Sewing, math, and communication skills are essential for dressmakers, who create custom garments. Dressmakers take measurements, discuss designs with clients, create patterns, fit garments, and ensure a perfect fit. Patternmakers turn clothing designs into patterns by reading blueprints and creating templates using software and hand techniques. Sewing machinists stitch garments together using various sewing machines, fabrics, and techniques. Fashion designers need artistic, communication, computer, creativity, decision-making, and detail-oriented skills to sketch designs, select materials, and help bring their designs to life.

1. Dressmaking

2. Sewing skills are essential in order to
pursue a career in dressmaking.
Because measurements play a large
part in garment making, math and
measuring skills are also
essential.
Communication skills are also a must.
Dressmakers often work closely with clients in order
to create custom or tailored pieces.

3. Career Opportunities
in Dressmaking

4. Tailor/dressmakers
create made-to
measure clothing such
as dresses, skirts,
trousers and blouses
for their customers.

5. Duties of Dressmakers
• giving advice onwhich combinationof fabrics
and patterns may give the best results
• discussingthe client's requirements
• showing the clientfabricsamplesandpattern
books
• taking measurements
• adaptingan existingpattern, or producinga new
pattern for the client
https://www.manpower.com.ng/job-descriptions/Seamstress-564.html

6. Duties of Dressmakers
• tackingthe fabric pieces together for a fitting
• fittingthe garment and making adjustmentsto
create a perfect fit.
• working out the cost ofthe work, taking into
accountthe fabric, trimmings andtime needed
• using the pattern tocut out the fabricpieces
https://www.manpower.com.ng/job-descriptions/Seamstress-564.html

7. Pattern/ Garment Cutters lay out and cut
fabric to make clothing and soft

8. The Work of a garment/pattern cutter
• draping pieces of materialover a dummy, shaping
and pinningthem aroundthe ‘body’ untilthey fit
correctly, then cutting outa pattern basedon the
pieces
• alteringand shaping flat,standardpattern 'blocks'
intoa style
• working with machinists tomake up samples
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/pattern-cutter

9. The Work of a garment/pattern cutter
• using computer-aided design programs to make up
some patterns
• using traditional hand-drawing methods
• working closely with the in-house sample machinist
or manufacturer to make up an example garment
• working with designers andgarment technologists
to produce the final pattern
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/pattern-cutter

10. Garment
technicians choose
clothing fabrics and
designs, and ensure
clothes are made to
quality standards.

11. The Work of a garmenttechnician
You could be:
• working with designers tomake sure the design suits
production methods
• finding, choosing andbuying suitable fabrics and
accessories
• planning the sizes andmaking upof garments
• working with pattern graders to size pre-production
garments andadvising cutters andmachinists on
making up samples
https://www.planitplus.net/JobProfiles/View/339/91

12. The Work of a garmenttechnician
You could be:
• checking and approving sample garments and making any changes
needed, including correcting faults
• making sure garments can be produced within budget
• visiting clothing factories to check on the process and advise staff
• making sure garments are delivered on time and in good condition
and ensuring customer satisfaction
• building up a good working relationship with suppliers.
https://www.planitplus.net/JobProfiles/View/339/91

13. Patternmakers turn clothing
designs into patterns.

14. Pattern Maker Responsibilities
• Meeting with productdesigners to discuss the
base design.
• Readingandinterpreting design modelsand
blueprints.
• Creating rough-draft templates using
computer drafting software and freehand
techniques.
• Measuring, cutting, and designingpatterns in
the material required.
https://www.betterteam.com/pattern-maker-job-description

15. Pattern MakerResponsibilities
• Double-checking the patterndimensionsandstyle.
• Sending the initial patternfor a manufacture check.
• Meeting withdesigners to review the finalproduct.
• Tweaking the pattern and filingthe design.
• Reporting back to company managers.
https://www.betterteam.com/pattern-maker-job-description

16. Sewing machinists stitch together
clothing, canvas for tents and awnings,
and soft furnishings.

17. What skills& knowledge are needed?
• different sewing methods
• needle sizes and machine-threadingtechniques
• different types of sewing equipmentand fabrics
• basic computingskills to program stitch patterns into
sewingmachines
• types of products they are sewing,and their construction
• practical skills for cleaningand maintainingsewing
machines.
https://www.careers.govt.nz/jobs-database/manufacturing/manufacturing/sewing-machinist/

18. A fashion designer is someone who loves to
study fashion
trends, sketch designs, select materials, and have a part

19. What skills are needed?
•Artisticability:Fashion designerssketch
their initialdesign ideas,which areused
laterto createprototypes. Designers must
beable toexpresstheir vision for the
design through illustration.

20. What skillsareneeded?
•Communicationskills:Fashiondesigners
oftenwork in teams throughout the design
process andtherefore must be effective in
communicatingwith their team members. For
example, they may need to give instructionsto
sewers regarding how a garment shouldbe
constructed.

21. What skillsareneeded?
•Computerskills: Fashion designers mustbe able to use
computer-aided design (CAD) programs and be familiar
withgraphics editingsoftware.
•Creativity: Fashiondesigners work witha variety of
fabrics, shapes, and colors. Their ideas mustbe unique,
functional,and stylish.

22. What skillsareneeded?
•Decision-Makingskills:Becausethey
often work in teams, fashion designers
areexposedto many ideas.They must be
ableto decidewhich ideas to incorporate
into their designs.

23. What skillsareneeded?
•Detail oriented: Fashion designers
must have a goodeye for small
differences in color and other details
that can make a design successful.
https://www.careergirls.org/career/fashion-designer/
What skillsareneeded?

24. References
https://www.manpower.com.ng/job-
descriptions/Seamstress-564.html
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/pattern-
cutter
https://www.planitplus.net/JobProfiles/View/339/91
https://www.betterteam.com/pattern-maker-job-description
https://www.careers.govt.nz/jobs-
database/manufacturing/manufacturing/sewing-machinist/
https://www.careergirls.org/career/fashion-designer/
References:

25. Bernadette P. Retamar