Programs

All PatternMaker programs are native Windows programs. They can be run on a Mac computer using special programs. Get more information at our Macinfo page.

If you are using PatternMaker that came with the book Make Your Own Clothes, please see special note at bottom of the Downloads page.

All the PatternMaker programs listed below come from the same PatternMaker program. The different programs reflect different features that are available depending on the license purchased. MacroGen is a separate program.

PatternMaker Pattern Viewer

Download Free

The PatternMaker Pattern Viewer is a free, lightweight utility specifically for printing the add-in patterns.

The PatternMaker Pattern Viewer includes three custom-fit patterns at no charge: women’s pants and a fitting bodice, and a set of interchangeable collars that can be added to the bodice or other patterns. You can continue to use these patterns for as long as you wish, for free! There are no other patterns included with the PatternMaker Pattern Viewer, but you can make other garments by purchasing the add-in garment collections.

Features

Run pattern macros
Choose style options (options vary – see pattern description for details)
Type in custom measurements, or choose a standardized size (options vary – see pattern description for details)
Set inches or metric measurements
Arrange pieces for printing
Print to any Windows device

The PatternMaker Pattern Viewer will print your pattern full-size on any Windows-compatible printer or plotter, with alignment marks to help assemble multi-page printouts.

PatternMaker Deluxe Editor

Download 30 day trial Add to Cart

PatternMaker PatternMaker Deluxe Editor is a pattern editing tool for the hobby sewer.

With the editing tools in the PatternMaker Deluxe Editor you can make changes and alterations to the pre-designed garments created by the add-in patterns. It comes with one garment collection, Women’s Vol. 1, and others are available separately.

Features

The PatternMaker Deluxe Editor includes all the pattern viewing and printing features of the PatternMaker Pattern Viewer, and adds such editing features as moving, rotating, cut and spread, adding notch points at measured intervals, and more. You can load any pattern file created by any version of PatternMaker. You can work with the objects the patterns contain, but you cannot draft new pieces with the PatternMaker Deluxe Editor.

PatternMaker Professional Studio

Download 30 day trial Add to Cart

PatternMaker Professional Studio is a full CAD (computer-aided design) tool for the experienced hobby sewer, student, or professional pattern maker.

It includes tools specifically for pattern drafting, so that you can draft anything you would draft on paper—only faster! Use the editing tools to make changes to the pre-designed garments created by the add-in patterns, or draft your own pattern completely from scratch. It comes with one garment collection, Women’s Vol. 1, and others are available separately.

Features

The PatternMaker Professional Studio includes all the pattern editing and printing features of the PatternMaker Deluxe Editor, and adds:

Draw pattern pieces (polygons) from scratch, including curved segments
Draw circles and rectangles
Add points with the mouse or by typing X-Y coordinates
Measure around curves
Add text (labels) to pieces
Add pattern markings like dots, notches, and button lines
Special tools for adding pattern features like facings, pleats, and darts
Trace around a .bmp image in the background (eg. a scanned pattern piece)
Open and save .dxf files (read more info)
Insert common sewing symbols from the included symbol library
Customize the icon bar and change the Hot Key assignments
Interface with MacroGen to automate drafting your patterns

PatternMaker Grading Studio

Download 30 day trial Add to Cart

The PatternMaker Grading Studio includes all of the features of the PatternMaker Professional Studio and adds:

Grading

Create a grading table by adding arrows to key points on your pattern pieces. The arrow indicates how that point changes from one size to the next. Put arrows on as many or as few points as you need. Then, with three clicks of the mouse, PatternMaker creates the entire nest of graded sizes. It takes just seconds—now you can be your own grading service!

After you create a grading table, you can export it to a file and apply it to any other pattern.

Grading tables also allow cut ratio settings for use in conjunction with the PatternMaker Marker Studio. If you want your markers to contain, for example, two Large sized bundles for every three Medium sized bundles, set the cut ratio for Large to 2 and the ratio for Medium to 3.

Support for digitizers

A digitizing tablet is a tablet-like device with its own mouse. You can put a paper pattern on the digitizing tablet and draw it into the computer by moving the mouse over the pattern. Unlike a desktop mouse, a digitizing tablet returns the mouse's actual measured position so you can trace accurately. Common digitizers range from notebook size to tabletop size.

Use a digitizing tablet to “trace” paper patterns into the computer. Import your slopers to the computer—a whole drawer of tagboard slopers will easily fit on even the smallest thumb drive. Trace small-scale patterns from books or magazines, then use the “Scale” command to make them full-size.

Symbol Libraries

A symbol is any shape or text you want to insert in your patterns without having to redraw it. Symbols are then saved in libraries.

One library of basic sewing symbols is included with PatternMaker, and with PatternMaker Grading Studio you can make your own symbols to supplement that basic library. You are not limited to sewing symbols—anything that you can draw can be saved as a symbol. Possibilities: notch marks, punch marks, company logos, copyright notices, standard collars and cuffs, and more.

PatternMaker Marker Studio

Download 30 day trial Add to Cart

For manufacturers, the PatternMaker Marker Studio adds production marker making to the CAD tools of the PatternMaker Professional Studio and the grading features and digitizer support of the PatternMaker Grading Studio

What is a marker?

