Last Thursday, I assembled a bright and shiny (literally) array of tools listed on my class supplies list for Portland Sewing’s Pattern Making 101. I already own most of the tools from a draping class I had taken about six years ago through another program, so I was prepared! But when I arrived to class and walked throught their store, I was like a kid at Target with her back to school list! They had so many more options available for sale.
Packs of rulers, measuring tapes of various widths, bamboo handled tracing wheels, brands of tools I knew and brands I had never heard of – options of tools for days!
While I was tempted to buy new treasures, I stuck with my own trusted supply of tools and made friends with my workstation neighbors: 
Did I mention this place was super cool?
For our first class we paired up and learned the proper industry standard way to take a client’s measurements – and then we used math. WITH FRACTIONS!!! Gasp!
Actually, since we rounded to an 1/8th it wasn’t a big deal, and there are loads of free fraction caculator apps that help if you get really stuck. I guess all that help grading papers for the Hubby over the years paid off.
After the calculating it was time to put our pencils to paper. This was the fun part!
And finally… 
The very beginning of my bodice sloper pattern!
