Fashion design and pattern drafting is extremely popular, due to the high emphasis on fashion these days. Shows like Runway, Ugly Betty, What Not to Wear,etc all put fashion as top priority. We live in a world where we strive to wear designer labels. I know women who would not pay their utilities just to buy a designer purse which would run as high as 500.00 dollars. I myself am a collector and user of patternmaking, drafting and designing books. There are several which are overlooked in this industry. Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph Armstrong is the best book/textbook for the serious patternmaker,designer,drafter. I bought mine on Ebay and would take it with me if the house burnt down. I also have all three volumes of Pattern Drafting by Dressmaking published by the Kamakura-Shobo Co. in Japan. These books are loaded with actual drafts of clothing. They are in English and Japanese. They have dressmaking instructions along with pattern drafting instructions. If you are a serious designer these books would be invaluable. Dorothy Moores pattern drafting and dressmaking book is the easiest to use and understand that Ive come across. It is great for the beginner.Using this book you could easily become knowledable about the process of pattern drafting which you could draw upon in using the other books above. Flat Pattern Methods by Norma R. Hollen is also full of pattern drafting, making information. Lutterloh pattern books are extremely popular, for the years of styles they offer, but also they only require two body measurements to use. I found with these that there are adjustments to be made on the patterns tho. These are based on the notion that we are proportioned by nature. I myself fall way short there. They are great for styles and as a tool. All of the Dress Design and Draping books are wonderful for the information they contain, but most of these books has been rewritten and incorporated into the newer Patternmaking textbooks. Haslam System of Dresscutting are beautiful booklets with drafts of clothing from the 1930/1940 period. Womans Institute of Domestic Science in Scranton Penn. are very valuable books for the patternmaker designer. These books are my choice for vintage collectibles. Ebay has been a wonderful source for all my dressmaking, patternmaking collecting resource and Im always looking for something to add to my ever expanding library. I hope this guide helps those looking for information. I would like to suggest to those selling these books to add pictures. As they say Pictures are worth a thousand words., and in this case could be worth a a couple hundred dollars. Happy bidding. Crystal
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