This week we introduced the concept of PATTERNS and TEMPLATES. We spent some time talking about what patterns are, why we utilize them, and some of the thing that employ pattern making that we experience in our daily lives. An almost endless number of familiar items could be listed that utilize pattern making in their creation – both hand made products we might make ourselves as well as manufactured goods.
When it comes to things made of fabric or other light materials, after a design is completed and careful measurements taken, individual pattern pieces are created on paper and then used as templates to cut the fabric, which are then assembled into a finished product by sewing, gluing or other means.
Here are a few examples that we could tackle as projects in the Makerspace or could be made at home for our personal use or as gifts. Makers can do their own designs and make patterns from them, or use one of the many patterns available online (and are often free).
When it comes to things made of fabric or other light materials, after a design is completed and careful measurements taken, individual pattern pieces are created on paper and then used as templates to cut the fabric, which are then assembled into a finished product by sewing, gluing or other means.
Here are a few examples that we could tackle as projects in the Makerspace or could be made at home for our personal use or as gifts. Makers can do their own designs and make patterns from them, or use one of the many patterns available online (and are often free).

Pattern making involves design, measuring, cutting and, finally, assembly into a finished item. Like all categories of making, pattern/template making has its own sets if tools that vary depending on the materials used and the nature of the finished product.
The goal of our first pattern making project is to give MakerKids a simple item to reproduce and, in the process, learn the step-by-step procedure that is involved in making flat patterns
The goal of our first pattern making project is to give MakerKids a simple item to reproduce and, in the process, learn the step-by-step procedure that is involved in making flat patterns

For this project, MakerKids made WALLETS out the building insulation material called Tyvak.
Why Tyvak? Well,
it's easy to work
with, nearly
indestructible,
and, as luck would have it, one of the mentors had quite a bit left over from a home building project. (We’re ever resourceful and practical.) We will be doing more with pattern making in the weeks to come.
Here are MakerKids working on their wallets.
Why Tyvak? Well,
it's easy to work
with, nearly
indestructible,
and, as luck would have it, one of the mentors had quite a bit left over from a home building project. (We’re ever resourceful and practical.) We will be doing more with pattern making in the weeks to come.
Here are MakerKids working on their wallets.
Stay tuned for a cool pattern making project mentor Nicole will be introducing soon that involves custom vests each MakerKid will create and decorate. It's gonna be great!