alden wrote: The tailor took down a stock pattern and looked at the measures of the client. As he chalked the cloth he made adjustments ie he added a bit here and took away a bit there on the cloth with the chalk.
My cutter draws the pattern with a piece of chalk directly on the cloth, with the aid of a ruler and a measuring tape. No physical blocks, they must be in his mind. He correlates the features of the different parts making up the coat so it would look balanced. He then refines the fit on the wearer during fitting sessions. I don't think he stores these tweaked patterns, since fittings are necessary everytime anyway to define and check styling details, so he has his chance to make any necessary minor adjustments. I hardly ever ask for any adjustments to trousers, which always come completed (whether that is on account of my ignorance or his good skills, I'll never know). In the beginning he fought to pass longer legs, but after having them retouched a couple of times he stuck to the way I like them. He can cut different styles (I like to check out other clients' work when I call on for fittings) - his clothes don't all look the same, but they do have a "common divider" (probably those "blocks" in his head and the way he is used to treating different parts of the garments).
Whether this approach makes the garments any less bespoke, I don't know, but I wouldn't see why and it's probably more a matter of confidence than of accuracy. After all tailors are judged by results: if results are weak, then there may be something wrong in the method. But if results are fine for any number of clients and styles, whatever method is being used is probably right for that cutter.