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BLOGS &
FIELD NOTES.

How garments actually get made — patterns, fabrics, factories, fittings and the math nobody teaches in school. Written by people who draft, source, sample and ship.

17
ARTICLES · 7 TOPICS
BL-001 · PATTERN MAKING
● FEATURED · PATTERN MAKING
BL-001

WHY EVERY PATTERN IS A FUNCTION

Parametric pattern-making, in plain language. Why measurements + ease + grading rules beat redrawing.

Léa Marin · MAR 14 · 2026 · 8 MIN READ
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The Journal — Weekly

New articles, studio updates, and pattern notes. One email, no noise.

TERRY GSM280 · 300 · 320BL-002
BL-002
FABRICS & TRIMS

A French Terry Buyer's Guide

GSM, loop construction, and how to spec terry that survives the wash.

MAR 09 · 20266 MIN READ
BL-003
BL-003
TECH PACKS

A Tech Pack You'd Be Proud Of

What goes in, what stays out, and the unwritten rules every factory wishes designers knew.

MAR 04 · 202610 MIN READ
ARMHOLEWAISTHEMBL-004
BL-004
FIT & GRADING

Reading a Fit Comment

Decoding 'drop the armhole 1cm' and other notes from your fit model.

FEB 27 · 20265 MIN READ
LISBONPORTOBL-005
BL-005
PRODUCTION

Lisbon, Porto, or Further?

Choosing where to make a small run in 2026 — MOQs, lead times, and the truth about EU vs Asia.

FEB 22 · 202612 MIN READ
XSSMLBL-006
BL-006
FIT & GRADING

Grading Rules That Don't Lie

A defensible base size grade, and why grading proportionally is almost always the wrong move.

FEB 18 · 20267 MIN READ
COGMFGMARGINWHLRTLBL-007
BL-007
RUNNING A LABEL

Pricing a First Drop Without Lying to Yourself

A spreadsheet, four real numbers, and the margin math nobody puts in business books.

FEB 12 · 20269 MIN READ
maelo.studio — v2.4BL-008
BL-008
STUDIO NOTES

Studio Update — v2.4

Cargo block beta, A4 tile improvements, and a quieter exporter. Notes from the last six weeks.

FEB 06 · 20264 MIN READ
1 CM SABL-009
BL-009
PATTERN MAKING

When to Break the Block

Three moments in a draft when starting from a base block costs more than starting from zero.

JAN 30 · 20266 MIN READ
SELVEDGE14 OZ · 3×1 TWILLBL-010
BL-010
FABRICS & TRIMS

Honest Denim, Without the Mythology

Selvedge, ringspun, slub — the words that matter, and the ones the mill made up to charge more.

JAN 24 · 202611 MIN READ
HERO SKUBL-011
BL-011
RUNNING A LABEL

A Linesheet That Actually Sells

Why your linesheet is your second-most-important document, and the hierarchy buyers expect.

JAN 18 · 20265 MIN READ
ROUNDDATESTATUSNOTESS1JAN 04PASSFIT OKS2JAN 18REVISEHEM -2CMS3FEB 01PASSBULK OKS4FEB 20PASSSHIPBL-012
BL-012
PRODUCTION

The Sample Round Nobody Plans For

Most labels budget two samples. They need four. Here is how to log them and what to ask each round.

JAN 11 · 20267 MIN READ
BL-013
BL-013
PRODUCTION

Choosing a Factory Without Visiting One

A vetting checklist for when you can't fly out — what to ask, what to look at, what to walk from.

JAN 04 · 20269 MIN READ
FOB$8.40FREIGHT$1.20DUTIES$0.90LANDED$10.50WHOLESALE$28.00RETAIL$69.00BL-014
BL-014
RUNNING A LABEL

Reading a Cost Sheet Like a Buyer

FOB, landed, wholesale, retail — and where the actual margin lives. Annotated with a real example.

DEC 28 · 20258 MIN READ
2×2 RIB95% COTTON · 5% ELASTANEBL-015
BL-015
FABRICS & TRIMS

Rib Trim Is the Hardest Yarn You'll Buy

Why rib trim moves more in a wash test than any other component, and what to spec to keep it honest.

DEC 21 · 20256 MIN READ
NECK TAPESHOULDER TO SHOULDER10 MM WIDTHCOVERSTITCH · 95% CO / 5% EABL-016 · TECH PACKS
BL-016
TECH PACKS

Understanding Neck Tape in Garments

The strip of fabric sewn into the back neckline seam has a bigger impact on comfort, durability, and perceived quality than its size suggests.

MAY 07 · 20269 MIN READ
30PISO 3758 · GINETEX100% COTTON · MADE IN PORTUGALBL-017 · TECH PACKS
BL-017
TECH PACKS

Care Labels: What They Must Say and How to Spec Them

Fibre content, care symbols, country of origin — what the law requires, what ISO 3758 defines, and how to write it into your tech pack.

MAY 09 · 20268 MIN READ
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