Editing Tailor (section)

== Tailoring ==

[[File:Raja Daswani Fitting.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A [[Bespoke tailoring |bespoke suit]] requires a “skeleton fitting” in which the garment is only partially made in order to correct minor deficiencies in fit]]

Tailoring men's jackets by adding underlayers of padding became fashionable in Europe by the 14th century. Over the years, additional areas were padded to provide an understructure that helped the garment lie neatly on the body. By the 19th century, well-tailored garments were carefully fit to the wearer with a more subtly shaped understructure. Even with the advent of modern machines, nearly 75 percent of a custom-tailored suit's stitching is still done by hand.{{r|cabrera}}

The earliest extant work on cutting by tailors is from Spain in 1580. [[Juan de Alcega]], a Spanish tailor in the 16th century, published ''Libro de Geometría, practica, y traça'' (''Book on Geometry, Practice, and Pattern''){{efn|A copy of the 1589 edition of Alcega's book is housed at the [[National Art Library]] in London.}} which documented methods of laying out patterns to achieve the most economical use of the fabric. Alcega illustrated 163 patterns to scale in 23 categories of men's and women's garments.{{r|seligman|pp=2-3}} 

Master tailors used proprietary methods for creating their clothing patterns.{{r|roetzel}} Up until approximately 1790, [[history of sewing patterns|patterns]] to be used for cutting were considered trade secrets to be exclusively owned by the masters. By the late 18th century, publications that not only printed patterns but also gave directions for cutting and layout were widely available.{{r|linebaugh|pp=438-9}}

In addition to patterns and templates, some master tailors and cutters use the '''rock of eye''' method of cutting: which is a freehand way of drafting a pattern by trusting your eye and experience rather than focusing on numbers. Instead of using pencil to draft the pattern, the rock of eye typically involves chalk to mark.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://savilerowsuit.com/savile-row-rock-of-eye/ | title=Savile Row :Rock of Eye. - Savile Row Tales }}</ref>{{r|seligman|p=7}}{{r|williams}}