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BIG PICTURE
Drafting Patterns Like a Pro
The right tools and a little know-how make this task so much easier!
by Cheryl Strickland
We have a great need in the window treatment workroom and design
industry for tools that make our daily tasks easier. Sketching
designs to scale and drafting patterns certainly are no exceptions.
Lets fact it, sometimes this task can be more time consuming than
the actual fabrication process!
A few simple measuring and drafting tools, pattern paper and some know-how will
go a long way to making sketching designs and drafting patterns so much easier!
Here at the Professional Drapery School we have gathered all the necessary tools,
along with detailed instructions, into a Professional Drafting Kit, and we have
made them available for a small cost. It also can be used to alter commercial
patterns without damaging them. I will detail what is included in our kit, but
really these are items that every workroom needs to have handy for taking on
these tasks.
STOCKING YOUR KIT
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Detailed Instructions: Eighteen pages of step-by-step instructions on how to
draft patterns to scale for cornice boards as well as flat and gathered valances
are included. Learn how to properly scale treatments from sketches to fit any
size window. Also included is the Scallop Formula, which ensure fast, easy and
perfect scallops every time regardless of size. The instructions alone are worth
their weight in gold.
•
Pattern Paper: Four yards of this paper are included in the kit. The paper is
marked in a one-inch grid making pattern drafting and alteration a breeze. The
paper is 36 inches wide and available in several different size rolls, the largest
being 200 yards.
•
Scaling Ruler: Scale and sketch any design to properly fit any window with this
invaluable tool! The ruler is formatted at 10 squares to the inch. It works like
graph paper, only it’s far more versatile. You’ll wonder how your
workroom managed without it.
•
Yardstick Compass and Replacement Lead: This handy little tool is a must for
all workrooms. Never again will you struggle with drafting scallops or circles
of virtually any size. Also included in the kit are five pieces of replacement
lead for the Yardstick Compass.
• 12-inch Wooded Ruler: This sturdy wooden ruler holds compass points securely
in place. It’s the perfect size for drafting scallops and circles up to
22 inches in diameter.
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French Curve: This 17-inch heavy-duty curve will ensure clean smooth lines when
drafting and fine-tuning a pattern. The curve also can be used to draft sketches.
•
Removable Tape and Dispenser: This tape can be used to hold patterns securely
in place without tearing them when removed. Using this tape will extend the life
of your commercial patterns tenfold.
•
Soft White Eraser: A must for artists and graphic designers of all kinds. Unlike
ordinary erasers, this soft white eraser lifts pencil lines with ease. When used
properly, it won’t smudge or tear pattern paper.
•
PDS Pencil: No pattern kit would be complete without an official Professional
Drapery School pencil!
 Cheryl
Strickland is owner of Professional Drapery School, Swannanoa, NC,
and is an internationally acclaimed speaker with 20 years experience
in the window coverings industry. She is the publisher and editor
of Sew WHAT?, an international monthly newsletter for professional
drapery workrooms. |
