Pattern making CMT 6-7
Achievement Standard 1.26 AS 91096
Pattern making includes skills in pattern adaptation and pattern drafting. Pattern drafting requires a pattern block or working drawing to be established by using key measurements and using these to develop a pattern which interprets a garment’s or item’s design including its special features. Patterns are tested using toiles and mock-ups to ensure that pattern pieces correctly interpret a design and its special features.
Learning Objective: CMT 6-7
Students will:
- Make basic adaptations to a pattern to enable a design to fit a person or item
Indicators
Students can:
- take key body or item measurements to select pattern size(s)
- interpret a selected patterns guide sheet to identify the correct pattern
pieces for the selected design
- show independence and accuracy when:
- making basic adaptations to a pattern to accommodate the key
measurements
- interpreting pattern symbols and using a patterns guide sheet to correctly
place pattern pieces to suit material width and type
- developing a construction plan, using appropriate language, symbols and
diagrams
- construct a toile or mock up using the adapted pattern and test to ensure
that it interprets the design, providing the correct fit for the body or item in a manner that economises time, effort and materials.
Progression
Prior to level 6 students should be introduced to the use of simple pattern, how to use them effectively and the language, text and symbols associated with them. This should include the interaction of pattern with the wearer or end use and the materials in which the outcome will be made.
At Level 6 students learn how to select and adapt existing patterns to enable a garment to correctly fit for the body or an item to meet desired size and fit specifications.
Students also learn how to develop a pattern guide sheet that incorporates appropriate language, symbols and/or diagrams to: communicate pattern layout, and the step-by-step instructions required to construct a garment or item.
The Teacher Guidance section provides information that supports teachers scaffolding of learning from levels 1-8 of the curriculum. This allows for differentiation of a programme of learning.
The deliberate use of provide, guide, and support in this section signals that as students' capacity for self-management increases, teachers progressively reduce the level of scaffolding provided.
- Provide – the teacher should take full responsibility for introducing and explicitly teaching new knowledge, skills or practices.
- Guide – the students have a level of understanding and competency on which they can draw but the teacher remains primarily responsible for continuing to develop these.
- Support – the students take primary responsibility for their own learning, drawing on all their previous experiences to consolidate and extend their understanding. The teacher is supportive rather than directive.
- The Teacher Guidance also uses the term ensure to indicate when the teacher plays a monitoring role to check that conditions critical for learning are present.
Teacher Guidance
To support students to make basic adaptations to a pattern to change structural and/or style features of a design at level 6, teachers could:
- Provide opportunity for students to take key body or item measurements
and select a suitable pattern size(s).
- Guide students to interpret a selected patterns guide sheet to identify the
correct pattern pieces for a selected design.
- Guide students to show independence and accuracy when:
making basic adaptations to a pattern to accommodate the key
measurements ;
interpreting pattern symbols and using a patterns guide sheet to correctly
place pattern pieces to suit material width and type;
developing a construction plan, using appropriate language, symbols and
diagrams.
- Provide opportunity for students to construct a toile or mock up using an
adapted pattern and test to ensure that it interprets the design, providing the correct fit for the body or item in a manner that economises time, effort and materials.
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Contexts for teaching and learning
This learning objective is about implementing basic adaptations to a pattern to change structural features to enable a garment to correctly fit the body or an item to meet desired size and fit specifications.
However within a programme of work it is possible to link these skills with knowledge of basic concepts used to make textile products – refer to learning objective CMT 6-4 “Knowledge of textiles construction” and/or implementing basic procedures to make a specified product. Refer to “Implement basic procedures to make a textiles product” CMT 6-2. This could also link to developing a technological outcome such as a prototype or conceptual design TP 6-3
This objective relates to a wider range of textile items such as pattern adaptations for equipment coverings, furnishings, garments, and animal coverings. These could include such adaptations as the following lengthening, shortening, widening, and simple simple shape changes or the addition of a simple patch pocket.
This achievement objective requires the student to make basic adaptations to a pattern.
Two approaches are possible:
- The students are given or have developed a conceptual design. The conceptual design will be a drawing of the garment (an existing design) with the proposed changes. The whole class then makes the same product (or one of the alternatives). The teacher may select the conceptual design in discussion with the class. They may also allow individual students to negotiate a variation of the selected conceptual design and pattern alterations.
- The students have been engaged in technological practice and are ready to adapt a pattern to achieve fit required.
