Three years ago, I enrolled in an upskilling course for digital patternmaking using Gerber Accumark patternmaking software at the Sydney TAFE Broadway campus. For 12 weeks I learnt the basics of the programme – creating patterns, marker making, and grading. It was like filling a balloon with water to the breaking point. That is what my head felt like. As a person over a certain age, I struggled at times. But as they say, practice makes perfect, and as soon as I was finished I was accepted to work for Alex Perry as their sole digital patternmaker.

At Alex Perry I found my feet on the Gerber software. I came in green and left a professional. As the only person responsible for all the digitising I had my work cut out for me. I also manually pattern made and draped. It was a great place to work with every day full of variety as a patternmaker.

To be continued.