Tech Editing and Pattern Grading

There is a big difference between tech editing and grading a pattern.

Tech editing is done to look for the errors in math and language as well as help with layout and clarity. Some people are just good at this without much training and some take courses and get certifications.

Grading is a whole other ballgame and is done before tech editing. My suggestion is that you have two different people do these jobs for the same pattern. One job doesn’t replace the other. Grading is all of the math and such involved to make a garment be available in more than one or two sizes. The tech editors job is to then check the math and make sure that the numbers the designer put into the pattern from the grader work and are correct.

Below is an example of part of a graders spreadsheet. Sorry it’s fuzzy.

As you can see there are A LOT of numbers involved in this process. This is a process that some designers learn and do it themselves, others always hire it out.

Tech editors then look for errors in the numbers from size to size and during increase and decrease sections. Sometimes one error leads to everything after it being wrong. Too many hands in the pot can cause that but having three sets of eyes on a pattern, with good communication will make for a very happy stitcher on the other side.