Pattern grading
Pattern grading into your full size range
Once the base size fits, we grade the pattern up and down into the full size range you sell, so every size keeps the same shape and balance.
£110 – £300
Grading is not just making the pattern bigger. Each point on each piece moves by its own amount, so the neckline, the armhole and the length grow in proportion and the garment still looks like the one you designed.
We grade from your base size using the size chart you sell to. If you don't have one yet, we can use a standard UK size chart and adjust it with you.
Below you can see what a graded set looks like: the same piece nested inside itself, one line per size.
What grading looks like
The base size (12) in the middle, two sizes down and two sizes up. The centre front stays put; the shoulder, the armhole and the side seam move out step by step.
What to send us
- The base pattern, on card or as a file (or we cut it for you first)
- The sizes you want, for example 8 to 18 or XS to XL
- Your size chart, if you have one
- Any measurements that must not change between sizes
Send it on WhatsApp or by email. Samples and paper patterns come by courier: we work with clients across the UK.
What you get back
- The pattern graded into every size in your range
- Each size clearly marked on every piece
- Files ready for marker making, or printed card sets
- A nest of the graded sizes, so you can check the steps between them
Questions about pattern grading
Can you grade a pattern someone else made?
Yes. We check the base pattern first. If the seams don't meet, we tell you before we grade it, because a mistake in the base size is copied into every size.
Do you grade plus sizes or children's sizes?
Tell us the range you need. The grade rules change for plus sizes and children's wear, and we agree them with you first.
Can I add a size later?
Yes. Once the pattern is graded, adding a size uses the same grade rules.
Send us your work
We reply with the price before we start. Phone or WhatsApp 07884 901023, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00.
Other services
- Pattern cutting £120 – £500
- Pattern digitising £75 up to 9 pieces, then £5 a piece
- Marker making Price on request
- Sample making £100 – £500
- Embroidery From £10 a piece
- Alterations From £20