This will lengthen the shoulder line which throws off the whole garment and adds more adjustments that you need to do.
-
Live Streaming... The S/S 2026 Fashion Shows
Paris Fashion Week S/S 2026 Show Schedule
Pattern making help
- Thread starter discostu
- Start date
This will lengthen the shoulder line which throws off the whole garment and adds more adjustments that you need to do.
gius
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2006
- Messages
- 10,855
- Reaction score
- 12
Thanks for the help guys
So I just wanted to say that I did finish the bodice last week and it fits
I did increase it 2 inches
but I forgot to lower the sleevehole on one side (as fourboltmain suggested)
It ended up being okay-- there was enough room and I didn't need it after all...
Also, it seems this happens a lot
one side will always be huge compared to the other side
there will be all this extra fabric..floating.. creating one big ripple
and one side will fit perfectly
So all I did was copy the side that fit perfect and voilà
Now I need to find time for the sleeves
So I just wanted to say that I did finish the bodice last week and it fits
I did increase it 2 inches
but I forgot to lower the sleevehole on one side (as fourboltmain suggested)
It ended up being okay-- there was enough room and I didn't need it after all...
Also, it seems this happens a lot
one side will always be huge compared to the other side
there will be all this extra fabric..floating.. creating one big ripple
and one side will fit perfectly
So all I did was copy the side that fit perfect and voilà
Now I need to find time for the sleeves
Thanks for the help guys
So I just wanted to say that I did finish the bodice last week and it fits
I did increase it 2 inches
but I forgot to lower the sleevehole on one side (as fourboltmain suggested)
It ended up being okay-- there was enough room and I didn't need it after all...
Also, it seems this happens a lot
one side will always be huge compared to the other side
there will be all this extra fabric..floating.. creating one big ripple
and one side will fit perfectly
So all I did was copy the side that fit perfect and voilà
Now I need to find time for the sleeves
Are you drafting a separate right and left pattern for a symmetrical garment? Good luck on the sleeves!
^In the beginning, I was
I thought it might end up fitting better
Seems to be unnecessary now
And I just finished the sleeves last night
Now I'm just thinking what to make...Thanks !
Yeah,if it is symmetrical, you just need to draft the right side and cut two in fabric, only asymmetrical garments need a left and right side.
Be sure to post your creation when you're done!
gius
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2006
- Messages
- 10,855
- Reaction score
- 12
Ok hopefully you had zero expectations 
This was done under some kind of pressure...
I'll refine it as time it goes on
The fabric is polyester satin
I dyed it and heat-set the textures
It's badly finished... I don't know how to "face" or finish a curved edge
and the satin frays incredibly!
I just took this book out and hopefully it will teach me
superpowersewing |
So, the shirt fits me really well... the thing is, I can't move in it
I can only lift my arms forward (like perpendicular to your body)...
I can't lift them all the way up, 180* lol
And I can't do this chicken dance or have "arms akimbo"
So I guess I will have to add 'ease' in the chest and somewhere in the sleeves
Learned quite a lot making this...
thanks again for all the help!
Here's my arm in the sleeve!
This was done under some kind of pressure...
I'll refine it as time it goes on
The fabric is polyester satin
I dyed it and heat-set the textures
It's badly finished... I don't know how to "face" or finish a curved edge
and the satin frays incredibly!
I just took this book out and hopefully it will teach me
superpowersewing |
So, the shirt fits me really well... the thing is, I can't move in it
I can only lift my arms forward (like perpendicular to your body)...
I can't lift them all the way up, 180* lol
And I can't do this chicken dance or have "arms akimbo"
So I guess I will have to add 'ease' in the chest and somewhere in the sleeves
Learned quite a lot making this...
thanks again for all the help!
Here's my arm in the sleeve!
Last edited by a moderator:
Hey Guis! Nice first attempt! Facing a neck edge is pretty easy and it will definitley improve the look of the garment. On your pattern, look for the neckline edge. Now, from that neckline edge, go down 1 1/2 inches along center front. Mark that. Now repeat the same procedure going around the front neck until you get to the front shoulder seam. In other words, you'll be marking 1 1/2 inches all the way around the front neck. Now it should look like a curved line under the actual neck line. Repeat the same procedure on the back piece.
Okay, now, get a scrap piece of pattern paper big enough for both the front and the back. Lay the paper over the front pattern and trace the curved line you just drew AND the original neckline. Trace the shoulder line on the front pattern as well. Take it off. Now get your back piece and line up the back shoulder line with the shoulder line on the paper. Repeat on the back pattern. MAKE SURE you mark the shoulder line so when you sew this to the garment, you can match up shoulder lines on the facing and the garment to get the accurate fit. Now your paper should look like a half moon 1 1/2 inches wide. This is your neckline facing. Add 1/2" seam allowance on the inner curve (which should be your ORIGINAL front and back necklines) as well as Center Front and Center Back (unless the CB is cut on the fold, then do NOT add a seam allowance on the CB line). On the OUTER edge of the half moon shape, add 1/4" seam allowance. This will be finished using a zigzag stitch along that edge.
