A crafts forum. CraftBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CraftBanter forum » Textiles newsgroups » Sewing
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Sewing Pattern Software - Which?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old July 3rd 05, 04:32 PM
Mignon
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Sewing Pattern Software - Which?

Hello! I'm usually a lurker on this list, but I need help at this point, and
because I have learned so much by reading, I thought I'd request your
assistance.

Because of my voluptuous figure (not fat, you understand ;o), I am now
forced to give up commercial patterns and create my own.

The two software companies to which I've narrowed my choices are
Livingsoft's Dress Shop and Wild Ginger's PatternMaster.

Has anyone on this list had any experience with either or both of these? I'd
hate to invest in it with no word-of-mouth insight.

TIA

--
Mignon


Ads
  #2  
Old July 3rd 05, 05:48 PM
BEI Design
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Mignon" wrote in message
...
Hello! I'm usually a lurker on this list, but I need help at this
point, and because I have learned so much by reading, I thought I'd
request your assistance.

Because of my voluptuous figure (not fat, you understand ;o), I am
now forced to give up commercial patterns and create my own.

The two software companies to which I've narrowed my choices are
Livingsoft's Dress Shop and Wild Ginger's PatternMaster.


Wild Ginger:
http://groups-beta.google.com/groups...05&s afe=off&

Livingsoft Dress Shop:
http://groups-beta.google.com/groups...=2005&safe=off



  #3  
Old July 3rd 05, 07:03 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Sun, 3 Jul 2005 11:32:41 -0400, "Mignon"
wrote:

Hello! I'm usually a lurker on this list, but I need help at this point, and
because I have learned so much by reading, I thought I'd request your
assistance.

Because of my voluptuous figure (not fat, you understand ;o), I am now
forced to give up commercial patterns and create my own.

The two software companies to which I've narrowed my choices are
Livingsoft's Dress Shop and Wild Ginger's PatternMaster.

Has anyone on this list had any experience with either or both of these? I'd
hate to invest in it with no word-of-mouth insight.

TIA


Patternmaster Boutique (Wild Ginger) does a good job of accommodating
both my relatively narrow shoulders and my bountiful bosom. Very much
easier than trying to alter commercial patterns. I haven't tried the
other one.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.
  #4  
Old July 3rd 05, 08:27 PM
Melinda Meahan - remove TRASH to reply
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Mignon" wrote in
:

Because of my voluptuous figure (not fat, you understand ;o), I am now
forced to give up commercial patterns and create my own.

The two software companies to which I've narrowed my choices are
Livingsoft's Dress Shop and Wild Ginger's PatternMaster.


Well, I am totally sold on WG products after having tried both. But both
will have their afficionados, and there are people who claim to have had
awful experiences with both.

Tell us what is important to you, what you like, what you don't like, how
much experience you have, what you hope to have pattern-drafting software
do for you, how much designing you want to do, how much hand-holding you
want, etc.

I really recommend you try a "small slice of the program" type of product
from each place before buying the whole enchilada. It was a decision-
making deal-maker for me.

I drooled over Dress Shop for YEARS after getting a flyer in the mail --
the only sales flyer that I ever kept for years. I used their demo and
it was okay except that it was difficult for me to try their online demo
over a dial-up connection. I used WG's demo and it was great. But after
having drooled over DS for so long, I had to try it. So I downloaded
their Sampler program and got on their mailing list, and I bought a Click
and Sew pattern.

I never could get the Sampler program to print a pattern, and I found
their "lots of buzzers, whistles, and clicks" interface to be very
distracting. I really didn't need to download fabric swatches to paint
the clothes that pesky model with the perfect figure wore. I didn't need
to learn how to swap out the head of that pesky model with the perfect
figure to have a copy of my head on a perfect figure. And to me the
whole interface just felt clunky. But please understand that some people
love programs like Incredimail and think they are the greatest thing
since sliced bread whereas I get rather disgusted with them.

