Textile pattern making machine operator

Textile pattern making machine operators create patterns, designs and decoration for textiles and fabrics using machines and equipment. They choose which materials to use and check the quality of the textiles both before and after their work.

The following job titles also refer to textile pattern making machine operator:

textile pattern machine operator
textile pattern making operator
textile pattern making machinist
textile pattern making machine setter
textile pattern making machine tender

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as A textile pattern making machine operator.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Textile pattern making machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to textile pattern making machine operator.

textile machine operator
embroiderer
tufting operator
nonwoven staple machine operator
nonwoven filament machine operator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of textile pattern making machine operator. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of textile pattern making machine operator with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

textile sourcing merchandiser
textile quality technician
textile chemical quality technician
textile operations manager
textile process controller

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of textile pattern making machine operator.

• Textile materials: Have a good understanding of the properties of different textile materials.
• Properties of fabrics: The influence of chemical composition and molecular arrangement of yarn and fibre properties and fabric structure on the physical properties of textile fabrics; the different fibre types, their physical and chemical characteristics and different material characteristics; the materials used in different processes and the effect on materials as they are processed.
• Textile techniques: Have a thorough understanding of textile processing techniques.

These skills are necessary for the role of textile pattern making machine operator.

• Modify textile designs: Edit sketches and digital textile designs until they meet up with customers’ requirements.
• Decorate textile articles: Decorate wearing apparels and made up textile articles by hand or using machines. Decorate textile articles with ornaments, braided cords, golden yarns, soutaches, jewellery, and cristals.
• Adhere to organisational guidelines: Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.
• Apply health and safety standards: Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of textile pattern making machine operator. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Dyeing technology: Processes involved in textile dyeing using different dyeing technologies. Also, addition of colours to textile materials using dye stuffs.
Textile industry machinery products: The offered textile industry machinery products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.
Textile technologies: Textile technologies to design, manufacture and evaluate the properties of textiles.
Textile trends: Latest developments in textile fabrics and textile methods.
Cad for garment manufacturing: Softwares of computer aided design for garment manufacturing which allow create 2 or 3 dimensional drawings.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of textile pattern making machine operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Embroider fabrics: Embroider fabrics of different proveniences or finished articles by using embroidery machines or by hand.
• Prepare equipment for textile printing: Manufacture screens and prepare printing paste. Use tools and equipment associated with screen printing. Select screen types and mesh for appropriate substrates. Develop, dry and finish screen image. Prepare screens, test screens and printed quality.
• Manufacture nonwoven staple products: Perform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture nonwoven staple products, keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Manufacture man-made fibres: Perform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture man-made fibers, ensuring that the product meets the required specifications, keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Manufacture knitted textiles: Perform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture knitted products keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Iron textiles: Press and iron in order to shape or flatten textiles giving them their final finishing appearance. Iron by hand or with steam pressers.
• Identify customer’s needs: Use appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.
• Produce textile samples: Make up textile samples or have them fabricated by specialised workers or technicians.
• Manufacture non-woven filament products: Perform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture nonwoven filament products, keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Sew pieces of fabric: Operate basic or specialised sewing machines whether domestic or industrial ones, sewing pieces of fabric, vinyl or leather in order to manufacture or repair wearing apparels, making sure the threads are selected according to specifications.
• Tend textile finishing machines: Operate textile finishing machines keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Tend textile washing machines: Operate textile washing machines keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Design warp knit fabrics: Developing structural and colour effects in warp knitted fabrics by using the warp knitting technique.
• Advise customers on sewing patterns: Suggest to customers the appropriate sewing patterns, in accordance to what they wish to manufacture: crafts, curtains, clothes, etc.
• Tend spinning machines: Operate spinning machines keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Cut textiles: Cut textiles fitting to customers’ desires and needs.
• Tend textile dyeing machines: Operate textile dyeing machines keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Manufacture braided products: Perform the operation, monitoring and maintenance of machines and processes to manufacture braided products while keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Draw sketches to develop textile articles using softwares: Draw sketches to develop textiles or wearing apparel using softwares. They create visualisations of the motives, patterns or products in order to be manufactured.
• Tend textile printing machines: Operate textile printing machines keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.
• Tend textile drying machines: Operate textile drying machines keeping efficiency and productivity at high levels.

8159 – Textile, fur and leather products machine operators not elsewhere classified

---

References

1. Textile pattern making machine operator – ESCO