Using Our Blocks vs Uploading Your Own Spec
Both options give you a professionally drafted pattern. The difference is where the fit comes from, and for some changes, one option will save you money.
Start with our fit-tested blocks
Our blocks are base patterns we've already developed, sampled and refined. When your design starts from a block, the fit has already been tested, so you can move forward with confidence.
When a small change is all you need
If you only need a tweak, such as a different sleeve length, a longer hem or a change to body length, you usually don't need the spec upload. The more cost-effective path is to choose the closest elements in the builder, order a single size in your fabric, and book a fitting. We'll make any alterations from there.
Here's why that matters: your fabric affects the final measurements. Shrinkage and stretch mean the garment can come out different from the numbers on paper. So even if you paid to have a pattern drafted to an exact spec, the real-world fit can shift once it's made up in your fabric. A fitting lets us correct for that directly.
When uploading your own spec is the right call (additional 50%)
Spec upload is for when you need us to draft from measurements you supply rather than our blocks. That might mean measurements taken from an existing garment, generated elsewhere, or combined from several different garments that we piece together into one pattern.
This is more involved work, and the starting point is unverified, which is why it carries the additional 50%. We draft precisely to the measurements you provide, so the final fit reflects the accuracy of that spec. For this reason we recommend making a sample before going into production.
Not sure which you need?
- Just changing a length or a single measurement? Start with our blocks, order a size in your fabric, and book a fitting.
- Need a pattern built from your own measurements or an existing garment? Upload your spec.
Still unsure? Get in touch and we'll help you work out the best starting point.