astroboy64 - Tumblr blog

[astroboy64]

Phil Bint: Covering Letter for Sewing Pattern Developer

Personal Statement

I have over 15 years of teaching pattern cutting and developing patterns. I am able to draft patterns for all types of garment, basic to complex, beginner to the very advanced.

Pattern cutting has endless possibilities and just by moving a dart, engineering a seam into a unconventional position, sometimes using the simplest of drafting technique one can create a pattern for a garment that looks unique, desirable, designer even.

One of the most exciting things I like to see is someone who has little or no knowledge of pattern cutting or garment construction and produces something they never thought they could make. It is my hope that every student who attends my courses will leave and have the confidence to go home and draft their own pattern and make something on their own. The job of Sewing Pattern Developer will enable me to share my skills in creating new patterns for home crafters.

My 15 years of teaching pattern cutting and garment construction, mainly to beginners, has given me an understanding of what “home crafters” find confusing, frustrating and the need for them to have simple clear instructions. The need for encouragement when things go wrong and be able to advise them when it does.

I also have a keen interest in sustainability, recycling and upcycling. If I was offered this job I’d like to develop a new area within your company; how to upcycle clothes, creating new garments out of unwanted garments, possibly creating a blog where “home crafters” can share their own knowledge, upcycled garments and also learn how to upcycle a garment. This is an area which I feel would add a new customer base to your existing “home crafters”.

I also teach textiles and surface decoration, another area which could be developed via a blog alongside the upcycling and sewing for home crafters..

I currently have two job roles

Academic Tutor: I am pathway tutor for Fashion and Textiles on UAL Foundation in Art and Design and I am the main tutor for fashion, garment construction and instructing students in manual pattern cutting and alternative methods of pattern cutting.

I also teach Introductory and Intermediate Pattern Cutting as an evening course to adults, ages range from 18 up-to 60. Both are 15 weeks in duration.  I have written the course materials and instruct mixed abilities. I mainly teach pattern cutting for womenswear, knits and wovens, however, I have a lot of experience in drafting patterns for menswear as well, including, made to measure suits.

Students on this course learn how to draft their own block from their own measurements. They learn how to draw and design their own garment and how to draft the pattern, make an initial pattern from which they make a toile, learn how to fit the toile, make any necessary fit adjustments to the pattern, draft final pattern with all the industry requirements for a pattern piece and then make final garment. I instruct students in garment construction techniques.

I have also run courses in Basic Corsetry, Introduction to Traditional Tailoring Techniques and Garment Construction.

  Specialist Technician: Fashion

I have had this role for 6 years

Pattern Cutting

This is mainly at degree level, within this role I teach students pattern cutting skills and garment manufacture. As a Fashion technician on a BA Fashion course,  I am asked to draft very complex and on trend garments from trousers, shorts, skirts, underwear, tailored jackets, shirts, coats, dresses and show students how to manufacture these garments to a high level of manufacture, using  many types of fabrics, conventional and unconventional. As a result, I have very strong sewing skills and I have the ability to impart this knowledge to my students in a very coherent, clear, confident and successful manner.

As a teacher of pattern cutting, the development of patterns is very important, especially when students are creating patterns from their technical flats and making sure final patterns have the information that a commercial pattern requires, especially if the student is sending their pattern and fabric to be made up externally.

Garment Construction

As a technician I have produced a whole learning resource on inserting zips, sewing pockets (patch, in-seam, jean, jetted pockets, chest pockets…), how to construct a shirt, tailoring techniques, fabric knowledge, sustainability and minimum waste pattern cutting. I am experienced in technical writing for sewing instructions. This learning resource provides handouts on how to produce various garment construction techniques with step by step instructions and actual physical samples of the various techniques at different stages of production. These are available on line to students along with pattern cutting techniques.

Fabric Knowledge

I did a degree in Textiles for Fashion and specialised in weave and I therefore have a vast knowledge of different types of fabrics from the more traditional to the more high end fabrics which require specialist knowledge where cutting and sewing are concerned.

Adobe Illustrator

I can use the most recent Adobe Illustrator, not necessarily expert but I am able to create technical flats.

Current Employment

I currently work two days at Brighton Met as a lecturer and three days at Northbrook Met as a specialist technician. My job at Northbrook is at risk due to a restructure, hours are to be cut and I feel I have a lot more to offer with my skills and this is partly why I am applying for this position.

If I were to be offered the role of “sewing pattern developer” I would be available for work three days a week. I would need to give two months notice. I am happy to do five days and leave my teaching role if a good salary was offered. I currently get paid £28.00 an hour as a lecturer.