1. Open Source Fashion Design Project Susan L. Spencer 20 year routing and networking veteran Retired to do what thrills me sew@sew-brilliant.net susan.spencer@gmail.com http://www.sew-brilliant.org/

2. Open Source Fashion Design Project Goal of this presentation: Recruit an initial team to design and build a suite of open source software to ● Create, import and modify clothing patterns ● Match custom body measurements ● Generate printable pattern files ● Utilize open data formats to enable interoperability

3. Benefits from open fashion design software ● Encourages small label designers to enter apparel design and production markets through lower initial investment costs. ● Designs created with open software are owned by the designer. No royalties are paid. ● Local markets for handmade garments are enabled. Regional styles or “looks” may develop. Buyers have more choices than designs promoted at national and global levels. ● Adult size clothing may become more available. Small designs do not scale proportionately, so when sized upwards they do not fit. ● Home sewists and small label designers boost markets for organic and non-synthetic fabric.

4. Fast Growing Design Markets ● Corsets - www.darkgarden.comwww.darkgarden.com ● Steampunk - http://blog.wingsofsteam.net/?p=3http://blog.wingsofsteam.net/?p=3 ● Vintage - www.bettiepageclothing.comwww.bettiepageclothing.com

5. Free the people ● Everyone wears clothes! ● Not everyone wants to wear the styles promoted in magazines or offered for sale in international chain stores. ● Women's ready-to-wear sizes are based on 2 inch increments of bust size. Yet bust size is unrelated to any other measurement of the body, so much of ready-to-wear clothing does not fit well. ● By creating design software based on body relationships, we can offer sewists an improved process of designing garments that fit. ● Global sewing machines sales are higher now than at another time since the 1950's. Many buyers are new to sewing but are looking for pattern software to help them express their personal style.

6. Additional benefits ● Schools and educational environments would have access to fashion design software without purchasing multiple licenses. ● Young people involved in fashion design would be introduced to the open source community. Participation in forums and user groups may enable these young people to see the code behind the design tool, and may encourage their participation in future blending of artistic and lifestyle choices with technology.

7. Future projects and expanded functionality ● 3D Scanner integration 3D Scanner integration ● Cutting table integration Cutting table integration ● Layout and yardage optimization ● Seam information embedded in pattern ● Schematics included for wearable electronics

8. Current Fashion Design Applications ● Are proprietary ● Do not interoperate ● May require additional CAD engine ● May run only on proprietary operating systems ● May require users to know CAD terms (bspline curve) instead of sewing terms (arm scye curve)

9. Less expensive applications have design limitations Bernina MyLabel ● Requires Windows ● 20 built-in patterns ● Pattern fitting software – little design capability ● No import capability ● No control over fit or design ease ● Good 3D rendering of design on virtual mannequin ● $400US http://www.cdesignfashion.com

10. Applications at mid-range cost do not have full design functions http://www.cdesignfashion.com C-Design ● Requires Windows and Adobe Illustrator. ● Each module is $399: Women, Child, Kids, Baby, Lingerie, Bags, Home - $2800 ● No control over fit or design ease ● Limited pattern adjustments ● Templates reflect current fashion trends ● No import capability

11. Full function design applications are priced beyond most individual budgets Wild Ginger Cameo v4.0 ● Requires Windows ● Pattern Design module: Unlimited pattern creation and editing - $750 ● Made to Fit module: Alter styled patterns to any set of body measurements - $750 ● Grading module: Automatically grade up to 20 sizes - $750 ● Marker Layout module: Optimized pattern layout - $750 ● 5 Pattern Libraries - Women, Men, and Children - $250 each ● Import capability, supports plotters ● $4250 all modules http://www.wildginger.com

12. Methods to create patterns ● Drape fabric on a body form to create prototype – Copy to tissue or paper ● Create and manipulate flat pattern blocks – Create pattern blocks using base measurements – Slash, pivot, fold and spread areas of block to change design – Smooth curves

13. Manipulating flat pattern block: Move dart on bodice block ● Flat pattern illustrations from Dress Design: Draping and Flat Pattern Making by Evelyn S. Hillhouse and Evelyn A. Mansfield, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1948 Flat pattern illustrations from Dress Design: Draping and Flat Pattern Making by Evelyn S. Hillhouse and Evelyn A. Mansfield, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1948

14. Manipulating flat bodice block: Cowl neck blouse

15. Manipulating flat bodice block: Bow front, high neck

16. Manipulating flat bodice and skirt blocks: Curved and gathered yoke, sleeve and hip

17. Sizing patterns to custom measurements Two methods to size patterns to custom measurements: 1. Copy original pattern. Slash, spread, pivot and fold using Paper and Tape. 2. Create adjustable pattern templates from prototype pattern or from flat pattern blocks

18. Sizing Patterns to Measurements ● Both methods follow the same basic algorithm: ● Adjust vertically ● Adjust horizontally ● Adjust arm scye ● Adjust collar, facings, buttons, zippers

19. Method 1: Slash and Spread ● Vertical and horizontal changes in size must be distributed, not added all in one place. Careful measurement, taping and double checking are required. Errors are common with this method.

20. ● Pattern templates allow direct measurements to be introduced to the pattern without manually dividing the increase/decrease ● The measurements are set on each pattern piece at points determined by the designer ● Errors introduced through inaccurate measurements Method 2: Pattern Templates

21. Pattern Template created from flat block pattern ● Bodice block template from Bonfit America, Inc. ● This block pattern has a limited set of design options by selecting of dart, sleeve, collars, and ability to change ease from loose to tight.

22. Pattern Template created from prototype design McDowell Garment Drafting Machine, 1888

23. McDowell Garment Drafting Machine prototype design ● The McDowell templates have a limited set of design options as well, but the options are related to this single design.

24. What will our software incorporate from these different methods? ● Flat Block method: Creating and editing a built-in library of basic flat blocks to copy and modify using slash, spread, fold, pivot, smooth curve techniques ● Pattern Template method: Designers pre-mark increase and decrease areas in each individual design for accurate sizing of patterns ● Current software applications: Save designs into customizable libraries, save customer measurements in database, print to laser printers and plotters ● New for our software : Import AND export designs in open file formats. Use of sewing terminology for creating and editing patterns, and to select actions for tracing over imported drawings and photographs.

25. What do we need at this point? ● We need to create a team of people who: ● Develop applications ● Understand graphics and CAD systems ● Are familiar with applications that could be extended or modified to create this project ● Have additional ideas ● Want to contribute to the DIY movement ● Want to change the world

26. Let's make it happen If you wish to help with this project or know others who would be interested please contact me: www.sew-brilliant.org sew@sew-brilliant.com susan.spencer@gmail.com