I also joined DS's and WG's peer-support mailing list and also got on the
Livingsoft corporate email list from having bought the sampler program.
I had limited funds available for purchasing the full program, and what I
saw on all the Livingsoft email I got was a constant stream of sales
pitches for marketing of add-on programs, classes, etc. I prefer to
learn things myself and didn't want a program that would encourage me to
do lots of hand-holding. Now, WG offers classes a few times a year and
they sell a few different products, but their marketing just seems to be
not so blatant and not so constant.

I just like the clean, intuitive, professional interface of PatternMaster
Boutique and respect the fact that they also sell a product designed for
the commercial market and that the lady who works on the program the most
was a contributor to my favorite flat-pattern drafting book by Helen
Joseph Armstrong. It seems like it was designed to suit me perfectly,
and I don't need or want any hand-holding to use it.

I adore WG's products and detested DS. But both products are decent,
respectable products, and I think that, just like when buying a sewing
machine, you should just take bigger and bigger steps into each one and
try them out and see which one fits you best.

--
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean,
But much benefit is derived from the labor of the ox.
  #5  
Old July 3rd 05, 09:27 PM
Valkyrie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

I have Wild Ginger and love it. I've sewn for lots of body types and the
one time I ran into trouble with a fit the WG customer support people solved
my problem right away. They are REALLY nice! I've got the whole enchilada
for both men and women, Boutique and Tailor Made. It was a stretch to afford
them and at times I still think it's WAY too much money but I'm glad I did.
You can get a smaller program for certain things, like dresses or slack or
blouses..it's called Click and Sew....I haven't looked at their site for a
long time.......but you might invest in one of those and see how you like
it. They are only $25.00 US.

Val


"Mignon" wrote in message
...
Hello! I'm usually a lurker on this list, but I need help at this point,
and because I have learned so much by reading, I thought I'd request your
assistance.

Because of my voluptuous figure (not fat, you understand ;o), I am now
forced to give up commercial patterns and create my own.

The two software companies to which I've narrowed my choices are
Livingsoft's Dress Shop and Wild Ginger's PatternMaster.

Has anyone on this list had any experience with either or both of these?
I'd hate to invest in it with no word-of-mouth insight.

TIA

--
Mignon



  #6  
Old July 3rd 05, 11:01 PM
Doreen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Melinda Meahan - remove TRASH to reply wrote:

snip detailed response

Melinda,

What a truly helpful response, with precise reasoning to support your
personal preference.

Doreen in Alabama

  #7  
Old July 4th 05, 05:01 AM
Ward
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Mignon" wrote in message
...
Hello! I'm usually a lurker on this list, but I need help at this point,
and because I have learned so much by reading, I thought I'd request your
assistance.

Because of my voluptuous figure (not fat, you understand ;o), I am now
forced to give up commercial patterns and create my own.

The two software companies to which I've narrowed my choices are
Livingsoft's Dress Shop and Wild Ginger's PatternMaster.

Has anyone on this list had any experience with either or both of these?
I'd hate to invest in it with no word-of-mouth insight.

TIA

--
Mignon

I guess I'm one of the few people who have WG and dislike the program. You
cannot take the measurements required by the software alone and trust me,
they MUST be accurate. I went to a seamstress to have them done, but that
didn't work out. She did what she thought was correct based on her sewing
experience and not on the WG instructions. I sent the measurement to WG.
They answered me right away and did the best the could to adjust them, but
the slopers still didn't fit right. I then contacted a WG group in my state
where the ladies were kind enough to do the measurements over again. This
time I ended up with two separate measurement lists because I have a curved
spine that causes one shoulder to dip a little bit and that in turn raises
my hip. After making 5 slopers (dress style) I gave up. I want to sew
clothes, not spend endless hours adjusting patterns. I've had the software
for over a year without making one garment that fits. It's same too because
when I first bought the program I thought I would able to do some designs of
my own. I had planned to buy the other programs including the new one for
formal wear. It just didn't work out. I'm not disappointed in the software,
I'm disappointed that I cannot make it work for me.

I never had any problems with the patterns printing out. If you pick Wild
Ginger then I'd advise you to read over the instruction book cover to cover,
stock up on muslin, make arrangements to have someone help you with the
measurements, and then clear your schedule. Once you start, keep at it
until you are satisfied. If you are not satisfied within the warranty time,
return the product.

