Creating Fitted Patterns from Photos
An Overview

In Fashion & Costume Design in Quarter Scale I am introducing a new approach to creating fitted patterns by tracing quarter-scale photographs. The underlying concept for the approach is that measurements show how much fabric is required to cover a body but do not reveal the body's contours. Photographs show the contours of a body but not how much fabric is needed. By combining measurements and photographs, bespoke patterns can be created.

Three basic processes are used:
1. Trace the photo for the outline of the body.
2. Measure the contour's of the body on the photo to determine the darts' lengths and widths. The measurements for the dart widths are half the dart width because the red line represents the centerline of the dart.
3. Use 7 measurements of the body to extend the shoulder and side seams so the fabric will cover the body.