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Marker Making:
 Deprecise finition:

Arrangement of pattern pieces or process of determining the most efficient layout of pattern
pieces.

Points to be considered before marker making:

 Fabric length must be higher than marker length.

 Fabric width must be higher than marker width.

 Length of the cutting table.

 Production planning.

 When pattern pieces are laid down on the piece of cloth, the grain line should be parallel to the
line of the warp in the woven fabric and wale in the knitted fabric.

Marker Efficiency:

The percentage of the total fabric that is actually used in garment parts.

Area of pattern in the marker

Marker Efficiency = --------------------------------------------X 100%

Total area of the marker plan

 Factors influencing Marker efficiency:

• Marker planner:

competency, experience, honesty and technical knowledge of the marker planner

• Size of the garments:

Smaller and larger garment sizes ↓ Marker Efficiency

Medium garment sizes ↑ Marker Efficiency

• Numbers of sizes in a style:

 Fewer and higher numbers of sizes in a style ↓ Marker Efficiency

Medium numbers of sizes ↑ Marker Efficiency

• Marker length:

Higher marker length ↑ Marker Efficiency.

• Pattern Engineering:

Marker efficiency can be increased by changing pattern design of particular parts of the garments.

• Fabric characteristics:

Usually symmetrical fabric ↑ Marker Efficiency

Asymmetric fabric ↓ Lower marker efficiency.

• Marker making method:

Computerized method ↑ Marker Efficiency

Manual method ↓ Marker Efficiency

• Marker width:

↑ marker width↑ M.E. and easier marker plan

Methods of marker making

 A. Manual method.

In this process, marker can be made in two ways

a. By using full size pattern:

-full size pattern pieces on marker paper or

-directly on the top ply of the fabric in a spread

b. By using miniaturized pattern:

-full size pattern pieces are reduced to 1/5 of its original size by using pantograph

-made by plastic sheet or thick board paper

-Marker planning is done by using those miniaturized patterns

 -reproduced full size using the mini-marker as a reference.

 Area Covered by pattern measured by planimeter to get Marker efficiency.

 higher marker efficiency as control over the marker is better than the full size pattern

 rapidly being replaced by computerized method

Features of manual marker making

 time consuming and require a great deal of space

 errors and inconsistencies that may occur in grain variation, poor line definition, placement
and alignment of pieces and slip of the pieces

 Accuracy of a manually made marker depends on the skill of the individual who laid out the
marker and traced it

Methods of marker making

B. computerized marker making

 very accurate and provides the greatest opportunity for pattern manipulation, marker efficiency
and shortest response time

 Production patterns may be developed on the computer or digitized or scanned in to the

computer
  parameters for markers are entered in to the computer from cutting orders - style numbers, size
distribution and fabric width

 Protective devices are built in to the programs to ensure the grain alignment and prevent
overlapping of pieces

 Automatic marker making may be used to determine yardage requirements and fabric costs for
designs prior to line adoption

Advantages of computerized method

 Increases in material efficiency with subsequent decreases in material waste,

 Time and labor savings in making markers;

 Improvements in overall marker quality;

 Avoidance of backlogs during peak periods; and

 Fast, precise cost proposals for clients.

Disadvantages of computerized method:

 Initial investment is high.

 Skilled operator is required.

Types of marker

 Open Marker:

Markers made with full pattern pieces

 Closed marker:

Markers made with full pattern pieces

Modes of marker:
A. nap-either-way: symmetric, non directional fabrics, considering only grain line

B. nap-one-way: asymmetrical and directional fabrics, all pattern pieces be placed on a marker
in only one direction
 C. nap-up-and-down: some directional fabrics all the pattern pieces of one size to be placed in
one direction and another size placed in the opposite direction.

D. group: ‘end to end’ or ‘side to side’ shade variation, pattern pieces of a size of garments are
laid together in accordance to the shade of the fabric

Constraints of Marker making:

a. Grain Line : Hang and drape of the garment is depending on the matching of grain line. To
maintain grain line is one of the biggest constraints to achieve higher marker efficiency

b. Characteristics of the fabric: Special attention required to set pattern pieces on the
asymmetrical fabric, such as pile fabric, special print etc.

c. Design of the garments: Garments from check or stripe fabric requires mirror image (matching
check or stripe in adjacent two parts of the garment)

d. Cutting Quality: Marker should be made carefully so that cutting blade can move easily in the lay

e. Production Planning: production planning is a constraint of marker making as numbers of pieces

of different sizes are not exactly proportionate.

Fabric wastage outside marker:

 Ends of ply losses: For the extensibility of the fabric and limitation of cutting machines, 2 cm
allowances is required in each end of the each ply.

 Loss of fabric ends: during preparation of the fabric lay, the last or end remains of the fabric roll
are separated by cutting.

 Selvedge losses: Each fabric has two selvedges along width. The amount of cut out is
considered 3% (approximately) along width

 Purchase loss: Less fabric may wound on roll than identified length

Methods of Drawing a Marker:

 1. Marking directly on the fabric

a. Drawing by Chalk or pencil:

mark directly onto the fabric

using pipe clay or wax

not allow copying

 least accurate method

Not applicable method for pile or woolen fabric

 B. Paint Spray: fine jets of paint are sprayed over the patterns that have been laid on the fabric,
leaving an outline of the patterns when they are removed

More fabric is required to allow gaps for paint.

Paint can migrate under the pattern edges

Pattern sizes grow as layers of paint build up

The machine must be cleaned every day.

 2. Marking on the paper: pattern pieces are precisely arranged on to the marker paper and
draw the outline of the patterns by using pencil. This method is widely used in the industry.

 3. Computerized Drawing:

– Graded patterns in the computer are manipulated on screen to produce a marker

– the corresponding fabric width is shown on the screen and the range of the pattern
pieces are shown on top

– These pieces can be rotated, reversed and moved into place

– The computer can calculate marker efficiency

– The completed marker is then drawn using a linked digital plotter.

– These systems are extremely quick and accurate and an unlimited quantity of markers
can be produced and/or reproduced

 4. Photographic System: patterns pieces are set onto a light sensitive paper passing through
ultra-violet light and revealed by using ammonia vapor. This method is quick and clean

Methods of Duplicating a Marker:

 a. Carbon duplicating: Carbon paper in between two marker paper

– Suitable to copy 3-4 pieces

– This duplication method has fairly low capital and material costs
 – dirty , poor impression in the lower layer

– Spreading and rolling of carbon paper is difficult, labour intensive process

 b. Spirit duplicating: working procedure is same as Office duplicating machine/Xerox machine

– Only significant difference is that the size of the machine

– Suitable for copying 40-50 pieces

– Not suitable for higher marker width

– May produce defective copy if master copy set on the machine improperly.

 c. Photographic method: With the photographic method, the original marker is set onto a light
sensitive paper using ultra-violet light and revealed by using ammonia vapor. This method is
quick and clean and produces unlimited numbers of duplications

 d. Perforated method: obsolete technique that involves punching a series of perforation around
the marker, placing it on the fabric and lightly dusting with chalk. It can be used many times

– dirty process and poor line definition

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