A direction or pattern card is an itemized list of all the pattern pieces that pertain to a particular style. While a direction/pattern card is not a cutter’s must, it can be used as one. Here is a photo of an actual card.
Like a direction card, a cutter’s must is an itemized listing of the pattern piece components of a given style. Regardless of whether you’re using direction cards (and I suggest you do), you must provide a cutter’s must to the cutting department or a contractor on an ordinary sheet of paper. Below is a sample of a common cutter’s must for style #21117.
Either of these two things serve the same purpose but a cutter’s must is made from the direction card. You can download and print out this sample cutter’s must here (666kb). You can find a sample form to use on page 79 in the Entrepreneur’s Guide.
You will notice that the cutter’s must is color coded. Now, I realize that many companies don’t color code their pieces but I suggest you do. Please color code your pattern inventory appropriately; it eliminates the potentiality of disaster -as you’ll see in tomorrow’s post.
That looks like “standard work”, as we’d call it in the lean world!
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A question of line size
A reader asks (I forgot to ask if she wanted to be anonymous so I’m erring on the side of caution): In your book when you talk about line size, you mentioned that if you were doing purses you would…
It says: Regardless of whether you’re using direction cards (and I suggest you do), you must provide a cutter’s must to the cutting department or a contractor on an ordinary sheet of paper.
Is *you* referring to the pattern maker or the designer?
Good question Jill, thank you.
By “you”, I mean the person who is ultimately responsible -the designer- should see to it that the cutters have a cutter’s must, it’s part of the package of stuff you give them to produce an order.
The cutter’s must (or pattern card) should be provided by whomever makes the pattern. It is not a complete pattern, the job is not done, without it.
I see. So the pattern & pattern card go on to the cutting station/person. The patternmaker makes the pattern card though, correct? But the designer makes sure its given to the cutting station?