Liz


  #8  
Old July 4th 05, 05:41 AM
Melinda Meahan - remove TRASH to reply
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Ward" wrote in
groups.com:

I guess I'm one of the few people who have WG and dislike the program.
You cannot take the measurements required by the software alone and
trust me, they MUST be accurate.


Any measurements you take for pattern drafting have to be accurate, and
it is practically impossible to do any of them by yourself.

I went to a seamstress to have them
done, but that didn't work out. She did what she thought was correct
based on her sewing experience and not on the WG instructions.


Such a shame. I took my manual to a dressmaker and paid her $12 to take
my measurements and insisted that she follow the manual instructions
perfectly, and she did.

clothes, not spend endless hours adjusting patterns. I've had the
software for over a year without making one garment that fits. It's
same too because when I first bought the program I thought I would
able to do some designs of my own.


I understand your disappointment. WG's product is actually a very
sophisticated CAD program, and it's not as easy to use right out of the
box as something like The Sims or anything. There are a lot of people
who appear to by pattern-drafting software and expect to push a few
buttons and have a perfect pattern come out in the same manner that you
would get money out of an ATM machine. The pattern-drafting programs
will create as good of a pattern as any flat-drafting method can do, but
flat-drafting methods are not perfect and will always require some
fitting with each garment to allow for the appropriate ease for each type
of fabric, etc.

I never had any problems with the patterns printing out. If you pick
Wild Ginger then I'd advise you to read over the instruction book
cover to cover, stock up on muslin, make arrangements to have someone
help you with the measurements, and then clear your schedule. Once
you start, keep at it until you are satisfied. If you are not
satisfied within the warranty time, return the product.


This is excellent advice indeed.


--
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean,
But much benefit is derived from the labor of the ox.
  #9  
Old July 4th 05, 08:03 AM
Claire Owen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default



--

You
cannot take the measurements required by the software alone and trust me,
they MUST be accurate. I went to a seamstress to have them done, but that
didn't work out. She did what she thought was correct based on her sewing
experience and not on the WG instructions. I sent the measurement to WG.
They answered me right away and did the best the could to adjust them, but
the slopers still didn't fit right. I then contacted a WG group in my

state
where the ladies were kind enough to do the measurements over again.


This is also true of Dress shop I attempted to measure my self !!!!!!!
Terrible results . Living in the middle of nowhere I don't have access to a
support group but a very kind friend mesured me and after a few tweaks I
have a sloper that I am happy with.

I do have other issues with dress shop which have never been sorted
sucessfully. In purchasing the upgrade to dress shop version 6 my computer
is struggling and although it is only 4 years old it is deemed too small in
capacity for the 80 meg of free space that dress shop 6 demands. Whilst
saving my cents for a separate drive sufficiently powerful to run the new
version I have been forced to return to Dress shop 5 which is irritating.

The support for dress shop is good but mostly US based I found, somthing
that you would need to take into consideration with both products I think.

It also helps to have a working knowledge of pattern construction as some
people find it a suprise that there are not very extensive construction
instructions, understanding how patterns are put together will help you use
the pattern drafting to the best advantage.

Just my thoughts I hope they help.
Claire in Montréal, France.
http://claireowenperso.free.fr


  #10  
Old July 9th 05, 02:43 PM
Mignon
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thank you all for your responses. I have decided to get Wild Ginger's
software. I just hope it won't be too, too difficult to learn and use.
Thanks again for your help!
--
Mignon


 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
ISO Plastic Sewing Basket Tia Mary-remove nekoluvr to reply Needlework 7 September 21st 04 10:45 PM
Sewing Machine FAQ Diana Curtis Quilting 0 September 1st 04 02:30 PM
FREE download available: HAPPY NEW YEAR PATTERN in zipped PMP 4 :OD Misty Needlework 2 January 4th 04 12:19 PM
sewing machine repair (Long winded) Christina in Ok Quilting 8 November 2nd 03 04:51 AM
FAQ's on buying a new Sewing Machine Butterfly Quilting 0 October 17th 03 04:34 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:32 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CraftBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.