Improve Your Pattern Making Skills

Tip number 1:
Always when I construct ballerina, pump, oxford, derby and moccasin shoes I
cut 2 mm, from the top of the back seam till the middle and 2 mm from the
middle to the bottom . This way we take in consideration the elasticity of the
leather and therefore upper will always tightly fit the last along the top line .
More than that, when we cut 2 mm from the bottom of the back seam, when
lasting the upper, it will create less folds in the heel. So correcting the upper
pattern this way, you will get perfectly fit model.

Tip number 2:
To avoid the uncomfortable and most annoying, disrupting filling in the back
of your heel. During construction of your pattern, you must measure correctly
the height of the back line on the heel.
For all types of shoes that I mentioned in first tip, for each size there is precise
back height measurement that is measured from the edge of the last bottom

up along the back line. In the table bellow you can see all measurement for
each size.
Height measurement of the back line in Ballerina, Pump,
moccasin, loafers, oxford, derby shoes
Size

Height of back line in shoes

35

52 mm

36

53 mm

37

54 mm

38

55 mm

39

56 mm

40

57 mm

41

58 mm

42

59 mm

43

60 mm

44

61 mm

45

62 mm

46

63 mm

47

64 mm

48

65 mm

49

66 mm

50

67 mm

Tip number 3:
For sandals there is a different measurement of the back line, where the strip
ends. This one I mark little bit higher, its 5 mm higher than any of the back
line heights for each size that I specified in measurement table above. That is
because, the back strip of the sandal will fit the heel better than if I would
measure the height used for the closed heel shoes.
In the table bellow you can see the exact height measurements where your
sandal strip should end.

Sandal back line height measurement table

Size

Height of back line in sandals

35

57 mm

36

58 mm

37

59 mm

38

60 mm

39

61 mm

40

62 mm

41

63 mm

42

64 mm

43

65 mm

44

66 mm

45

67 mm

46

68 mm

47

69 mm

48

70 mm

49

71 mm

50

72 mm

Tip number 4:
In this drawing you can see how much I usually add for lasting allowance, to
the edge of the father line (the line of the bottom edge of your last) for any
type of shoes, which is lasted by hand. After I last new model upper, the test
upper, I make corrections to this allowance on the pattern, usually I make it
smaller, so for the next time I last the same upper it will fit perfectly.

Tip number 5:
To get always the perfect assembling of the pattern details from leather, I
suggest that you will cut through the marks on which the details are
combined, stepping back little bit less than one mm from the marked line.
This way you take into consideration the thickness of the pen line ( usually it
has a thickness of 1 mm), that you mark as a connection lines for details on the
leather.

Tip number 6:
If you forgot to mark the line of the instep on your pattern, so not to waste
time covering your last with adhesive tape all over again to make this instep
line mark, there is a faster way to do it.
Measure the middle of the back line of your pattern, not including the
allowance for lasting, and make a mark. Now band the front part of your
pattern in the way, that it ending in the toe ( without allowance adding) match
this mark on the back line.

On the line of the folded front, mark a point. This is the point, through which
the instep line pass.

That is it for the tips, I do use them every day and you should do the same. If
you like those tips and you want more, let me know in the comment below, its
the only way for me to know !!!!
Sveta Kletina

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