So, now that you have the pattern, cut it out ( 1 or 2 pieces depending on the CB issue). Cut the same amount in interfacing or fusible suitable for the fabric. iron on the interfacing on the wrong side of this facing piece. When it comes time to sew, first sew a line of stitche 1/8" away from the actual stitching line towards the edge fabric edge of the neckline ( so if your seam allowance is 1/2 inch, then this line will fall on 3/8 inch). Sew around the neckline, with small stitches being careful not to stretch the fabric.
Now, you take the facing and match the neckline edges right sides together. Sew the seam making sure you matched up the shoulder lines. Press the seam allowance towards the facing. Open it out so the right side of the facing it facing you as well as the garment. Make sure the seam allowances are pressed to the facing side (you will notice a bulge showing the thickness of the seam). Now, very carefully, take your time, sew 1/8 inch from the seam on the facing fabric making sure your sew through the thickness of the pressed seam allowances. Press after finished. You can now sew your zipper in.
I think you did a great job considering that satin isn't easy to work with, it's very slippery and yes, it frays like crazty. That being said, I hope you make another attempt. I like how you manipulated the fabric, That was great!
Nice hands by the way!!
Okay, now, get a scrap piece of pattern paper big enough for both the front and the back. Lay the paper over the front pattern and trace the curved line you just drew AND the original neckline. Trace the shoulder line on the front pattern as well. Take it off. Now get your back piece and line up the back shoulder line with the shoulder line on the paper. Repeat on the back pattern. MAKE SURE you mark the shoulder line so when you sew this to the garment, you can match up shoulder lines on the facing and the garment to get the accurate fit. Now your paper should look like a half moon 1 1/2 inches wide. This is your neckline facing. Add 1/2" seam allowance on the inner curve (which should be your ORIGINAL front and back necklines) as well as Center Front and Center Back (unless the CB is cut on the fold, then do NOT add a seam allowance on the CB line). On the OUTER edge of the half moon shape, add 1/4" seam allowance. This will be finished using a zigzag stitch along that edge.
So, now that you have the pattern, cut it out ( 1 or 2 pieces depending on the CB issue). Cut the same amount in interfacing or fusible suitable for the fabric. iron on the interfacing on the wrong side of this facing piece. When it comes time to sew, first sew a line of stitche 1/8" away from the actual stitching line towards the edge fabric edge of the neckline ( so if your seam allowance is 1/2 inch, then this line will fall on 3/8 inch). Sew around the neckline, with small stitches being careful not to stretch the fabric.
Now, you take the facing and match the neckline edges right sides together. Sew the seam making sure you matched up the shoulder lines. Press the seam allowance towards the facing. Open it out so the right side of the facing it facing you as well as the garment. Make sure the seam allowances are pressed to the facing side (you will notice a bulge showing the thickness of the seam). Now, very carefully, take your time, sew 1/8 inch from the seam on the facing fabric making sure your sew through the thickness of the pressed seam allowances. Press after finished. You can now sew your zipper in.
I think you did a great job considering that satin isn't easy to work with, it's very slippery and yes, it frays like crazty. That being said, I hope you make another attempt. I like how you manipulated the fabric, That was great!
Nice hands by the way!!
Last edited by a moderator:
gius
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2006
- Messages
- 10,855
- Reaction score
- 12
adding notches to a pattern
bump *
This thread's been sleeping for a while..
Thanks for the earlier help, educo! I'm pretty sure I talked about this old question with you here in another thread
Anyway,
I just drafted a new pattern today ... my first-ever pattern that was successful using Winifred Aldrich's Metric Pattern Cutting book
I was really glad it looked close to the book's example
(Since I have time now, I put my "cheat" pattern aside where I just wrapped myself in saran wrap and cut those as patterns..
)
I was looking through Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing about patterns though
And there are "notches" on the patterns..
Diamonds that stick out of the pattern
Are those really useful? Shouldn't the patterns when transferred to the fabric match always? Since I'm drafting it myself, I don't have the notches in the patterns
Some examples in the book have two or three notches in a row (ie. 2 at the top of a skirt and 3 near the bottom of a seam to join two sides together)
They use dots for the joining of darts in a pattern
bump *
This thread's been sleeping for a while..Thanks for the earlier help, educo! I'm pretty sure I talked about this old question with you here in another thread
Anyway,
I just drafted a new pattern today ... my first-ever pattern that was successful
using Winifred Aldrich's Metric Pattern Cutting bookI was really glad it looked close to the book's example
(Since I have time now, I put my "cheat" pattern aside where I just wrapped myself in saran wrap and cut those as patterns..
