The best pattern making software for home sewists is Seamly2D or Valentina, both free and open source, which draft patterns from your own measurements and rescale them when the measurements change. For professional pattern grading and production, the industry standards are Lectra Modaris and Gerber AccuMark (both now owned by Lectra), with Optitex and TUKAcad as the main alternatives. These are sold on quote to businesses and are not priced for hobbyists.
If you need to check the fit of a pattern in 3D before cutting fabric, the usual route is to draft or grade in a 2D program and import the pieces into CLO 3D or Browzwear VStitcher as a DXF-AAMA file. Optitex and TUKAcad handle 2D and 3D in one package.
For anyone who simply wants a pattern that fits without learning to draft, Tailornova generates made-to-measure printable patterns in a browser for $49 a month.
New to grading by hand first? Our guide to grading a sewing pattern between sizes covers the manual method these programs automate.
What pattern making software does
Pattern making software, also called fashion CAD or pattern drafting software, replaces the paper, rulers and French curves of flat pattern drafting. Instead of drawing a bodice block on paper, you draw it on screen, and the program keeps every line accurate to a fraction of a millimetre.
The better programs go further than a drawing tool. They are parametric: each point in the pattern is defined by a formula that refers to a measurement, so “bust point = bust depth from shoulder” rather than a fixed position. Change the measurement and the whole pattern redraws itself. That is how one draft becomes a custom fit for every new client, and how a size range gets graded without redrawing each size.
Pattern software does four jobs, and no single program is best at all of them:
| Job | What it means | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Drafting | Creating blocks and patterns from measurements | Everyone |
| Grading | Producing the same pattern in a range of sizes | Pattern sellers, brands |
| Marker making | Nesting pieces on fabric width to waste as little as possible | Factories and production rooms |
| Virtual fit | Checking the pattern on a 3D avatar before cutting | Brands, and increasingly independent designers |
Pattern making software compared
| Software | Best for | Price | Platforms | 3D fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seamly2D | Home sewists, custom fit, costume | Free (GPLv3) | Windows, macOS, Linux | No |
| Valentina | Home sewists, small pattern businesses | Free (GPLv3), optional paid support subscription | Windows, macOS, Linux | No |
| Wild Ginger PatternMaker | Home sewists who prefer ready-made garment templates | Paid; trial does everything except print and save | Windows (Mac via Windows emulation) | No |
| Tailornova | Made-to-measure without drafting | $49/month | Browser | Preview only |
| CLO 3D | Designers who want drafting and 3D fit together | $50/month or $450/year | Windows, macOS | Yes |
| Lectra Modaris | Industrial pattern rooms | Quote only | Windows | Yes (add-on) |
| Gerber AccuMark | Production grading and marker making | Quote only | Windows | Yes (add-on) |
| Optitex | Integrated 2D pattern and 3D fit | Quote only | Windows | Yes |
| TUKAcad | Made-to-measure and small to mid-size production | Quote only | Windows | Yes (TUKA3D) |
Prices are as listed by the publishers in October 2026. Industrial systems are licensed per seat with training and support, so they are priced for companies rather than individuals.
Free pattern making software: Seamly2D and Valentina
Seamly2D and Valentina began as one project in 2013, started by Roman Telezhinsky in Ukraine and Susan Spencer in the United States, and split in 2017. Both are still developed, both are free under the GPLv3 licence, and both run on Windows, macOS and Linux.
They work the same way. You keep your measurements in a separate measurement file, then draft a pattern whose points are formulas referring to those measurements. Load a different person’s file and the pattern redraws to fit them. That makes them ideal for sewing for yourself and family, for costume work where every actor is different, and for drafting historical patterns from period instructions.
Valentina’s latest stable release is 1.1.0, from June 2026. Since version 1.0 it has offered an optional paid subscription for priority support and early updates, but the program itself remains free.
The catch with both is that they start from a blank page. There are no garment templates: you need to know, or learn, how to draft a block from measurements. If you have never drafted on paper, follow one drafting system such as a basic bodice block from a pattern cutting textbook, and reproduce it step by step in the software.
Paid options for home sewists
Wild Ginger PatternMaker
Wild Ginger’s PatternMaker is a long-standing Windows program that drafts garments from your measurements using built-in templates, so you choose design options rather than drafting from scratch. The trial version does everything except print and save, which lets you test whether its fit suits you before paying. It runs on a Mac only through Windows emulation software.
Tailornova
Tailornova is browser-based. You pick a garment type, choose style options such as necklines, sleeves and lengths, enter your measurements, and it produces a made-to-measure pattern with a 3D preview, ready to print on a home printer or send to a plotter. At $49 a month it suits someone who wants several well-fitting patterns over a few months rather than a permanent tool.
Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape
Many independent pattern designers draft in a general vector program rather than pattern software, Illustrator if they already pay for it, or Inkscape, which is free. Both are fine for drawing and for laying out tiled PDF files. Neither is parametric and neither grades, so every size has to be drawn or graded by hand. They make sense for producing finished PDF patterns, less so for drafting.
