Valentina and computer drafting systems

[TTailor]

I have been making patterns by hand for more than 30 years now.

I like to draw and I get a lot of satisfaction from manual pattern making and I enjoy the flexibility of "thinking" with paper.

I have never before attempted to use any kind of computerized system for pattern-making. However during the past 10 months of interruption of normal life, I have been trying out new things and one of them has been to find and learn to use the computer to draft patterns.

I don't think that this will replace manual drafting for me, but may be useful in some way, some day.

I have downloaded Valentina, and have set out to learn how to use it.
Perhaps if others here have experience or are interested in this topic we can explore it together.

If you do use a program for drafting, which system do you know and what are its good points and what is it lacking?
https://valentinaproject.bitbucket.io/

[Steelmillal]

I've been doing3D CAD for 20 years, but not for this field. I'm very interested in orbiting on the periphery of the discussion so I don't overwhelm the topic with geek math, but can say using CAD makes sense, iff payback happens and, most importantly, classic manual skills don't suffer. Also, I agree the satisfaction that comes with drawing with pencils, or whatever, feeds the creative spirit much better than computer keyboard strokes, etc...

[TTailor]

Cost certainly is a factor, and for me, an open source platform makes sense as I am learning with no particular end point in mind.

Looking forward to any and all input.
I can already say that I am slightly frustrated by the process being less spontaneous than what I am used to.

If I want to put in a notch or balance mark, I have to learn a seemingly complicated process when manually it is so simple.
I believe some of the software out there seems to cater more to that manner of working, though I may be wrong. Not enough knowledge yet🙂

[posaune]

Terri, what you are doing with Valentina is not easy for a beginner. You are educating your mind thinking in another way. Here you draft not only a pattern - you draft a pattern which can be "graded" after the drawing simply with inserting another measuretable. Measuretables are bend to make the grading easier - but with the Cad System you can use personal measurements - which maybe derive a lot from the standard measures. Sometimes lines are not connecting like in the standard draft and you will not get a pattern. To prevent this there is some routine needed. So give you some time.

I do not use Valentina - in my CAD system I learned first to draft a simple pattern and it was like with pencil and ruler and circle. What I had to snap first was the different function of the mouse. I started with something simple like  a pocket or collar. I had to understood the x and y coordinates.
Later I  changed into programming like in Valentina. It was easy then because I was used how the program worked.

You will see - after the first steps - it will give you satisfying results.
lg
posaune
And doing a pattern in gent Size 60 is way easier on my back doing it on a laptop instead of a table!

[TTailor]

So,,, I think after a false start, I was successful in drafting up a bodice block. If anyone has insight into my thoughts here, great! otherwise I will continue on and see if it becomes easier for me to use.

I like the measurement calculation/formula tables and it did not seem difficult to use them, just different.
I like the ability to use the axis point tool to set up my gridlines.

I discovered the true dart tool and used it on the back shoulder dart, but I had to connect the original points of the dart legs to the new points or the legs, but I think next time I will draw the finished lines afterwards.
is there a way to just extend a line/modify the point placement?

I struggled with the workpiece tool. I had trouble getting it to outline the pieces completely but I suspect I have to approach the way I make the points, lines and curves differently.

I did manage to get the pieces to the detail stage. I don't know why the points are not all indicated in the detail mode. I wonder if there is a way to keep some guidelines on the final pattern, such as the scye line?

The seam allowance function is painful to modify. I had to play around with a simple square pattern piece to modify the seam allowance sizes within the same pattern piece.

Why is there no basic text tool, it seems overly complicated just to label your pieces.
I need to explore more!
I thought there was an option for dotted or dash lines and colours of lines, but perhaps I have looked at so many systems I am confused!

[TTailor]

This is the basic outline.

Posaune I think we were posting at the same time!

[hutch--]

 

Aha, that looks suspiciously like a MAC. Software looks good, I see a future for production and a certain type of flexibility for different sized people but I don't believe it will replace manual pattern design, they will live side by side as both approaches have their strengths.

[TTailor]

Is working on a MAC problematic?🤷‍♀️😁

[hutch--]

Only if you were used to something else. 🥼🧦👔

[Schneiderfrei]

Why use a toy to do a proper job??

[Gatto]

Terri,  hello !
In these days I was thinking to do the same, for designing a shirt model and then adapt to the mesurments of the different clients

I would like to ask you: what will you need then ?
I think that buying  a comoputerized cutting table would be too expensive .
Maybe a plotter to print the drafts and then cut the pieces by hand,
or maybe a plotter that  cut also the paper ?
I do not have any ideas of how much these  could cost.

Andrea

[TTailor]

I have not looked into the cost of a plotter for printing. I don't know if it would be a reasonable expense for me.
At this point I think that figuring out the software is my priority and I am getting better at it.
I have not yet created a basic model and tried to generate different sizes, but I am getting close to it.

I also have not yet tried to print a pattern out on a regular printer. I will do that.
Once I get a pattern I want to work with, I am also going to try to have it printed at a local copy shop to see how it turns out and what the cost might be.

[Voncarlos]

Hi, this is so interesting to me.
I have just started to learn pattern drafting and after a pencil and paper draft, I thought, "let's do it digitally."
I have been working in the Graphics/CAD/computers field for decades. Once you get the basic principals of digital drawing and pixel manipulation learnt, it's fairly rudimentary to go from program to program, ie. SketchUp, AutoCad, Freehand, Illustrator etc.

I was unaware of this program, "Valentina." There is also another one, that was split-off from the original project, called Seamly2D. Both are open-source.
There is a very informative page, dated Dec. 2017, on their creation here: https://librearts.org/2017/12/valentina-seamly2d/

When I started down the computers/graphics side of life in the mid-80's, you would have to spend 100s to 1000's of dollars for software, and even so today.
I love that you can now get open-source software for free that will amaze you with it's power to create.
Having been down this road before, I would recommended that you save, in a safe spot, the original "installation download file," in case it no longer is available in the future.

Terri, I can see from your blog and such, that you are good at drawing and envisioning 3d from 2d, so I don't think you'll have a hard time learning to do this.
Thank you for posting about this. I am going to try my hand at these programs.
Good luck and ? ( Is there a phrase for tailors similar to "break-a-leg")

PS, there is a good video on Valentina at an Open Tech Summit 2016.
Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_viwqzg34Rw

[TTailor]

Break a leg is fine!
Thanks, I have a lot of pattern-making under my belt, so you are correct, one aspect of the task is already accomplished, and although the computer is available I just never utilized it as a tool for an artistic endeavour.

I feel that I am getting somewhere though.
I had trouble getting my mac to open Seamly 2D which is why I am using Valentina for the moment.
Thanks for the tip about saving the download file. I will go away and google how to do that!

[TTailor]

Here is my most recent attempt. There are still a few tool I find awkward to use, and there are a couple of things I want to change. I am mostly trying to get a sense of how to efficiently set up my grid and important landmarks and to not forget to insert things I will want later.