How to Easily Scale Garments in Marvelous Designer

Scaling garments in Marvelous Designer to fit different-sized avatars can be challenging for beginners. However, with the right tools and techniques, it can be done easily without having to redo the entire pattern and simulation from scratch.

This article will provide step-by-step instructions on the different methods available to scale garments to fit.

Using the Import Scale Option

The easiest way to scale a garment is to use the import scale option when first bringing your pattern into Marvelous Designer[9]:

1. When importing your garment pattern, a pop-up window will appear allowing you to choose the scale percentage or a preset scale option.
2. Select the desired scale based on the avatar you want to fit. For example, choose the “Average Female” preset if your avatar is an average-sized female.
3. The pattern will automatically scale to the proper proportions to fit that avatar size.

This method scales the entire pattern at once, saving you from having to manually resize individual pattern pieces. It’s the quickest option if you know the target avatar size ahead of time.

One limitation is that it doesn’t allow for incremental tweaks if the sizing isn’t perfect on the first try. For more precision, the following methods may work better.

Using the Transform Tool

The transform tool in Marvelous Designer allows you to scale garment patterns along the X, Y, or Z axes specifically. To use it:

1. With your garment pattern open, select the transform tool from the menu.
2. Click and drag the arrows on the pattern to scale it larger or smaller.
3. Pay attention to whether you need to scale horizontally, vertically, or proportionally.
4. Click the apply button when finished.

This gives you more granular control compared to the import scaling method. You can target specific areas of the pattern that need adjustment rather than the entire thing.

Using Avatar Height as Reference

Another option is to use the known height of your avatar as a reference to scale the garment[12]:

1. Note the height of your avatar in the scene settings. For example, 5’5″.
2. Select all pattern pieces and access the scale tool.
3. Enter the desired height, such as 5’9″, and match that new scale.
4. The pattern will resize proportionally based on the difference between the old and new heights.

This helps when your avatar model changes but you want the clothing to still fit properly. As long as you know the new avatar’s height, you can easily scale the pattern to match.

Auto Fitting

Marvelous Designer also has an auto-fitting feature that will conform your clothing pattern precisely to your custom avatar. To use it:

1. With your pattern and avatar loaded, click the “Auto Fit Garment” button.
2. Tweak the settings to control how closely it hugs the avatar model.
3. Click apply to automatically scale and simulate the clothing.

Auto fitting saves a ton of time versus manually resizing pieces and doing trial-and-error simulations. It’s great for custom avatars that require more precision.

The catch is that auto-fitting was only introduced in recent versions of Marvelous Designer. So if using an older version you may need to rely on the other methods.

Conclusion

In summary, Marvelous Designer offers several straightforward methods to scale clothing patterns without rebuilding them from scratch. The import scaling and transform tools provide quick scaling adjustments. For more advanced fitting, using the avatar height or auto-fitting features allows for very precise resizing. With practice, these techniques can save many hours compared to remaking patterns whenever new avatar sizes are needed.