)I was looking through Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing about patterns though
And there are "notches" on the patterns..
Diamonds that stick out of the pattern
Are those really useful? Shouldn't the patterns when transferred to the fabric match always? Since I'm drafting it myself, I don't have the notches in the patterns
Some examples in the book have two or three notches in a row (ie. 2 at the top of a skirt and 3 near the bottom of a seam to join two sides together)
They use dots for the joining of darts in a pattern
Last edited by a moderator:
gius
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2006
- Messages
- 10,855
- Reaction score
- 12
transferring patterns to fabric
next bit...
When transferring patterns to fabric, any method you like best?
Here's a site ...
http://sewing.about.com/od/techniques/ss/fabricmarking.htm
There are a two methods
I am gonna try the carbon paper... buy some tomorrow...
So then I don't have to redraw my patterns
It's still lying on a rectangular sheet of paper, where I can erase and redraw some areas just in case
next bit...
When transferring patterns to fabric, any method you like best?
Here's a site ...
http://sewing.about.com/od/techniques/ss/fabricmarking.htm
There are a two methods
- tracing over the pattern with a wheel (smooth or with spokes)
with carbon paper underneath
and the fabric underneath that
. - tracing around the pattern with tailor's chalk wedges..wax , non-wax
There is also tailor tacker and chalk in pencil form
I am gonna try the carbon paper... buy some tomorrow...
So then I don't have to redraw my patterns
It's still lying on a rectangular sheet of paper, where I can erase and redraw some areas just in case
Elegance.Is.Refusal.
tea time
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2004
- Messages
- 4,432
- Reaction score
- 0
when im drafting a pattern i tend to put in notch marks mainly on patterns where i have alot of pieces that look the same so i dont start sewing them upside down or putting wrong pieces together since its very annoying to unpick. i recently did a dress where the top half consisted of 14 pieces its when you have alot of pattern pieces that this comes in handy also to match up your pieces nicely also a good idea putting notches on sleeves where they connect to your arm hole
i usually draft my pattern on a large rectangle of paper then trace the pieces off that copy adding seam allowance then cutting it out so i can lay the pieces on the fabric pin them down then just cut around them. i used taylors chalk once to mark out a pattern but this was when i was on placement since they had transfered all their patterns into card so that they would be durable and are easy to store hanging up. cant ever say i've used carbon paper to transfer a pattern.
wish i had the space and resorces to do pattern drafting at home.
i usually draft my pattern on a large rectangle of paper then trace the pieces off that copy adding seam allowance then cutting it out so i can lay the pieces on the fabric pin them down then just cut around them. i used taylors chalk once to mark out a pattern but this was when i was on placement since they had transfered all their patterns into card so that they would be durable and are easy to store hanging up. cant ever say i've used carbon paper to transfer a pattern.
wish i had the space and resorces to do pattern drafting at home.
fourboltmain
More Old Skool Than You
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2004
- Messages
- 4,160
- Reaction score
- 3
You'll thank whoever put the notches in when you get into more complicated pieces. As Elegance.Is.Refusal said (hello M), it helps with alignment. It's easy to mistake which side is which on things. Also, when you have gathered items you'll need them to help you space out the seams when sewing it all up. They're a big help on sewing curved surfaces as well, keeps you accurate as fabric can walk around. And don't waste your money on a notching tool, just use scissors.
Punch and circle. Say it gius, punch and circle. If I was your teacher, I'd crack your knuckles with a ruler. I think you join them at the two end punches, and sew a 1/4" past the lonely one. Also, notches on the seam edge can indicate the ends of dart legs too.
As far as transferring goes, E.I.R.'s way is the best, pin to the fabric and slice away. Don't waste your time on the heavy cards until you know it fits correct. Paper is cheap, card isn't. Oh, and carbon paper is worthless. It always rubs off, tailors chalk is best. I've used markers too (yes, permanent ones) on the wrong side of the fabric. Do what you have to do.
And if you need a razor, don't use an Exacto knife. Go to Home Depot (or any other home store) and get yourself a huge utility knife with interchangeable razor blades. Then laugh to yourself while the other students fumble with mere toys while you slice and dice with the best of them.
Last edited by a moderator:
I agree with the points above. When the pattern fits well, transfer it to card and trace your pattern onto your fabrics making sure that it is held down by some very heavy weights. The last thing you want to discover is that your fabric shifted while tracing and one side of your garment is off grain.
As far as notches are concerned, they are very important in making sure when you sew everything, it all matches up evenly. All notches on back patterns come in 2 ( half inch apart) and all notches on front patterns are single notches. This is to help you tell which are the back pieces from the front pieces.
