A Dressmaker pattern is built from four parts in the sketchbook, a bodice, sleeves, collar and skirt, and the game drafts the pieces to fit each client’s measurements. You unlock more dress pieces as you play, and players report that raising a client’s friendship stars is what opens new ones.
Below we cover how the sketchbook builds a pattern, which parts fit together, how unlocking works, and the shortcuts that make designing faster. Dressmaker has a lot to unlock: the developers say there are over 150 dress pieces.
How a Pattern Is Built
Every dress starts in the sketchbook, where you choose each part of the design and colour it in. The developers explain that patterns “are drafted according to the person’s measurements,” so the same design comes out sized to whoever ordered it. The sketchbook also estimates how much fabric the pattern needs, which is your shopping list for the fabric shop.
Once you are happy, the design becomes the pieces you cut out in the cutting room and sew together at the machine.
Which Parts Fit Together
Players on the official Steam forum report that the bodice decides what else is allowed: each bodice works with its own set of sleeves and collars, and the Kimono bodice takes neither. If a sleeve you want is missing from the list, try a different bodice.
Each piece also carries style tags. In their August post the developers explain that designer Sabrina “designs and curates the game’s dress pieces” and translates their “vibes into tag scores,” so the parts you choose push a dress toward Romantic, Formal or Cute just as fabric does. Our guide to how fabrics and tags work covers the fabric side.
How to Unlock More Pieces
You start with a limited set and gain more as you play. Players report that:
- Friendship stars unlock new pieces. Clients rate your dresses, and building friendship with them opens new parts.
- Gifting dresses raises friendship. Players say giving a client a dress is a way to build those stars between commissions.
The developers have not published an unlock list, so the exact piece each friendship level opens is not documented.
Sketchbook Shortcuts
- Click the part name. Since Build 410, component names in the sketchbook are clickable. Players say clicking the name, rather than using the arrows, shows every option and lets you filter by tag.
- Filter by the request’s tags. If a client wants Romantic, filtering for it narrows the list fast.
- Start fresh each time. Players report you cannot reuse an old design, so a favourite dress has to be rebuilt.
Patterns That Save Fabric
Some shapes use far less cloth than others. Players looking to use up leftovers recommend lower-waste choices such as the Kimono or Twilight Hour bodice, a gathered tiered or circle skirt, and the Viper collar. Fewer, simpler pieces also mean fewer chances to lose grain quality, which our guide to getting 100% quality explains.
The Free Prototype Is Different
Dressmaker began as a free prototype, which its itch.io page says Free Lives made in about three weeks, and it is still free there. Its patterns and pieces differ from the full game, so guides based on the prototype will not match what you see now. Every guide for the full game is on our Dressmaker hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dress pieces are in Dressmaker? The developers say there are over 150 dress pieces.
How do you unlock new patterns in Dressmaker? Players report that raising clients’ friendship stars unlocks new pieces, and that gifting dresses helps build friendship.
Why can’t I pick certain sleeves or collars? The bodice decides which sleeves and collars fit, according to players. The Kimono bodice takes neither.
Can you save a design to reuse? Players report you cannot reuse an old design.
Do patterns fit every client? Yes. The developers say patterns are drafted to each person’s measurements.