Author Archives: Susan

About Susan

FOSS digital patternmaking developer

Video from 2011 Libre Graphics Meeting presentation in Montreal

Here is the link for the presentation Open Source Digital Patternmaking Software at the 2011 Libre Graphics Meeting in Montreal: http://river-valley.tv/media/conferences/lgm-2011/0301-Susan-Spencer-Conklin/   Thanks to Kaveh Bazargan and River Valley Technologies for recording open source conferences and making them available on … Continue reading

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Trousers with Reference Grid

After much work, I’ve developed a new pattern formula, basing it on a person’s actual measurements, not measurements over a similarly fitting garment.  This pattern is reproducible mathematically and retains proper shape and curve.

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Learning Git

Learning git through webinar with awesome teacher Matthew McCullough. Here’s his blog if interested in knowing more about him, possibly finding how to enroll for next class: http://tiny.cc/ep0gd

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New Pattern and Code

So far Steve has posted the code, but I am still working on the pattern. Stay tuned!

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Linux Magazine Interview “Tau Meta Tau Physica: Bringing Open Source to Fashion”

Amber Graner at Linux Magazine interviewed me this past month to find out the status of this project.  I’ve been working on code, and haven’t posted developments here.  My apologies.  I’ll try to keep the wiki updated with code, and … Continue reading

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My Wacom ‘Bamboo Fun Pen and Touch’ installed on Ubuntu

Woohoo! I got a Wacom Bamboo Fun tablet during the holiday.  But it wouldn’t install on Ubuntu Lynx.  So I upgraded to Maverick.  Still no luck. I found several pages of advice and instruction, none of which yielded results. So … Continue reading

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Garment patterns didn’t fit most people…even in 1853

From “The Complete Guide to Practical Cutting (1853)” by Edward Minister & Son, p. 53 : “The system for coats, so far as we have already explained its operations, is adapted for all persons of an ordinary or proportionate form.  … Continue reading

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TED Talks – Johanna Blakley: Lessons from fashion’s free culture

This TED talk is from May 2010.  The open fashion culture is not a superficial social movement.  To see how reflective the fashion industry is of the open design and open source movements, please watch this video. It requires Flash. … Continue reading

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Steampunk Jacket Update

The wiki has been updated with the latest version of the Steampunk Jacket.  The sleeves and pockets are completed.  Still working on the collar and lapel. Link here to current code files  The code has been cleaned up, repetitious code … Continue reading

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Steampunk Jacket: Create seam allowance with Inkscape’s Outset feature

Current code files for Steampunk Jacket are here: http://www.sew-brilliant.org/wiki/index.php?title=Men’s_Steampunk_Jacket_1870-1900 Once the pattern is generated with the extension steampunk_jacket.inx and steampunk_jacket.py: 1.select all points that aren’t corners and set to auto-smooth.  Set points at the waist line and elbows to symmetrical. … Continue reading

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Excellent Vintage Pattern Design website

VintageSewing.info is an extraordinary resource for those who don’t want to invest any $$ to pick up some of these techniques.  At the very least it can fire your imagination to do your own creation:

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New Books, I’m addicted, and running out of shelf space

How to Draft Basic Patterns, 3rd ed.1985 by E. Kopp, V. Rolfo, B. Zelin, L. Gross – still had the plastic neckline curve template in the front cover inside pocket! Sweet… Designing Apparel Through the Flat Pattern, rev. 5th ed., … Continue reading

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Steampunk Jacket Back and Front Pieces Done

I’ll try to post the file on the wiki soon.  These two pieces had to be generated from the same file, as they shared several reference lines.  I need to create patterns for the sleeve, both pockets, the collar, collar … Continue reading

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Next Project: Steampunk Men’s Suit circa 1855

My stepson wants something to wear to DragonCon.  That’s a fairly tight delivery date. So last night I wrote the inkscape extension to create thejacket back pattern.  This weekend I’ll finish the front jacket pattern.  Then the muslin test, then … Continue reading

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Front Bodice Block done!

I rewrote the programs again, tweaking the curves and re-thinking the algorithm. The latest files are posted at Current Code Files

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