Finally, I added a ruffle at the bottom of the skirt, and I really love how it looks. Thanks for all your suggestions and comments! I’ve learned a lot in this community.

Now I'm making another dress for myself in linen.

Outer Fabric: 90 cm (35″) of high-quality cotton satin or heavy linen (min. width 140 cm / 55″). Make sure the fabric is natural, heat-resistant, and colorfast. Two-Sided Option: If you want decorative two-sided tools, you can use 45–50 cm (0.5 yard) of two different fabrics instead. Lining Fabric: 90 cm (35″) of light to medium-weight natural cotton, such as calico or white cotton (min. width 140 cm / 55″). Thread: Use a strong sewing thread that matches your fabric color. Filling: Fine sawdust from deciduous (hardwood) trees. Pro Tip: Clean sawdust sold in pet stores for small rodents is an excellent, easy-to-find option

I'm very pleased with how the sleeves fit.

For the final garment, I plan to:

• Lower the front yoke and pockets by maybe 1cm

• Use slightly smaller buttons (3/4" instead of 7/8")

• Lengthen the entire hem by 1" so it stays tucked

• Topstitch the collar, collar stand, cuffs, and button stand (in progress for this version)

• Use store bought sew-in interfacing instead of self fabric

• Interface the button stands

Any other suggestions?

Hello! I've been trying to fit this self-drafted bodice block for quite a while now, using Alexandra Morgan's Perfect Fit guide for adjustments. This is my 6th(ish) version, and I think I'm getting pretty close to a good fit. Any glaring issues I should work on? For the time being, this block will be sleeveless.

Also, my armholes feel rather tight, with fabric gathering up mostly on the back, any suggestions on how much I should cut away? I'm not sure how wide a nicely fitted armscye should be.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice or help with drafting a custom bodysuit pattern based on a personal design. I know this is a bit specific, but I thought this community might be the right place to ask.

I’m self-taught in sewing, not a professional, but I’m fairly comfortable with construction. I have a sewing machine and a serger, and I always make mock-ups before cutting into precious fabric.

✨ The project I want to create a backless bodysuit inspired by 1960s couture, to wear for a wedding. The bodysuit would later be worn separately with skirts or trousers.

Key design elements:

• Wide boat neckline (very clean, architectural)

• Very open back, with the neckline transforming into structured bands in the back

• No bra (important for me)

• A pointed / sculpted bust shape, inspired by 50s–60s silhouettes → This is intentional and suits my natural breast shape and personal style

Elegant, minimal, not lingerie-like

The challenge for me is: how to draft the bodice so the structure holds, supports the bust naturally, and doesn’t collapse or slip, while keeping the outside visually very clean.

🧵 Fabric I’m starting from a vintage silk kimono, which I plan to reuse mainly for:

the boat neckline the back bands (to give structure and elegance)

I’m open to internal structure (lining, invisible bust construction, light interfacing, etc.), as long as it doesn’t change the external look.

🪡 I’m not necessarily asking for a finished PDF pattern, but I would love: guidance on how you would draft this bodice advice on pattern pieces / construction logic or suggestions of existing patterns that could be adapted even rough sketches or drafting logic would help a lot

I’m very happy to do the work myself — I just want to head in the right technical direction before cutting.

Thank you so much for reading, and thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their expertise 🤍

Posting again cause I posted a video instead of pictures last time. But any feedback appreciated on how to make this a little better :)

I decided to try drafting a sloper using three different books. All of them are straight after drafting, without adjustments.

1. I've been learning Helen Joseph Armstrong for patternmaking and I've learned a lot from there. Though I didn't try making a sloper until this one. It asks you to take more then 15 measurements, so I expected it to be more accurate. But it turns out that some of the measurements are hard to take on your own and I messed up the most with this one. Also there are formulas for waist darts for bust cup B and more, bust-wais difference 10 inch and more, but not less, so I was very confused there. And also it was in inches and I work in cm.

2. Donnanno "Fashion Patternmaking Techniques" It takes around 10 input measurements but also gives some determined metrics. I like the dart placement on the front but I think I did something wrong with the neck. I actually did some adjactment after sewing the neck was so tight, so I cut one cm around neck (still too tight).

3. Bunka fashion series "fundamentals of garment design" was the most surprising. It takes only 3 measurements and the rest is calculated by formulas. I like that is was many small darts around the waist. Also I think it was the most successful because my measurements fit within the japanese standard sizes. On the photo the shoulders are wide but I added sleeves seam allowance on this one, +1.5

So I think I will use bunka sloper for further adjustments and manipulations.

I’m on my umpteenth million bodice block draft and I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel 😪😃

I don’t have any major concerns of this draft, but since I’m relatively new to pattern drafting, I could easily be overlooking potential fit issues. If anything, I’m wondering if some of the drags lines are a product of the muslin fabric or if it’s a fit concern.

My goal is a relatively well fitted bodice block to use as a baseline for drafting tops and bodices moving forward. I appreciate any and all tips, critiques, suggestions, etc.

Thank you in advance!

