Key Takeaway
- CLO Pattern Drafter automatically generates points of measure when patterns are created and supports editable grading from measurements entered for each size.
- You can match a pattern to a CLO avatar’s size using the Match to Avatar Size command.
- Generated grading results remain editable after measurements are entered during drafting.
Translating a spec sheet of custom body measurements into a graded 2D pattern often forces pattern makers to choose between manual point-by-point drafting and rigid rule tables. When your workflow starts with specific dimensions or a custom-sized 3D body, you need to know whether your apparel CAD software generates graded patterns directly from the numbers you type in or requires you to pull a base block and adjust it afterward. In CLO, Pattern Drafter generates points of measure (POMs) and supports measurement-based grading, bringing pattern creation and size development into one workflow. CLO is designed for fashion and apparel development, while its sibling product Marvelous Designer is oriented toward animation and gaming. CLO-SET complements garment development with digital asset management and collaboration tools. Looking closely at how pattern drafting, avatar sizing, and measurement tables interact helps clarify how this measurement-led workflow operates in practice.
Drafting Patterns with Auto POM and Grading
Starting a garment from raw spec numbers rather than an existing slopers library changes how quickly a team moves from initial dimensions to a graded nest. IIn CLO Pattern Drafter, select Add Grading, define your sizes, and enter full measurements or grading increments. Click Create to generate the graded patterns and corresponding defined POMs. You can draft a selected pattern type using either measurement points or flat sketches, and only defined measurements generate 2D POMs.
Pattern Drafter also supports drafting based on avatar measurements as well as detail blocks such as pockets and hoods. If your team experiments with early concepts before locking down a spec table, the AI Pattern Drafter can generate a starting pattern from a sketch, an image, or a text prompt. That output is a starting point that does not guarantee production completion, and a technical designer needs to review the shape, make necessary adjustments, and simulate the garment on an appropriate avatar. When measurements are entered during drafting, the resulting grading outputs remain editable.
Matching Pattern Measurements to Custom Avatars
Building garments around a specific fit model or customer body scan means the 3D avatar holds the target dimensions before pattern drafting even begins. In CLO, you can configure that body and transfer its proportions to the pattern through a structured sequence:
- Open the Avatar Size Editor to select the avatar's size, or use the CLO Avatar Editor to establish overall avatar size by bust, underbust, or weight alongside total height, high point shoulder (HPS) height, or inseam.
- Use Total Body to create the overall shape first. When setting the vertical proportion, use HPS Height or Inseam, which is more accurate for creating an overall body shape than Total Height (Total Height is less accurate and not recommended).
- Use Set Details to select the available detailed measurements, then enter the relevant circumferences, lengths, and heights. Measurements without editable controls adjust automatically based on the assigned body measurements.
- Click the link button if you need to unlink and modify width and height while preserving your detailed measurements, and type values directly to adjust specific circumferences, heights, and lengths.
- Adjust Shape settings for localized areas such as the crotch, breast, and hip.
- With the CLO avatar open in the workspace first, launch CLO Pattern Drafter and click Match to Avatar Size. This command works with CLO avatars only and requires the avatar to be open beforehand, automatically adjusting the pattern measurements to match that avatar's size.
Measurement and Grading Workflow Breakdown
Teams evaluating measurement-driven pattern tools often compare how CLO handles direct measurement entry against Tukatech's TUKAcad. To revise a generated parametric pattern, reopen it in Pattern Drafter, choose to edit it, change the measurements, and click Update. Alternatively, use Edit POM to adjust supported measurements while preserving parametric relationships. Similarly, within the graded-pattern size table, CLO Pattern Drafter accepts either full measurement values for each size or grading increments between sizes, and grades the pattern based on the entered value.
| Software & Module | Measurement Input Method | Grading Mechanism | Pattern Drafting & Modification |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLO (Pattern Drafter) | Accepts full measurement values for each size or grading increments between sizes in the size table; drafts from measurement points, flat sketches, or avatar measurements. | Automatically generates POMs and applies grading based on entered values during drafting; only defined measurements generate 2D POMs. | Drafts chosen pattern types and detail blocks like pockets and hoods; grading results are editable. |
| TUKAcad (TUKAdesign Tailor Edition / CPE / CLE) | Imports customer measurements in the Tailor Edition MTM module; CPE includes an editable measurement chart. | Finds the nearest size in the Tailor Edition MTM module; offers custom grade rules and half-size grading to create a size between sizes (CPE allows unlimited graded sizes per file; CLE allows four). | Supports digital pattern making, pattern modifications, and made-to-measure customization. |
Source: Official Tukatech product information.
FAQ
What is an auto pattern grading tool for real body measurements?
In CLO Pattern Drafter, the graded-pattern size table accepts full measurement values for each size or grading increments between sizes, and grades the pattern based on the entered value. When you match a pattern to a CLO avatar, Pattern Drafter automatically adjusts the pattern measurements to match that avatar's size.
Does CLO's AI Pattern Drafter create production-ready graded patterns automatically?
No. While the AI Pattern Drafter can generate a starting pattern from a sketch, image, or text prompt, it does not guarantee a production-ready result; a technical designer must review the shape, make necessary adjustments, and simulate the pattern on a suitable avatar.
Does CLO Pattern Drafter have an Update button to modify generated patterns?
Yes. When editing an existing parametric pattern in Pattern Drafter, change the measurement values and click Update. You can also adjust supported measurements with Edit POM. Direct pattern editing breaks the connection with Pattern Drafter.
Can active university students subscribe to CLO, and are student discounts available?
Active students enrolled at accredited universities qualify for a CLO Individual subscription. They can receive a student discount after submitting appropriate enrollment documentation to the CLO user support team and having it verified. See CLO's student discount information for current eligibility and verification details.
Is CLO Academy free, and does it provide quizzes or certificates of completion?
CLO Academy is 100% free for all individual subscribers, including active student subscribers. It does not currently offer quizzes or certificates of completion. CLO Academy provides learning access; it is separate from certification.
What is CLO Verified, and what certificate do candidates receive?
CLO Verified is a separate, paid certification exam, not a CLO Academy course. Candidates who pass receive an official CLO certificate verifying their proficiency in the software version tested.