As far as notches are concerned, they are very important in making sure when you sew everything, it all matches up evenly. All notches on back patterns come in 2 ( half inch apart) and all notches on front patterns are single notches. This is to help you tell which are the back pieces from the front pieces.
Feline
rock-chic
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2002
- Messages
- 2,180
- Reaction score
- 5
Notches are essential, especialy when you are making a complicated pattern. Like Elegance is Refusal, I made a dress with loads of pieces and if it wasn't for notches which I also numbered, it would have been like a jigsaw puzzle. If you work on a stand, as well as flat, they really come in to their own
gius
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2006
- Messages
- 10,855
- Reaction score
- 12
Thanks guys
Well I have just made some pants for a class and cut notches.. Helps definitely Also when I was drafting a pattern, they were good to use when I am making pleats or panels.. to join parts together... We used horizontal lines instead of 'triangles'. We also do "colour coding" like red panel to red panel.. because there are many panels
-
I am taking a drafting course now, and we have been doing skirts for 5 weeks already
Just curious about this dress... I know darts in this area point straight toward center front
Why do they slant here?
Is it just for design...
or it has nothing to do with those 'original' darts
marni.com
Well I have just made some pants for a class and cut notches.. Helps definitely
Also when I was drafting a pattern, they were good to use when I am making pleats or panels.. to join parts together... We used horizontal lines instead of 'triangles'. We also do "colour coding" like red panel to red panel.. because there are many panels-
I am taking a drafting course now, and we have been doing skirts for 5 weeks already
Just curious about this dress... I know darts in this area point straight toward center front
Why do they slant here?
Is it just for design...
or it has nothing to do with those 'original' darts
marni.com
gius
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2006
- Messages
- 10,855
- Reaction score
- 12
just want to add , the reason I am asking is because we have set darts when we make skirts...
and according to the design, we alter them... move them around
usually they are straight
and recently we did one slightly curved and diagonal like this top ^
but it was used to create draping
there was 'evasement' in the dart...
also the top/end of the dart goes into the seam/waistline..so it is less noticeable, unlike in this top
i just wonder what this diagonal dart in the top is meant to do
and according to the design, we alter them... move them around
usually they are straight
and recently we did one slightly curved and diagonal like this top ^
but it was used to create draping
there was 'evasement' in the dart...
also the top/end of the dart goes into the seam/waistline..so it is less noticeable, unlike in this top
i just wonder what this diagonal dart in the top is meant to do
That doesn't look like a "dart" per se, but more like a cut away dart, I know that's not the proper term, but it's like a dart that has a seam allowance in the middle. It's to reduce bulk. It looks like it's coming from the side seam or a not at all because it seems to carryover to the back. I'll see if I can find a pic of what I'm trying to explain. This could be just a design feature making it slanted that way, but if you look up french darts, they are darts coming from the side seam and slant towards CF. I know there is some technical reasoning behind this but I hope Kathleen of fashion Incubator( gret blog for patternmaking and industry information) could come in and explain it better.
Elegance.Is.Refusal.
tea time
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2004
- Messages
- 4,432
- Reaction score
- 0
to be honest i just think its another place to position darts to shape the bust and give a different shape and effect. darts are moved, altered, made bigger and smaller for this reason. they can come from the side further up the seam line and still face cf but create a different fit or you can have them coming from the shoulder seam and hem line to fit the bust which will also create a different fit. if you look closely at alot of clothes darts will be placed in different places to fit the bust
gius
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2006
- Messages
- 10,855
- Reaction score
- 12
ooh thanks for the term, french darts
here it is...
simplicity.com
What is a “dart seam?”
A "dart seam" is long, curved dart that starts at the hipline of the side seam and extends diagonally to the bust. It is sometimes referred to as a French dart. The pattern piece is designed so that the dart has cut edges, rather than center fold line. This makes the dart easier to sew and eliminates bulk. When the cut edges are brought together and the dart is stitched, the result looks like a seam with a point at the end. Follow the same marking and stitching procedures as for any other dart. A dart seam is usually pressed flat on one side, then open for most of its length and flat at the tip.
hmmmmm...
here it is...
simplicity.com
What is a “dart seam?”
A "dart seam" is long, curved dart that starts at the hipline of the side seam and extends diagonally to the bust. It is sometimes referred to as a French dart. The pattern piece is designed so that the dart has cut edges, rather than center fold line. This makes the dart easier to sew and eliminates bulk. When the cut edges are brought together and the dart is stitched, the result looks like a seam with a point at the end. Follow the same marking and stitching procedures as for any other dart. A dart seam is usually pressed flat on one side, then open for most of its length and flat at the tip.
hmmmmm...
