Clothing patternmakers produce master patterns from designs. They work closely
with designers, interpreting their sketches to develop a style that can be
achieved by the company’s equipment and staff, and that fits the image of the
company’s label.
In some cases, patternmakers may be employed in additional job roles, such as
designer, sample machinist, grader or marker maker.
How much can I expect to earn?
Full-time employed Clothing Patternmaker earn an average of $1212 per week.
The [average annual salary for this job is $63024 excluding super.]
Personal requirements
enjoy practical and manual activities
good hand-eye coordination
artistic flair, with an eye for detail
good sense of proportion
aptitude for technical activities
able to work neatly and accurately.
This job also involves:
Full use of hands/fingers
Use of precision or semi-precision tools or instruments or deft hand movements
are required for these occupations. Included are jobs where poor co-ordination
or incomplete use of hands or fingers may make tasks dangerous or difficult to
undertake.
Good vision for detail
These jobs require you to be able to see clearly to examine items close-up. It
covers jobs where poor vision e.g. tunnel vision, could make the work place
unsafe or the job difficult to undertake, e.g. draftsperson working with
detailed drawings; checkout operator reading dockets; work requiring good
hand-eye co-ordination for working with precision or semi-precision tools.
Mainly indoor work
Workers performing these jobs would usually be expected to spend more than
three-quarters of their day indoors, in an office, factory or other enclosed
area protected from the weather.
This occupation offers jobs at the following skill levels:
Skilled Trade Jobs
These jobs do not usually require completion of secondary education, however
further part-time study usually at Certificate III level, and on-the-job
training offered as an apprenticeship, is required.
Study requirements
At school, you can study these subject(s) to get a good foundation for this
occupation:
Industrial Arts
School subjects that include some aspect of INDUSTRIAL ARTS provide a useful
background to these jobs. In some cases an industrial arts-related subject is
a pre-requisite for entry to courses that provide the training for the job.
Duties and tasks of a Clothing Patternmaker
Clothing patternmakers may perform the following tasks:
interpret a design sketch
choose the correct ‘block’ (a pattern shape that forms the basic characteristics of a garment)
make adjustments to the pattern to arrive at a sample pattern, which is then used to decide whether to produce the garment in bulk
check the accuracy of the sample pattern
work with the sample machinist at various stages throughout the process, such as cutting out the sample garment and determining the amount of fabric used
advise on the correct machining technique to use
check that the sample garment maintains the look of the original design
check the fit of the sample on a mannequin, or on a model employed by the firm
modify sample garments to meet cost specifications and manufacturing limitations
once it is approved for production, reproduce the sample pattern on a pattern board to make a master pattern
create the required range of sizes by ‘grading’ the pattern, usually using a computer-aided design (CAD) system.