:
Pattern Grading for Sewers
with Kathleen Cheetham
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17
Blouse Practise Pattern Pieces
Sleeve
SLEEVE PRACTICE PATTERN
25
Sleeve
(cut two)
SEAM ALLOWANCE 3/8 IN (1 CM)
SIZE 14
21
22
23
24
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18
SLEEVELESS TOP BACK
PRACTICE PATTERN
CB
Sleeveless Top - Back
cut one on fold
CENTRE BACK - place on fold
SEAM ALLOWANCE 6 mm / 1/4 in
10
Create Any Size:
Pattern Grading for Sewers
with Kathleen Cheetham
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19
SLEEVELESS TOP FRONT
PRACTICE PATTERN
2
1
CF
Sleeveless Top - Front
cut one on fold
SEAM ALLOWANCE 6 mm / 1/4 in
3
CENTRE FRONT - place on fold
Create Any Size:
Pattern Grading for Sewers
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20
6
CB
TOTAL SLEEVELESS TOP
PRACTICE PATTERN
1
1
CF
CF
- Back
Top - Back
Sleeveless Top Sleeveless
- Front
Top - Front
Sleeveless Top Sleeveless
cut one on fold
cut one on fold
SEAM ALLOWANCE 6 mm / 1/4 in
SEAM ALLOWANCE 6 mm / 1/4 in
3
CENTRE FRONT - place on fold
CENTRE FRONT - place on fold
cut one on fold
cut one on fold
SEAM ALLOWANCE 6 mm / 1/4 in
SEAM ALLOWANCE 6 mm / 1/4 in
CENTRE BACK - place on fold
10
Create Any Size:
Pattern Grading
for Sewers
with Kathleen Cheetham
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21
