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

Reply to
Mignon
Loading thread data ...

Wild Ginger:

formatting link
Livingsoft Dress Shop:
formatting link

Reply to
BEI Design

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.

Reply to
Olwynmary

"Mignon" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

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.

Reply to
Melinda Meahan - remove TRASH

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

Reply to
Valkyrie

Melinda,

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

Doreen in Alabama

Reply to
Doreen

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

Reply to
Ward

"Ward" wrote in news:f1cdb$42c8b481$d1cc50b7$ snipped-for-privacy@snip.allthenewsgroups.com:

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

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.

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.

This is excellent advice indeed.

Reply to
Melinda Meahan - remove TRASH

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!

Reply to
Mignon

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.