Teaser Video from My Upcoming BurdaStyle Course

Good morning, friends! There's been a ton of interest in my BurdaStyle course, Digital Pattern Drafting with Adobe Illustrator, so this morning, I took some time to make a quick teaser video for you guys from one of the course lessons. Of course, this is a much abbreviated version, but you will see the type of thing you'll learn to do in the course through this short, little video: [vimeo width="649" height="419"]http://www.vimeo.com/101734168[/vimeo]

The video, in its entirety, is about half an hour long - and that includes lots of background information. Just imagine being able to draft a complete skirt block in 15 or 20 minutes! With the lessons in this course, you absolutely can!

Here's a full outline of what you'll learn in this course (changing slightly as I add content for better organization):

Session 1 - Adobe Illustrator Essentials

• Menus
• Preferences
• Custom Workspaces
• Artboards
• layers
• Actions
• Types
• Transform, align, and pathfinder
• Pen Tool
• Shape Tools
• Rotate Tools
• Artboards
• Measuring curves
• Strokes
• Color/fill/symbols palettes

Session 2 - Preparing Measurements for Block Creation

• Creating a Google Sheet
• Fill in block measurements

Session 3 -Creating Blocks in Illustrator

• Creating Fitted bodice Block: wovens
• Create Flat Bodice Block: knitwear
• Create Skirt Block: wovens
• Create Trouser Block: wovens

Session 4 - Modifying Block to Create Unique Styles

• Using pathfinder
• Moving anchor points
• Using pivot points ( digital slash and spread)

Session 5 - Adding and Subtracting Seam Allowances

• Add/subtract seam allowance ( offset path method, simple shapes)
• Add/subtract seam allowance ( stroke method)

Session 6 - Tiling for At Home Printing

• Setting up a tiling template
• Exporting as PDF

Session 7 - Digital Grading

• Using a Google sheet to calculate X/Y anchor point movement
• X/Y coordinate method
• Blend tool method
• Combo Method

Session 8 - Marking up Patterns for Ease of Use

• Scale square
• Grading lines
• Seam allowance notations
• Notches and other markers
• Scale square
• Center fold arrows
• Grainlines
• Piece number
• Piece name
• Piece cutting instructions

The course starts Monday, July 28 and is 8 weeks long. Enrollment closes on Friday, August 1. There are assignments at the end of each session, and you can access previous sessions' materials if needed throughout the course. You will have up to four weeks after the 8-week course period to access and refer back to the material. All lessons are delivered via Blackboard, so you can easily interact with me, the instructor, and all your fellow students.

You'll notice that this course DOES include grading and tiling, but it does NOT include anything about selling your patterns, drawing illustrations, creating your pattern instructions in InDesign, etc. This course is truly targeted to the sewist who wants to create her own library of pattern blocks that can be used again and again to quickly and accurately design her own, custom-fitted garments.

Through the course, you will actually develop four slopers that can be used to create endless designs of your own. All the instructions are based on the Winifred Aldrich book, Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear. Pretty cool, eh??!!

So what are you waiting for?! Go sign up today!

Big News Part Two: I'm Teaching at Burdastyle.com!

Okay, okay, I know this isn't BIG news since most of you who follow me on Instagram already know about this. And since I've mentioned it in a couple of my Facebook groups, this is probably not even that exciting anymore. BUT YOU GUYS! I am teaching a master course at Burdastyle.com! EXCITING, right?! And I finally have all the nitty-gritty details to share with you!

The course is called Digital Pattern Design with Adobe Illustrator, and it's a little bit different than my Pattern Workshop course since it's specifically targeted to women who want to design their own patterns (not necessarily to sell). It will go more in-depth into the creation of blocks and will include detailed instructions and calculations for creating the following:

• Close-fitting bodice/sleeve block (wovens)
• Close-fitting body/sleeve block (knits)
• Simple trouser block (wovens)
• Tailored skirt block (wovens)

Unlike Pattern Workshop, however, it will not include any of the videos on marketing, selling, creating illustrations or putting together pattern instructions in InDesign. It WILL include how to tile and grade patterns digitally. The course begins July 28 and runs eight weeks. The cost is $129 (a STEAL for the amount of information contained!), and you can register and see more details here!

In the first session, students will learn the ins and outs of Adobe Illustrator as it applies to patternmaking. Next, I'll show you how to create Google Sheets that help you to easily calculate all the measurements you'll need for the block creation process. Then, we'll create four blocks that can be used to build a whole library of blocks based on your own measurements so you can quickly and easily create your own patterns right from your computer. You'll be able to apply the knowledge learned during the creation of those four blocks to create all kinds of blocks - outerwear, easy-fitting clothing, lingerie, activewear, etc.

Pretty snazzy, eh?! Just imagine seeing an outfit in a magazine or on Pinterest, and then re-creating it in pattern form right on your laptop/desktop computer! And sewing it that same day!

Once that's done, the fun really begins. I'll show you how to use Illustrator's tools to modify basic blocks for an infinite number of styles. And finally, we'll add seam allowances and tile the patterns for at-home printing. I KNOW. I'll even show you how to grade your pattern into other sizes in case you fancy that sort of thing. (And the editors at BurdaStyle.com tell me you do!)

If you don't have any experience drafting patterns or using Illustrator, don't sweat it. I recommend purchasing Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear by Winifred Aldrich to help you along (although any patternmaking book with block instructions will do - this is the one I use in the examples). Some measurements (yours or the ones provided in the course), that book and my course are really all you need to get going. Really! I promise!

So whether you're a beginning pattern drafter or one with 30 years of experience and a degree in fashion design, this course is for you. Stop with all the tracing paper and start designing digitally. No more taping, re-tracing, measuring and wasted muslin. (Okay, you might still waste a little muslin.) Take it all digital and spend your time designing and sewing instead of planting your face firmly in your palm.

REGISTER NOW!

Space is limited. :) xoxo