Page 23 - CITS - Dress Making - TT - 2024

DRESS MAKING - CITS

• Base pattern – The original pattern created (usually the middle of the size run). This is an industry term, the
base pattern would be whatever pattern is working with.
For example, given below size column, Medium [M] is the base size.

Size XS S [M] L XXL

Base Pattern
Bust 32 34 36 38 40

• Trueing – is the process of smoothing and shaping angular and curved lines on a seam to create a nice
transition. Trueing includes checking to make sure seam lengths match, corners are 90° angles where
necessary, as well as folding darts to create proper seam pattern shape.
• Size Run – The sizes included in a specific style. For example; small, medium, large, XL … or, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12.
• Cut and Spread | Cut and Overlap – The process of manually grading a sewing pattern by cutting the pattern
apart and increasing or decreasing its size.
• Pattern Shifting – The process of manually grading by shifting a pattern back and forth to increase or decrease
its size.
• Suppression grading – This term is applied when the amount of suppression in a pattern is increased or
decreased. Suppression is all forms of darts, seams, pleats and gathers which are used to control shapes or
contours. It is nothing to do with styling. The suppression is to reduce the girth measurements in relation to
another adjacent girth measurement.
• Balance –These are various interpretations of balance, but it refers to the relationship between the front length
from CF neck over the bust to waist and floor, and back length from nape to centre back waist to floor.
• Nested (stacked) grading – This described the superimposing of one size on another so that the progression
of increase is clearly visible.
Grading Techniques:
The basic pattern grading methods are mainly divided into 2 types. They are
1 Manual pattern grading or two dimensional grading.
2 Computer-aided pattern grading or three dimensional grading.

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CITS : Apparel - Dress Making - Lesson 1 - 5