Pattern Works Intl, LLC

Using a Handheld Wand Scanner to Input Patterns

Isabelle — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:04:57 +0000

Recently, I saw a wand scanner demonstrated for the crafts and scrapbook user. I wondered if a handheld scanner would be helpful for inputting a hand drawn pattern into PWstudio software. I purchased the wand scanner, a Pandigital from QVC, for a modest investment of around $100. Much to my surprise, the scanner could do the task. This type of scanner would work especially well for children’s patterns or small pattern pieces. However, I found I could also scan larger adult patterns with 3 or more scans. Those scans can be imported into PWstudio, traced, pieced back together and scaled to size.

Although it is much more time-consuming than digitizing patterns, the cost is a fraction of a digitizer’s cost. It’s the age-old balance between time and money. I’ll not give up my digitizer, but you may find a handheld wand scanner helpful.

If you are interested in more information about using a wand scanner to input patterns,

please email us.

ATEXINC, The Apparel and Textile Education Exchange

Isabelle — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:03:47 +0000

Looking for fashion design information and textile educational supplies? ATEXINC is the place. They supply textile kits, videos, DVDs, CDs, textbooks, e-textbooks, reference books, software, slides, samples, and laboratory equipment and supplies. They help bridge the gap between the textile industry and textile education. If you are interested in the business of fashion, they have something for you.

Their educational supplies are perfect for textile, fashion merchandising, and fashion design schools.

ATEXINC, the Apparel and Textile Education Exchange features The Textile Kit swatch set bundle, now with the iTextiles e-Textbook and full course support, DVDs, and other teaching tools for fashion design and merchandising education.

PWstudio 3: Help File

Isabelle — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:58:23 +0000

You can use the PWstudio Help File in two ways, depending on how you are working. First click the Help Menu, then select Help.

If you’re new to PWstudio: the topics General Remarks, Getting Started and The Basics of Drawing get you acquainted with PWstudio and the rudiments of how CAD works. The last heading, Menu Bar Commands, organizes all the help information as per the menu bars in the program.

However, if you are into the program and want specific information quickly: pick the Index tab at the top left of the Help page. You will be switched to an alphabetical index of all of the commands in PWstudio. Type in a topic and proceed to the information. For example, if you’ve lost your command line, in the Index, type ‘command line’. Pick the Display button at the bottom of the window, then scroll to the bottom to ‘Command Line Lost?’.

Costume Society of America Conference

Isabelle — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:49:31 +0000

Saundra Altman at Costume Design Center

In mid March, I traveled to Williamsburg, Virginia with Saundra Altman of Past Patterns. We presented a paper at the Costume Society of America conference called ‘A Reconstructed Visitable Past’. Our presentation called ‘From Pencil to Mouse: Re-creating the Past with CAD’ was on Friday March 18th. We discussed how she transitioned from her manual historical drafts in the 1980′s to the computer graded patterns in the 1990′s, when I developed PWstudio for entrepreneurial use. We demonstrated the advantages and efficiencies PWstudio brought to her historical pattern business over the past 20 years.

Costume professionals from the US, Canada and England illustrated how they did their part to engage one’s visit to a historical site through the magic of a costumed interpreter. The conference was hosted by Colonial Williamsburg, celebrating it’s 75th year of costumed interpreting. I had lived in Williamsburg some time ago, so I relished the opportunity to return to see how things had changed, and not changed and to visit with friends. We were allowed into the inner workings of the Costume Design Center for a reception….what a treat!

PWI Launches New Web Site

isabelle — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:45:24 +0000

Welcome to the new Pattern Works International web site with a new look and new features! Because web technology changes so quickly, this new site is designed to be more user-friendly and to be easily upgradeable so we can offer you better service and support. For example, the News page serves as a blog to keep you up-to-date on the very latest news about workshops, PWstudio software updates and more.

Thank you to MOCHIMAD for the design, development and maintenance of our internet presence, and thank you to Nerdswarm for helping set up our network.