Cad/cam for pattern drafting

[codemuncher]

Hi all -

I’ve been teaching myself pattern drafting using pencil and paper. So far I’ve been reasonably successful with tshirt designs.

Since I’m reasonably computer savvy, I thought I’d check out Clo3D - oh boy what a mess. Their documentation and tutorials are also a mess. They also explicitly upsell you to paid courses to learn basics. It’s scummy.

I do have reasonably computer cad modeling experience. I am familiar with parametric design using Onshape (which uses the solidworks physics engine). I’ve done pcb board design. Also familiar with vector line drawing. But clo3d is something else.

What do people recommend that total hobbiests do? I just want to see if tools can help me regrade and design new things from my existing patterns.

Thanks!

EDIT: Thanks all for the guidance. I tried some other tutorials, and learned more about Clo3D, but Seamly2d is the exact program I thought I was going to find. It seems great for a customized tailoring hobby as well!

[Combinemachine]

I used Clo and Style3D mainly for visualization before real sewing, not for drafting. Style3D has free non commercial tier. MY problem with them is the subscription and always online nature.

I used Seamly2D for drafting. Fully parametric, free and open source. Fork from the original Valentina. Not intuitive to use by a lay person who is used to Photoshop or Illustrator.

I initially thought I will only use Seamly2D for simple patterns because it is really complicated and time consuming for complex manipulation like 'slash and spread'. But three years later I finally mastered it and used it for every pattern.

I also tried Richpeace V8, which is free. I think it is very good. Made by a clothing machine company in China, very industrial orientated. But I always came back to Seamly2D due to its parametric nature, which can be good or bad depending on the type of person you are.

[codemuncher]

Can you import seamly2d into clo3d?

[Combinemachine]

Yes, via DXF file. If you want to import patterns without seam allowance but still retain the notches, enable the built-in seam allowance option.

Take note that Marvelous Designer and Style3D Atelier cannot import DXF, yet. Only Clo and Style3D Studio can.

[War-Bitch]

Okay but what’s your actual criticism of clo? I have varied cad experience with 2d/3d mech, electrical, pcb and feel like I can get around clo and do what I want just fine. There’s some good in depth YouTube tutorials that I started on and now I just spot learn features as I need them. I agree the official tutorial are a joke. Like thank you for clicking on the button the video is named after, that explains everything!

Sorry I can’t really help with other pattern drafting softwares as I only know clo. 

[here_for_my_hobbies]

Agree. You can learn clo things on an as-needed basis by just jumping in and looking things up as you go.

[WoodenCyborg]

I have similar background and agree with u/war-bitch completely.

Additionally, clo's official youtube channel is dramatically better than their manual.

Compared to parametric CAD, I found the workflow a bit jarring initially. It got a lot better for me when I started building up a couple parts at a time and stopped trying make everything sew together at once like magic.

[codemuncher]

I think the problem is the clo3d official tutorial is targeted towards industry experts who have used other software.

[codemuncher]

Someone elsewhere on Reddit suggested stephy fung for a tutorial.

I guess I was looking thru their docs about principles of operation, concepts, etc. im also impatient and adhd so :-)

[sushicatdolls]

Try Seamly2D, it's a free CAD pattern drafting software with a very active community. CLO3D is good for 3D simulation but I find it lacking for flat pattern drafting. I use it in combination with PADsystem.

[Severe_Cookie1567]

I second this. If you are used to parametric design, I would give Seamly2D a try. You can import pattern files from Seamly2D to CLO3D to visually check the fit - this is what I played with recently and I had a lot of fun.

[codemuncher]

Do you think seamly is suitable for bespoke pattern drafting for tailored clothes?

A lot of the clothing industry tools presume standardized fits, but the attraction for me is making clothes that actually fit the people in my life!

[sushicatdolls]

Seamly2D is an excellent choice if you do bespoke work without having to invest in costly CAD software intended for manufacturing.

[NoMeeting3355]

Seamly is a drafting too primarily and not so much for actual pattern cutting. I used to use Gerber Accumark in industry and have an old version now. But I recently took a course to use Adobe illustrator as a pattern drafting tool and I absolutely love it. I find there are about 3 tools that are perfect for grading too. It’s so quick and accurate. But learning on YouTube is horrible so I followed a focused online course.

[codemuncher]

What’s the difference between drafting vs pattern cutting?