Prior learning
In either case, before they begin to make their adaptations and toile, ensure that students have explored:
- basic pattern adaptation techniques
- construction plans, guide sheets, and pattern symbols
- how to construct a toile
- how to fit a toile to ensure that pattern adaptations are successful.
In particular, ensure that all students understand the processes and protocols for:
- taking measurements (e.g. waist, hip) and using these to determine a pattern size from a guide sheet
- using a pattern guide sheet to select the pattern pieces for a garment
- making basic adaptations to pattern pieces to correctly interpret a design
- testing to ensure that a pattern is accurately adapted, fits, and reflects the selected design.
Provide the students with multiple opportunities to practise these processes and techniques.
- select materials and patttern adaptations that provide sufficient scope to meet the requirements of the standard
- have access to an appropriate work environment and to the tools and materials they will need to safely make their product. Teachers and students should be familiar with "Safety in Technology Education: A Guidance Manual for New Zealand Schools" and the implications of the relevant sections when it comes to students implementing their construction processes.
Literacy considerations
Students will need to understand the language of pattern drafting and the specific symbols used in pattern preparation
This would include
- knowing how to interpret pattern adaptation instructions such as those found in a pattern making text
- able to read, interpret, annotate create a pattern guide sheet
- be able to label the pattern with the correct symbols and information to enable the construction of the garment.
Resources to support teaching and learning
Indicators of progression:
Books
- Patternmaking for Fashion Design (5th Edition) [Hardcover-Spiral] Texts by Helen Joseph Armstrong Published by Prentice hall 2009.
- Fast Fit: Easy Pattern Alterations for Every Figure by Sandra Betzina published by Taunton press 2001.
- Fitting solutions-Pattern altering tips for garments that fit published by Taunton press 1996.
- Pattern Making For Beginners. Zarida Zaman. Bloomsbury Publishing
- Pattern Making Made Easy. Gillian Holman. Batsford Publishing
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Assessment for qualifications
The following achievement standard(s) could assess learning outcomes from this learning objective:
- AS91096 Construction & Mechanical Technologies 1.26: Make basic adaptations to a pattern to enable a design to fit a person or item
Key messages from the standard
Teachers must ensure that the pattern changes being made at this level are basic as required at Curriculum level 6. Evidence should be such that it is clear that the requirements as outlined in Explanatory Note 2 have been met. For example, details as to the measurements and the testing and refinements that students carried out should be apparent. For a student at merit, the assessor could note further observations on the assessment schedule. For example, that the student ensured understanding by checking measurements and pattern adaptations with the teacher, made notes and constructed part of the garment before beginning the assessment.
The following section from the resources highlights the competencies that students must demonstrate:
- Taking the intended wearer’s or item’s relevant measurements, and get a copy of the agreed pattern that is the right size for this purpose. (For example for a skirt, pattern size is based on waist and hip measurements.) This may be a non clothing item and therefore the measurements or dimensions of the agreed outcome must be taken accurately to ensure best fit
- Using the pattern guide sheet, identify the correct pattern pieces for the selected design.
- Adapting the pattern, using the measurements taken, and create the new pattern piece(s) needed to construct the toile.
- Place the pattern pieces correctly, to suit the material width and type, using the instructions on the pattern guide sheet and interpreting pattern symbols.
- Developing or adapting a construction plan, based on the pattern guide and using appropriate language, symbols, and diagrams, in which the student is able to:
- interpret and modify the pattern information
- select the appropriate information for the design
- make changes where the adaptation requires this
- plan a logical order of construction.
- Use of the plan and adapted pattern piece(s) to make a toile. Follow the plan in a manner that is accurate and efficient, working as independentlyas they are able.
- Use of the toile to test the pattern adaptation and refine the pattern as necessary to ensure that the adapted pattern interprets the design in the way as planned, and provides the correct fit for the wearer. Keep a record with evidence of the results of the testing. Such evidence could include photographs, the original pattern pieces and the ones that have beenaltered and refined
- Testing the toile and refining itto ensure that the adapted pattern provides the correct fit includes (but is not limited to):
- checking that the size is correct for the intended wearer or textile outcome
- checking that the fabric sits in smooth planes around the body or item, with no pulling, bunching, or puckering
- checking that the darts are placed to shape for fullness
- checking that the fit is comfortable for the wearer ( if applicable), i.e. the skirt has the correct amount of ease around the waistline and hips
- checking that the toile accurately reflects the adapted design.
Key definitions and concepts
A pattern suitable to adapt and use in thisstandard refers to a commercial pattern that is professionally produced, or an alternative that provides similar structure and guidance using technical language and symbols. This may include but is not limited to teacher provided blocks or computer generated patterns, with accompanying guide sheets.
