Job Description of a Pattern Cutter

Pattern cutters handle the patterns used in fashion design.

Designers might draw patterns that look beautiful and interesting, but whether the patterns will actually work will be known only once the pattern has been cut and made into clothing. Pattern cutters create templates for the kinds of patterns that will be used in clothing lines, based on illustrated designs created by the design department of the fashion company.

Function

After looking at the drawings created by the fashion designer, pattern cutters create the pattern pieces in the form of pattern blocks, pattern bases or pattern dummies, which are patterns that are draped over a dummy to give a sense of what the garment will look like. However, there are also pattern cutters who use computer-generated models to get a sense of how the patterns will look. The pattern cutter also works with the machinist to create sample clothes so the fashion designers can determine if the patterns will work for the clothing line, according to Can U Cut It. The pattern designer works with the fashion designer to determine if the pattern sample will be worthy of becoming a final pattern.

Conditions

According to Can U Cut It, pattern cutters usually work between 37 and 39 hours a week. They work in well-lit and cool studios, though some pattern cutters are self-employed, according to the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services. The studio can be part of a clothing manufacturing plant or a specialist firm. Those pattern cutters who use computers spend a lot of time in front of a screen.

Skills

Pattern cutters should have an interest in fashion and have an eye for art. They must also have good analytical skills since they must be able to look at the fashion designer's art and determine how the pattern is supposed to look. Computer skills are needed for those who use computers to design patterns, according to Can U Cut It. Pattern cutters are expected to be able to work quickly since production deadlines often depend on clothing being designed quickly.

Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for pattern cutters is expected to grow by 1 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is much slower than the national average. This industry is expected to grow slowly due to an increasing number of clothes being created internationally. However, fashion designers are not as likely to be outsourced as clothing manufacturers since these positions are usually kept in-house.

Salary

In 2008, the median salary for fashion designers was $61,160, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest 10 percent earned more than $124,780, while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,150.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Fashion Designer
• Can U Cut It: Pattern Cutter
• Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services: Pattern Cutter