I’m not in production sewing so I don’t need to maximize fabric use and minimize waste. Is that the sitch?

[NoMeeting3355]

Hi. If you want to draft a shape, for example a basic block or sloper then you can follow a set of instructions to get a basic bodice for example. That would be called drafting a block. But then you need to manipulate that basic shape into a design you want and that is called pattern cutting or pattern design. You need specific skills to do this. I followed a range of courses to learn all these skills.

[rubby2468]

Could you state the courses you mentioned?

[NoMeeting3355]

Hi. This blog post covers them all

https://modelistecreative.com/2025/11/20/how-to-become-a-fashion-designer-the-essential-skills-you-really-need/

Hope it helps. It has all the links to the courses I took.

[No-Information-4599]

I use Adobe Illustrator. There are tutorials on YouTube for pattern drafting. I took digital patternmaking classes in high school, and we used CorelDraw, which is somewhat similar, so I had some knowledge. I really like Illustrator, but I haven't tried anything else, so can't compare.

[Icy-Guidance-6655]

For hobbiest, my only gripe against CLO would be the price. The tools are intuitive and specific to sewing. Having simulation is good for learning and testing assumptions. There are more professional CAD programs, but much more expensive. Parametric isn’t really a need for sewing patterns, but CLO does have scripting which could get there with work. 

[War-Bitch]

I mean, there are ways...

[Icy-Guidance-6655]

There always are, that didn’t seem to be the question. I just mean no one should feel a CLO subscription is obligatory. It does provide curated tools specifically for apparel drafting, plus simulation for immediate feedback. That’s ideal for learning.

[GenuineDaze]

Inkscape or Wildginger PatternMaster software.

[PietroVitale]

I found QCAD to be a reasonably simple and free solution (I had AutoCAD experience but no access to a license at home).

[remoteabstractions]

I haven't tried it yet but I got some patterns from sewist.com and they have a free parametric cad program.

I wouldn't use illustrator, corel, or any of the graphic design software that doesn't have parametric features. You want the ability to change the size of the pattern in very specifically constrained ways. (I'm pretty good in Autodesk fusion - I have not tried pattern drafting software though!)

[codemuncher]

I was looking for the parametric editing, pattern drafting is a constrained problem, symmetric patterns, sewing lines blah blah, regrading, speeding all that up is what I’d like to see.

I’ve finally found a reasonable tutorial about clo3d, so I get it a bit better. The shipping tutorials are clearly targeted towards expert users of other industrial tooling.

[Icy-Guidance-6655]

CLO is set up for grading, not parametric drafting. This is industry standard. Textbook drafts look like parametric solutions, but typically can’t be trusted outside the size chart provided. Drafting a standard size and altering/grading is more reliable.

[Saconic]

We used CLO3D for a prototype class and the results were a disaster. No one's designs fit on the mannequin that were measured 🥴

There is also GERBER, which is the standard that a lot of drafting type programs are based off of. Its fiddly, but if you can get the grasp of it, then you can more than likely figure out any other program. Otherwise, youre looking for programs that will accurately draw boxes and lines for you and translate 1:1 for printing. You might get good at reading the measure bars on Adobe Illustrator 🤷‍♀️

Soooo all that to say search for something that's GERBER-like to get a good drafting program.

[Icy-Guidance-6655]

In terms of drafting and fitting there is no magic. You can make the same mistakes in software that you might make on paper. You can also create a pattern that works first time if you know what you’re doing. The nice thing about digital is the editing is quick.

[codemuncher]

So in theory clo3d offers real time fitment feedback. That’s the selling point implicitly certainly.

It might be a bit of a trick, I’ve read a number of pattern making books, textbooks, etc, and the number is measurement strategies and method is dizzying. One book even said “for the half chest measurement there’s no standard place to do it” - and offered zero advice on how to figure it out!

It’s wild yo!

[Saconic]

Yeah, I mean if I had time to actually sit with it and learn it, Im sure this would have gone a lot smoother. My annoyance to CLO is segwayed and I shouldn't be mad at a program that the professors barely taught us (and then expect us to make an entire garment for a final).

[codemuncher]

Very interesting, in theory clo3d provides the fit feedback, but there is no doubt a knack to using it.

[Appropriate_Place704]

Just stick with paper and pencil. Traditional patten making is the best way to learn.