Computer Drawing Software For Making Leather Patterns

[koreric75]

On 8/13/2011 at 11:21 PM, amuckart said:

Inkscape is the Right Tool for design work like this. It's free, multi-platform, saves its output in an open standard format (that you'll still be able to open in 10 years), and works.

It has a bit of a learning curve, but the help is pretty good and there are books on it. For symmetrical stuff, explore the clone tool.

I have to 2d this, i started using inkscape a couple months ago and the help menu is really good with examples...i recently did a baseball style hacky sack and instead of trying to line up stitching holes by hand i used an extension called scatter and was able to copy one 1/16" hole all the way around the inside of the template, many many other features but that one saved me tons of time.  I used a cricut explore air 2 to cut out the pieces and stitching holes and it lined up great.  I attached the svg file, feel free to use it as you need...i designed it using a couple circles and some bezier curve lines, the best part is in inkscape you can enlarge or shrink the template without enlarging the stitch holes.

baseball.svg

Edited January 25, 2018 by koreric75

[AJ2018]

I use Solidworks Expert 3D/2D software for leather pattern modeling then touch it up with Photoshop after then export the results to PDF using adobe . but the procedure i use is very complex to novice person, so i recommend something simpler even though solidworks output an extremely precise measurements. if you give it the right commands, but i don't recommend it for even intermediate users as certain features are extremely complex to achieve, and might put too much strains on you if you don't know what you  doing.

for example here is one design  image i did in solidworks, but still need some more stitching.

 

good luck with the image , indeed it was nice design.

 

cheers,

A.J2018

Edited June 18, 2018 by AJ2018

[JLSleather]

I looked for info in this topic too.  Didn't see it just yet.  Idea is, the "solution" should be EASIER and/or FASTER than a pencil and paper.  If it isn't at least one of those things, then it's just making work.

 

[LatigoAmigo]

4 hours ago, JLSleather said:

I looked for info in this topic too.  Didn't see it just yet.  Idea is, the "solution" should be EASIER and/or FASTER than a pencil and paper.  If it isn't at least one of those things, then it's just making work.

I can't draw a straight line, so I rely on Adobe Illustrator to do my drawing for me. It is not easier or faster, but the results are BETTER. Worth the extra time (says the hobbyist). Plus the output can be duplicated, and the patterns can be easily scaled.

[JLSleather]

On 6/18/2018 at 5:51 AM, JLSleather said:

I looked for info in this topic too.  Didn't see it just yet.  Idea is, the "solution" should be EASIER and/or FASTER than a pencil and paper.  If it isn't at least one of those things, then it's just making work.

 

I really MUST update some of my software.  And I still need to learn how to scan a blue gun on a flatbed scanner -- can't convince 'em to lay parallel to the machine bed!

Still, even if it's a bit slow, I was able to eeek out this 'passable mess' for a gal who makes great clicker dies   The artwork is hers, I just made it a "button" that would show up on a web page.

[Aven]

On 6/18/2018 at 2:20 AM, AJ2018 said:

I use Solidworks Expert 3D/2D software for leather pattern modeling then touch it up with Photoshop after then export the results to PDF using adobe . but the procedure i use is very complex to novice person, so i recommend something simpler even though solidworks output an extremely precise measurements. if you give it the right commands, but i don't recommend it for even intermediate users as certain features are extremely complex to achieve, and might put too much strains on you if you don't know what you  doing.

for example here is one design  image i did in solidworks, but still need some more stitching.

 

good luck with the image , indeed it was nice design.

 

cheers,

A.J2018

 

AJ, are you using Solidworks because that is what you have available to you or is there something specific you can do in the program that you can't do in another CAD package?

 

[JLSleather]

SOlidworks is pretty cool, but she make it sound like I might hurt myself   Just not cost effective for me, either.

[Stetson912]

@JLSleather I'm coming into this late so forgive me if you've heard already, bit there is an open source free program called inkscape. It is similar to Adobe illustrator. It's a vector graphics software. You can scan in your tracing of your gun mold, and there are both rectangular and isometric grids that are 100% customizeable. I'm still getting the hang of it but I've made some some patterns thus far. Hope this helps. and

One thing is for sure, it won't break the bank hahaha! You can say, it pays for itself when someone downloads one of your patterns from your site hahaha!

[JLSleather]

31 minutes ago, Stetson912 said:

I'm still getting the hang of it but I've made some some patterns thus far. Hope this helps.

Let's see what ya got!  Issue I have is getting the gun IN the picture.  HOW do you get the right size / shape / scale?  Pic one I got a pattern for and I'll swap ya ... I don't so much need the PATTERN as maybe something showing us HOW YOU GOT IT IN THERE to begin!

[Stetson912]

I'll see what I can come up with for you. You can import images into inkscape and draw over them, by using the import function or drag and drop. You can even "trace bitmap" which in theory gives you a vector image of the imported picture. Mine seems to not work for I ain't can use it right. And has a scale you can set to whatever units you want, down to pixels even haha.  I'll try and make one up for a 1911. As that's the only gun I have that matches your patterns.