Professional fashion CAD for grading and production
In industry, pattern CAD is dominated by a few systems. Lectra, the French company behind Modaris, acquired Gerber Technology and its AccuMark software in 2021, so the two best-known names now sit under one owner, though both products are still sold.
| System | Known for | Typical user |
|---|---|---|
| Lectra Modaris | Precise pattern development and grading, 3D prototyping | Large brands and pattern rooms |
| Gerber AccuMark | Grading, marker making and cutting-room integration | Manufacturers |
| Optitex | 2D pattern and 3D fit in one environment | Brands that want fewer physical samples |
| TUKAcad and TUKA3D | Made-to-measure and production patterns | Smaller factories, MTM businesses |
| Audaces, StyleCAD, PAD System, Richpeace | Regional alternatives with strong local support | Manufacturers in their home markets |
If you are training for a pattern cutting job, find out which system your target employers use and learn that one. The skills transfer, but job listings usually name a specific system.
Grading and virtual fit for jackets and outerwear
Jackets and coats are where pattern software earns its cost, because a single style can carry twenty or more pieces: shell, lining, facings, undercollar, interfacing and pocket bags, each of which must grade in step with the others.
A sound workflow for outerwear looks like this:
- Draft the base size and true every seam that joins another, so collar to neckline, sleeve cap to armhole and facing to front all match in length.
- Derive the lining and interfacing pieces from the shell pattern in the software, not as separate drawings, so they update when the shell changes.
- Apply grade rules to the shell. In parametric programs this happens through the measurement table; in production CAD it happens through grade rules attached to each point.
- Check the graded nest. Smallest and largest sizes should keep their proportions, and pocket and button positions should still sit sensibly.
- Export as DXF-AAMA and import into a 3D program to simulate the base size and the extremes of the range, with the real fabric weight and the lining layered inside.
- Only then cut a toile in the base size. Virtual fit cuts down on samples; it does not replace the first one.
For the last two steps, CLO 3D is the most accessible choice for an independent designer. It imports DXF-AAMA pattern files from almost any CAD system, simulates layered garments, and shows tension and fit maps over the avatar. Optitex and TUKAcad keep 2D and 3D in one program, which avoids the export step but costs considerably more. For an outerwear-specific check, set the avatar’s arm pose raised as well as relaxed: a jacket that fits at rest can pull badly across the back when the arms move forward.
When the toile is cut, the usual rules still apply. Our guides to using muslin for a test garment and lining a jacket cover the physical side.
Pattern file formats explained
| Format | Used for | Opens in |
|---|---|---|
| DXF-AAMA / DXF-ASTM | Exchanging pattern pieces between CAD systems, with grade information | Almost all pattern CAD and CLO 3D |
| PLT (HPGL) | Sending a pattern to a plotter | Plotters, print shops |
| Tiled PDF (A4 or US Letter) | Printing at home and taping pages together | Any PDF reader |
| A0 or copy-shop PDF | Printing a whole pattern on large sheets | Print shops |
| SVG | Editing in vector programs, laser cutting | Illustrator, Inkscape |
If you sell patterns, offer both tiled and copy-shop PDF. If you design for production, make sure your software exports DXF-AAMA, because that is what factories and 3D programs ask for.
Which pattern making software should you choose?
| You are | Use |
|---|---|
| A home sewist who wants patterns that fit | Seamly2D or Valentina if you will learn to draft; Tailornova or Wild Ginger if you will not |
| Selling PDF patterns in a size range | Valentina or Seamly2D for drafting and grading, Illustrator or Inkscape for the final layout |
| An independent designer sampling a collection | CLO 3D, drafting in its 2D window or importing from Valentina or Seamly2D |
| A costume maker fitting different performers | Seamly2D or Valentina, one measurement file per performer |
| Training for an industry pattern cutting role | Lectra Modaris or Gerber AccuMark, through a college or employer licence |
Software does not replace the measuring. Any program is only as accurate as the numbers you give it, so take them carefully using our body measurement chart for sewing. If you are working the other way round, adjusting a commercial pattern rather than drafting one, start with how to alter a sewing pattern. For simulating finished garments rather than drafting them, see our comparison of 3D clothing design software.
Frequently asked questions
Is there free pattern making software?
Yes. Seamly2D and Valentina are both free and open source, run on Windows, macOS and Linux, and draft patterns from your own measurements. Inkscape is free too, but it is a general drawing program and does not grade.
What software do professional pattern makers use?
Most industrial pattern rooms use Lectra Modaris or Gerber AccuMark, both now owned by Lectra. Optitex, TUKAcad, Audaces and StyleCAD are the other common systems.
What is the best software for pattern grading?
For production, Gerber AccuMark and Lectra Modaris. For an independent pattern designer, Valentina or Seamly2D grade through their measurement tables at no cost.
Can I check the fit of a pattern in 3D?
Yes. Export the pattern as DXF-AAMA and import it into CLO 3D or Browzwear VStitcher, or use a program with built-in 3D such as Optitex or TUKAcad.
Is pattern making software worth it for a home sewist?
If you regularly alter commercial patterns to fit, yes. A parametric draft in Seamly2D or Valentina fits you from the start, and the free price means the only cost is the time spent learning to draft.
Can pattern making software print at home?
Yes. Seamly2D, Valentina, Wild Ginger and Tailornova all print tiled patterns on A4 or US Letter paper for taping together, and can export a single large file for a print shop.
