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Physics and garment pattern drafting

2/2/2016

8 Comments

 
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So, what I am doing in Santa Barbara anyway???

Well, my husband is Physicist, specifically a writer of physics and has the post of writer in residence at the Kavli Institute on the campus of UC Santa Barbara for three months and I came because ... why wouldn't I come?

Anyway, over the years of being married to a physicist I have met many other physicists, primarily high energy and nuclear physics and primarily men. BUT, here in Santa Barbara there are a group of physicists who study soft matter, specializing in soft matter that forms itself into sheets. And there are several women in this group ... AND they are interested in sewing and knitting and how physics is related to sewing and knitting.
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This image and the one above are from an article about 3D simulation and pattern making, An interesting read, talks about the downside of pattern making on computers ... here's the link. Many people, I would guess most professional pattern makers draft on a computer now a days. 

I don't know how. I learned working in theatrical costume shops and they do stuff the old fashioned way, for the most part.


Now, the reason I'm writing on this topic today is to share a sweet, interesting and funny paper written by a British Mathematician, Professor Sir Christopher Zeeman, in 1993.

He brought back a beautiful piece of silk fabric for his wife when visiting Thailand, but when he couldn't find a dressmaker who would sew it up (they all thought there wasn't enough fabric), HE decided to learn to sew and would draft the pattern himself.
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He writes about the problems of fitting the curves of the human body from an analytical and mathematical perspective, also from the perspective of a man and loving husband.

He discovers darts here! But this raises more questions and problems.

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One in particular, how to fit the curvy FRONT part of a woman.
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He wisely makes a trial or two using old bed sheets, and  does make a successful finished dress in the end, that he even sews a lining into. This is my favorite part of his discussion ... why it is impossible to turn the garment right side out after machine sewing around the neck AND both armholes.

Here is the link to the whole paper, illustrations and all. Read it, it's very good.
8 Comments
Liz link
2/2/2016 08:59:25 am

I, too, come from a family of scientists (a physicist, a chemist, and a geologist). We had tons of math books laying around the house and I was always fascinated by topology as a kid. Turns out that topology is one of the mathematics principles that applies to sewing: the manipulations of planes and creating continuity between them (it mainly applies to how we line a garment, creating an inside and outside made of two fabric joined into one plane with seams). Geometry is the most well known of the sewing maths, but topology is the truly mind-bending aspect that few consider. If you have mastered garment construction (especially bag lining), you are playing with topology! Thanks for sharing this article! It is an excellent read.

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Christina
2/2/2016 09:44:32 am

Love this! As a biophysical chemist, I actually use sewing to describe protein folding. Thanks for sharing!

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Cahira
2/2/2016 01:23:25 pm

I love it!!

My degree is in physics (though I masquerade as an engineer at my job), and I very much approach sewing from an analytical perspective. That paper on the making of the dress from physics principles is awesome! Thanks so much for posting it!

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SewingTidbits link
2/2/2016 01:48:03 pm

Brilliant paper, thanks for sharing!!

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Jen in Oz
2/2/2016 07:03:45 pm

Lovely article! I'm afraid I got a bit lost towards the end when he writes about turning the lining to the inside but not attaching the armholes till after turning it; I know it can't be done, but I'm not sure I understand his mathematical explanation. Isn't there something about turning it through the should seams to make it work though? (I came across a pattern for a little girl's dress recently that had the lining machine stitched around the neckline, turned, then hand stitched at the armholes and lower edge of the bodice. But that was a particularly badly written pattern...)

Reply
Andrea
2/3/2016 07:17:59 am

There is a way to almost machine sew the whole thing, if either the front is in two pieces or the back has a seam, for the zipper perhaps.
With the shoulder seams sewn but the side seams and front or back seam open, sew around the neck and two armholes. Pull whichever side is in two pieces through each of the shoulders then sew up the sides and then put in the zipper or buttonholes or however that open seam is going to be finished.
I do this whenever I can, it's FAST!

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Marcella
2/2/2016 08:29:59 pm

Thanks! I got a good laugh out of this one.

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Paul Sheldon
2/5/2017 01:35:58 pm

I am a physicist attempting to be a shivering chihuahua custom tailor with blender vr and was heartened to read topological proof and that all instructions I go crazy with on the internet don't mean I'm crazy: folks don't know how to define things clearly.

Explanation of darts also fantastic.

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    I am a commercial pattern maker who is now "sewing over 50"!
    I love to sew and hope to encourage others to come back to sewing.
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