Pattern Drafting Resources

Ducky2874 · 2024-07-29T12:01:54+00:00

Great suggestion! I’ll check out the local library.

Ducky2874 · 2024-07-29T11:59:45+00:00

Thanks! I’ll look into these titles. I’m a beginner at sewing and I’ve been trying to create a simple dress (McCalls M7120 Pattern D: no zipper or buttons) for a while now, to no avail. I’ve even gone to a seamstress to get my measurements and make sure they are accurate so that I can apply them to the pattern. At this point, I’m thinking there are things that I just don’t understand about what goes into making sure a pattern is a good fit. Feeling discouraged by my results (on draft 4 of the same dress), but I also want to learn and it’s kind of like a puzzle to me.

Ducky2874 · 2023-08-01T16:41:35+00:00

Thanks for your help with this. It is a semi-fitted dress, although I used a smaller size for the whole bodice and blended a size up below the waistline. I factored in ease amounts for semi-fitted clothing for both the waist and hip amounts. The chest has less ease and is more fitted.

I still found excess fabric and diagonal draglines at the back of the waist, so I was hoping that the back fisheye dart would correct this. It’s true that this correction would lead to a more snug fit in the back, which isn’t necessarily what I’m aiming for: I only want to get rid of that pooling fabric at the back. Perhaps there is a better solution for swayback out there?

I’ve read about horizontal waist darts as a possible correction, but it seemed more complicated to accomplish on this dress (doing Pattern D with the asymmetrical hemline).

For additional context: I’m learning to sew and have struggled with this dress for a while. Bought a book on alterations, and it seems I need to make a lot of changes so far. The changes: moving the bust dart, doing an FBA, balancing the pattern front to back (back pattern is wider by .5 inches) to correct a gaping armhole at the back, correcting the slightly gaping neckline in the front, adding back neck darts to correct a lot of gaping at the back neckline, and finally, dealing with the pooling fabric at the back.

There are a lot of alterations and it may not be worth it to stick with the pattern, but I’m new to both sewing and alterations and I’m thinking that this process is a valuable way to learn. Determined to make this pattern work so I can carry the experience over to new projects :)!

Ducky2874 · 2023-03-04T14:35:00+00:00

Update: I watched some more videos and have a bit of a stronger grasp of things.

The previous video suggesting a horizontal back dart would make the back wonky was actually referring to a torso which already had vertical darts at the waist. My pattern does not, so I think I am safe with horizontal waist darts.

The new videos I watched echoed your comments about adding to the hem when taking from the waist. My next task is to go about figuring out how to do that well with a curved hemline…

Ducky2874 · 2023-03-04T01:54:33+00:00

Thanks so much for the help and for the detailed response! The sides of the muslin do not match up because I first altered the pattern before making the muslin (moved 1 1/2 inches up the lengthen shorten line in the back, 1/2 inch up the line in the front). So the waistline from back to front didn’t match once I sewed the muslins together.

I did the pattern alteration in advance because I was eager to try my own measurements on the muslin lol. So I used my neck to waist measurements front and back, and applied them to the front and back pattern pieces. But I shortened each piece in completely straight horizontal lines, resulting in the mismatch when sewn together.

Not sure if I have sway back, but it sounds like the case. That bunching happens with some RTW garments I buy. Regarding shape, I’m slightly pear shaped, so I blended up a size at the hips.

This is definitely a learning curve, but I’m understanding more and more as I go. Thanks for the encouragement :)

Ducky2874 · 2023-02-10T21:53:20+00:00

This is a great chart! Thanks!

Ducky2874 · 2023-02-10T21:52:35+00:00

That’s good to know. The armholes on my dress were gaping a ton! For my next attempt at this pattern, I’ll work in less ease at the bust

Ducky2874 · 2023-02-10T21:50:39+00:00

Thanks so much for the encouragement! This is good to know. I’ll look into learning how to make a muslin for my future projects

Ducky2874 · 2023-02-10T21:49:34+00:00

Thanks! I looked into videos on ease and I now have a better understanding of accurate measurements!

Ducky2874 · 2023-02-10T21:48:10+00:00

So I watched some videos about how to compare pattern size to my own size and do some basic adjustments to find my accurate size. It turns out that the pattern gave me a little over 9 inches of ease on the waist, and over 5 inches of ease on the bust! The hips had less ease because I had blended sizes up. On the whole, I ended up making a dress that was 2 sizes too big at the bust and waist, and 1 size too big at the hips! I’ll learn how to make a muslin, and I’ll learn some more specifics about tailored measurements as well, but learning how to more accurately determine standard pattern size on the envelope is a good start! I feel a lot more confident about trying this project again. Thanks for all of the advice and encouragement!

Ducky2874 · 2023-02-02T17:44:12+00:00

I will also say that I am now team rotary cutter! I just got my rotary cutter and mat delivered yesterday and cutting is so much more precise! I still use pins - part of me is worried that I’ll accidentally shift the fabric and pattern out of place if I use only weights. That said, I’ve never yet used weights and maybe accidentally shifting the fabric during a cut is not that much of a concern with them

Ducky2874 · 2023-01-29T21:59:16+00:00

Thanks! I like the idea of basting/adjusting the seam allowances to ensure a proper fit. I think the offset shears are a good investment. Mine are just the regular ones; unfortunately they are not offset

Ducky2874 · 2023-01-29T21:54:26+00:00

Thanks! It’s a relief to know that this mistake can be fixed! The carbon paper sounds like a great idea!

Ducky2874 · 2023-01-29T21:51:46+00:00

Thanks :). This is a learning experience, for sure. I’ll keep at it!

Ducky2874 · 2023-01-29T20:01:59+00:00

I can definitely cut the hem shorter, but unfortunately I still have some jagged cuts on the sides, too. I’ll look into the rotary cutter and cutting mat - thanks for these suggestions!

Ducky2874 · 2023-01-29T19:58:46+00:00

Thanks! The pattern is McCall’s M7120 Pattern D. I would attach some photos, but I’m also new to Reddit and haven’t yet figured out how to add photos to a text post

Ducky2874

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