For readers not familiar with the term, a marker is a printout of a batch of pattern pieces, for multiple garments and multiple sizes, ready to be laid on top of the fabric and cut out. A marker is normally as wide as the bolt of fabric and as long as a cutting table. The marking process includes counting out the right number of each piece, and arranging them for most efficient use of fabric.

Features

PatternMaker Marker Studio’s marking features help you arrange the piece in a marker; determine how efficient your arrangement is; and track information for costing and production purposes.

Tag objects as marker pieces. Keep the non-marker parts of your pattern (words, stitch lines, etc.) out of view while you arrange the pieces.
Semi-automatic arranging. Place pieces quickly on the marker with a Pack function that fits them tightly together. Packing can lock to 90 degree rotations, or stripe and plaid repeats (optional).
Tag bundles. Pieces printed in the marker are labeled by size and bundle number.
Cut ratios. Assign a cut ratio to each size before grading to produce different sizes in different quantities. All marker pieces are multiplied by their size's cut ratio.
Marker Report: a printable data sheet with a summary of pattern and style ID, piece counts, yardage required and other information.
Marker printing.

Plotting Markers

All PatternMaker versions can print to any Windows-driven printing or plotting device, including large-format plotters. Contact us about exporting files for non-Windows plotters and cutting machines.

MacroGen

Download 30 day trial Add to Cart

The MacroGen is a software tool to write pattern macros for PatternMaker.

Designers: Sell your clothing line as PatternMaker macros
Manufacturers: Program in your house fitting system, and reuse the code for each new design

Program Overview

The PatternMaker macro language is a fully functional programming language. The range of possible patterns is not limited to a particular set of garments, or pieces, or fitting logic or even a set of measurements to base it on. All of these things can be rewritten as the programmer sees fit. (Different flat pattern drafting methods, for instance, are based on different ways to measure the human body, so we let you define whatever set of measurements your method uses. When you create the dialog box to prompt the user for these measurements, you can include illustrations to show how to take them.) In fact, a macro doesn't even have to make a pattern at all. At Patternmaker Software, we write macro programs for such non-pattern tasks as mathematical calculations, and initializing program settings.

Programming like this can be very powerful but it is also a lot of work.

Making flat pattern programming accessible to designers

MacroGen is a visual programming tool specially designed for programming flat pattern drafting techniques. You don't write lines of code; rather, you construct a project that resembles a how-to schematic for a particular pattern. Checking and editing your work is efficient and natural. By creating and reusing project files, you not only save the difficult repeat work of calculating key points, you also ensure that all the garments in your clothing line follow the same fitting logic. The ultimate output of MacroGen is a macro file that can be run in PatternMaker or distributed to customers with the PatternMaker Pattern Viewer.

Things you can do in MacroGen :

Create a list of measurement prompts to guide the user
Save calculations in internal variables
Define math calculations for the marked points, using measurements as inputs
Use more than 15 built-in math formulas including distance, scaling, intersections of curves, and more
Mark points (calculate X and Y values)
Add dialog boxes to prompt users for choices
View logical branches of "If" logic in MacroGen.
Draw a pattern based on the calculated points
Jump between logical branches with ease
Sell macro files online

When your customer purchases a macro:

Garments you designed are custom-drafted for the customer's own measurements
Customers can print and sew the results

How does this work?

Set up the necessary measurements

Create a list of variables for live-subject measurements
Use any measurement units you want
Create a custom draft of your pattern based on measurements provided by the user

Enter points that outline the pattern piece

Add points using X,Y coordinates in a grid system
Use your measurement variables to position new points (Point B is “center back length” away from Point A)
Save calculated points and internal values as named variables
Extensive “Add Point” options make mathematical calculations look like drafting on paper: find a midpoint, continue a line, draw right angle, etc.
Use any drafting system/fitting system you want to lay out your pattern

Organize advanced macro features:

Set up style options like neckline or sleeve variations
Set up conditions to automatically change the patterns:
- based on measurements (if Waist Circumference is between xx and yy, draw one dart instead of two)
- based on previously-selected options (skip the “Sleeve Cuff Style” option if the user selected short sleeves)

Create pattern objects and edit in PatternMaker

Connect the dots to create pattern objects from the points you've calculated.
Send the objects to PatternMaker and move points, cut objects, slash-and-spread, etc. MacroGen can capture actions you take within PatternMaker and turn them into macro code. Operations like rotating a piece remain natural--they don't turn into tricky trigonometry problems for the programmer.
Save time by creating your basic pattern in MacroGen and then editing the details in PatternMaker

Customize the appearance

Add your own images (illustrations, etc) to dialog boxes
Internationalization: Add a translation table so that your macro will run in your own language

PatternMaker Version ==>	Viewer	Deluxe	Professional	Grading	Marker

Used by ==>	Sewers	Sewers	Designers	Designers	Manufacturers
Feature
View & Print	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Save Measurements	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Alter Design	no	yes	yes	yes	yes
Create from Scratch	no	no	yes	yes	yes
Grading	no	no	no	yes	yes
Marker layout tools	no	no	no	no	yes
Cost	Free	$99	$399	$1,199	$2,499