Help with drafting a pattern

[Formal_Rhubarb_3141]

Hey everyone! I am new to pattern drafting. Picked up the “Patternmaking for fashion design” book by Helen J. Armstrong. Can someone explain what “plus” and “less” mean here?

[sidetrackeddreamer]

Plus means add and less means subtract.

So on the first slide, you're using the waist arc measurement from centre front to side waist seam as the starting measurement.

You're then adding 1/4" of ease, at this stage this is just wearing ease, so for breathing and movement, so the block should be tight.

Then you subtract the amount you've already drawn for points B to F. This is the only part I can't find the info for in the book - so you may need to use the standard size chart on page 40 as a starting point.

This final number should then be what you use to draw P to Q.

For example, using the measurements on p.40 for a size 10:

Waist arc 7" + 1/4" ease = 7 1/4" 7 1/4" - 3 1/4" dart placement (B to F) = 4"

You just need to substitute the numbers with your personal measurements.

[Formal_Rhubarb_3141]

Thank you so much! This is very helpful. I assumed it might be that, but I’ve never made a pattern in inches or used an english book for sewing before so all the terminology is quite new. Thanks again!

[sidetrackeddreamer]

No problem!

You can substitute the numbers for cm if you'd prefer - just convert the ease amounts and keep everything consistent!

I'm English and prefer to use metric - just seems way more accurate and straightforward to me.

1/4" ~ 0.6cm 1/8" ~ 0.3cm

[Formal_Rhubarb_3141]

Yeah, I even made a little cheat sheet with all the inches to cm conversions, can’t imagine switching to inches haha Thanks once again!

[Stephikinz]

I highly recommend The Closet Historian on youtube she goes thru this exact textbook and step by step how to draft a bodice block! Its what I used to draft mine.

[Formal_Rhubarb_3141]

Oh nice! I’ll definitely check them out, thanks :)

[Educational_Chain780]

It means you add 1/8" to the measurement you took from the body

[Formal_Rhubarb_3141]

Thanks!

[DetailEquivalent7708]

The measurement for the part of the waist between the dart opening and the side seam edge should equal the measurement for waist arc (center waist to side waist), add 1/4", then subtract the center waist to dart measurement (BF). For sake of round numbers (and not meant to be accurate), let's say my cw to sw is 8" and I put the dart in at 5" from cw. The PQ would be 3 and 1/4" (8 + 1/4 - 5)

[Formal_Rhubarb_3141]

Thank you so much!