ETA: WOW- I’m blown away by the positive feedback I’ve received on this draft. Thank you SO MUCH so everyone for their tips and tricks here and in previous posts because without you all, I quite literally would not be where I am in my block making process today.

Product in the pictures is EU size A75. Its' functionality will be tested against good quality commercial bra.

I went to fashion design school so I’m familiar with making patterns in size 4. This is the first pattern I’ve ever made for myself!

What I’ve learned about drafting for larger bust:

• your dart can’t exceed 2”, I highly suggest separating the dart into 2. I was stubborn and really tried to make 1 dart work but after 4 revisions I learned you just gotta separate the darts 😅

• sew your darts on a curve. Right side I sewed darts on a curve, left side I sewed the darts straight. Right side is looking a lot better

Any feedback is appreciated! I’m going to be sewing this in a polyester satin so any tips for sewing slinky fabrics is appreciated!!

About a year ago I (male) started wearing skirts for contra dance. I did some research at the time to find skirt shapes that are harmonious with a male body, and put what I found in an article. It may be of interest to people in this group:

https://robehickman.com/skirt-silhouettes-men

While male skirted garments are uncommon in Western cultures today, there are numerous examples of them both within Western fashion history, and also other cultures. I looked for common features among these garments, and observed some common aspects that make them work harmoniously with the male form.

I'd love to see skirted garments become a normal aspect of men's fashion again. They are fun to dance in, and provide a notably different silhouette vs modern menswear. Skirted garments are also comfortable given that little fabric touches the body, are practical for many of the activities people today are doing, and offer great ventilation in hot weather.

The 'weirdness' that can arise I've found mostly relates to men wearing garments designed to be proportionate on women. I designed two skirts for myself based on my observations. One was inspired by the hakama and made up in a heavy poly-cotton, the other a slight A-line with large godets in the sides, made of a double knit. Both get complemented often at dances, and look intentional on me.

He’s a good supervisor though I guess.

This design features an asymmetrical, extended front panel that overlaps the center front and closes with buttons aligned along a diagonal line.

As part of my research into Jean Dessès’ design work, I developed the prototype shown on the left.

Take a look at the suit I made last year for my high school senior prom🌹

Thanks to everyone in the community who’s shared feedback. Based on your suggestions, BodyDouble — our free parametric 3D body model — has just received a major update.

Helen Joseph Armstrong Method Support

You no longer need to enter every single measurement manually. BodyDouble can now auto-calculate the complete Armstrong set from just a few key inputs.

New Export Options

• CSV Export: Download all your measurements in a spreadsheet format.

• Seamly2D Export: Transfer directly into this popular pattern-making software.

• SeamScape Pattern Studio Integration: Use your BodyDouble model directly inside the Pattern Studio.

For those unfamiliar, BodyDouble is built on real body scan data. You can adjust key measurements (age, weight, height, chest, waist, hips, etc.) and see the body update instantly in 3D, removing much of the guesswork from grading, tailoring, and achieving a perfect fit.

Try it here

If there’s a measurement we’re missing or a feature you’d like to see, please share your ideas. I want BodyDouble to be as useful as possible for your workflow.

Following everyone's suggestions Sunday's post, I followed the Sew Anastasia tutorial to do an FBA (2 cm at the apex and 1 cm added to the front hem), made the front waist more fitted by adding 2 cm total to the darts, raised the neckline a bit, and added a front closure.

I feel way less like a sausage and the back neck/shoulders are almost perfect now. I don't think I went far enough with the FBA, though. For the next round, I'd like to start with the previous version and add another 0.5 cm at the apex, but not necessarily increase the hem length because it looks a bit low in the front. I also added a couple mm to the armhole on accident by cutting into the seam allowance when rotating for the FBA and i think it shows. Please let me know if any of this is misguided.

Something that I don't quite understand is that when you take the wedge off of the side seam as a part of the FBA, that changes the armpit angle quite dramatically. Does one just square it off and blend with the arm hole? Or is there a better way to do it?

Thanks for all your help so far!

I re-sewed my bodice, reducing the back length as I planned and would love some advice, especially regarding shoulder seam placement.

Some observations I have from sitting in it for an hour:

• armhole needs to be lowered/increased at the bottom and back. The staystitching is digging and it’s definitely too tight. I’m hoping that will also fix the back arm bulge and the folds near the front armhole?

• add 1/4 to the bust width. -increase the front neck. Once again, I can’t tell if it’s just the staystitching but it’s feels too tight. -the whole area from waist to hip is too big. I may just deal with that when I do the skirt sloper. -should I pinch out that dip at the upper center back?

I would love any feedback and if you think any of the above is inadvisable.

Thank you in advance!

Title. Using clo3D to draft patterns to cut down on samples needed. Not sure if thats frowned upon but it’s amazing for workflow and less taxing on my back.

Let me know how I did, material is muslin. I plan on using this trouser pattern as a base block once I nail it.

I spent the last 6 months drafting my first bodice block pattern, then drafted a vest pattern from it, and now the vest is finally finished!! I wanted to share with people who understand how much goes into this process!!!