The pattern must include a minimum of three pattern pieces and may be provided by the teacher or selected by the student.
- The pattern design will be for a textile or alternative soft material product which requires "fitting" to meet the requirements of a specific person or item. Products may include but are not limited to – garments, equipment coverings, and furnishings.
- Materials include textiles or alternative soft materials and may include but are not limited to natural and synthetic: fibres, yarns, fabrics, leather, and vinyl.
- A construction plan would require students to interpret and modify the pattern information and select the appropriate information for their design, and plan a logical order of construction.
- Examples of basic adaptations include but are not limited to – lengthening, shortening, widening, simple shape changes.
- Toile or mock up refers toa particular method of functional modelling involving the production of a sample product. Its purpose is to translate the pattern into 3 dimensions to check all aspects of the design have been interpreted appropriately and provide the correct fit for the person or item.
Teachers must be able to justify assessment judgements by providing evidence based on classroom observations and discussions with students. As the teacher, you need to be able to demonstrate that your judgments are soundly based. This means some recording of evidence is necessary. However, recording of evidence should not be time-consuming or onerous. Students could be asked simply to keep a record of progress and how they have resolved problems – maybe by annotating construction plans or the equivalent. You could add your own observations to the students’ records.
Students could also provide evidence by,
- recording the outcomes of the tests as they apply their product,
- by taking and annotating photos to show economic use of materials and accuracy.
Judgements:
- Independence can be gauged from the level of teacher input required, and from observation of student interactions.
- Accuracy of execution can be seen in the processes used in the finished product, and in how the student has followed through on information from testing.
- Economy of time is gauged by observation and relates to how effectively students organize themselves, look after their resources so that they can pick up where they left off the previous period and minimize downtime.
- Economy of effort is a measure of efficiency. For example to what extent does the student know what to do and get on and do it rather than relying on trial and error as a method of working. This can be gauged from classroom observation and/or planning logs.
- Economy of resources is gauged by the extent to which a student makes use of materials.
- Economy of time, effort and resources could be demonstrated in one action. For example students could chose the correct tool for the task, which saves them time and effort and minimises wastage.
- Economy of time and effort are often linked.
It is important that students during the teaching programme develop and understanding of what independence means in the context of this work and that the teacher is able to make professional judgements based on this common understanding
Achieved – make (with some guidance)
“With some guidance” means the teacher (or peers) may:
- respond to student-initiated requests for assistance, for example, where to find suitable material, or what tool to use
- sometimes prompt the student to, for example, consider other options, think about the wisdom of a choice, or reread the brief.
The teacher (or peers) may NOT, however:
- make any decisions for students
- assist a student in any hands-on way (do any part of the project for them)
- respond to frequent questions or requests for step-by-step guidance.
Merit – make “with independence and accuracy”
“With independence” means the student:
- owns the practice (acts as if responsibility for achieving a quality outcome sits with them)
- plans effectively, thinks ahead, is well-organised, self-starting and self-managing
- does their own decision-making
- books any equipment/machines they need in timely fashion
- purchases and/or brings required materials in timely fashion
- stores their work carefully so that it is easily retrieved next period
- carries out appropriate checking and testing and takes required corrective action
- recognises and deals with issues promptly, so that they are able to meet the deadline
is always able to describe what they are doing, why, and where their project is up to.
Evidence of assessment
Students could provide evidence by recording information about their processes and the outcomes through taking and annotating photos, video clips or keeping a simple journal. Annotating an assessment schedule is one way for the assessor to confirm judgements around independence and accuracy (for merit) and if the student has worked in a manner that economises time, effort and materials (excellence). These annotations could be derived from classroom observation and/or discussions with students.
This evidence will be provided by individual students and could be presented in a portfolio, in a PowerPoint, in a video of an oral presentation or in other forms negotiated with the teacher. Evidence could include a variety of media (for example, written, digital, photographic) in any format. It is recommended that where written format is used there be a maximum size of A3. Evidence will also be based on assessor observation of the manner in which the techniques are carried out. Evidence needs to be slear that sthe student has demonstrated the competencies required in the criteria of the standard.
For the most up to date information, teachers should be referring to the latest version of the standards, conditions of assessment and assessment resources on TKI and the moderators reports, clarifications documents and student exemplars on the NZQA website. See links below.
Resources to support student achievement
Assessment resource:
Annotated exemplars
Last updated October 20, 2020
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