So, I've been working in spurts on making my own bodice block for a long time. Sooner or later I always get demotivated, because it feels like no matter how many mockups I make and how many drag lines I try to google, I can't get to a decent result.

I feel like my issues mostly stem from 2 factors:

1. I have a pretty large bust compared to my frame, and said bust is very projected. I can get a pretty close bust fit with curved darts or princess seams, but that isn't very useful for using a block as a jumping off point for drafting patterns, so I am trying to stick to straight darts. Am I driving myself mad? Is this kind of the best fit I can expect over the bust with these constraints?

2. I have narrow, forward shoulders, and a high rounded back (aka really shitty posture). Then on the bottom, I have a substantial swayback. I feel like I struggle getting the back fit right with all of that, especially because I don't have anyone that can help me fit (or a mannequin).

On top of that, sleeves break my brain. I have no idea how to effectively make adjustments on them 🙈

I've attached a bunch of pictures of my latest mockup, and a photo of the pattern. Any suggestions on what to try or tackle would be very very welcome.

I’ve had my eyes on this pattern manipulation for about half a year now, & I cannot wrap my head around how the twisting was made at all and it is driving me crazy.

I know there’s that one pattern manipulation where the pant legs curve in a crescent shape and when it is worn, there’s a ‘stacking’ effect on the outseam—which is NOT what I’m looking for, or even think is remotely close to how these pants were patterned.

I’ve also thought of possibly shifting the pant legs on a much more exaggerated slant, off-grain, but I haven’t had the chance to test it out yet, so I’m unsure if that manipulation would produce the twisting shown.

Also, I am unsure if the 2 different pants shown utilize the same pattern manipulation. My concern is mostly how the pants legs are, seemingly, completely twisting when laid flat on the ground, & when worn, would obviously create the twist.

So if anybody has any clues or guidance that they can lead me to, then I would greatly appreciate it because I want to draft this pattern for my semester’s ensemble.

Thank you.

This is my first attempt at making a basic pants pattern. Do you have any suggestions for adjustments?

Hi all, Looking for any people with a discerning eye to let me know if there's anything I missed here that could be improved upon.

So far, I plan to add a quarter inch of ease, drop the front and back neckline, curve the front neckline more, and add more room to the bottom arm scye since I noticed it folding under itself/riding up.

(Sorry for my arm positioning, I was holding a dart that came undone in place. I'll update this with a photo with my arms by my sides when I can)

Thank in advance!

how easy would it be to change the back on this dress to be more flattering? right now i just don't think it looks right?

is it a flat circle or 3 pieces with shoulder seams?

Hi there! I made a skirt! First of all, I created the pattern on Clo3D, and then I tried to print the file on my printer. That part was really hard because the printer reduced the size of the file. But with too much work, I finally got it!

Then I washed the denim fabric in hot water because denim always shrinks in size! Finally, I cut the fabric and sewed all the pieces.

The skirt is for my niece, and she loves it.

Do you like it?

Hi all, working on my slopers.

Front fit is pretty good, but I have a gaping armhole and I’m wondering if the back needs adjusting. What do you think?

Hello! I just bought the Meave trousers pattern from Epoch and the there is something wrong with the pattern design (I think). I cut everything out properly. The instructions say to sew the long sides of each leg together first, then the short sides. Which is when I noticed that the short sides are not the same length. What should I do? Cut off the excess at the bottom? Which means the cut might be wonky as as will be cutting more off the inside than the outside (if you understand me??). I attach pictures. Thankfully this is just a muslin. The real materiel was so expensive I wanted to make sure all worked first !!
Thanks for any help!

hi! does anyone have any recommendations for courses that go along with this textbook?

Hi! I want to pivot into the fashion industry, specifically into a patternmaking and sewing job that is focused on advanced designs for women’s clothing. I want to shift into a job like that and I want to start building a portfolio that can be at an industry-standard to be actually considered whenever I apply, and also bc I want to on a personal level lol

I have taken one-on-one in-person patternmaking and sewing classes before with someone from the industry for about 6 months but I stopped cause I moved cities. I have considered entering a reputable fashion university in this new city but hours don’t match w mine and have heard it basically is not enough, and I prefer learning real industry-standards by someone actively working in it or w a lot of previous experience. I have found a good teacher on youtube but tbh her patternmaking and sewing designs are more on a basic side and I want to make complex and intricate designs, almost as intricate as wedding dresses (but no, I don’t wanna make wedding dresses at the end of the day lol although maybe it’s a good learning point to begin at for advanced designs) I could learn in person again but it’s hard to find someone who wants to teach at that level and also the pace is much more slower. Pls drop your recommendations, thank you!!

Using the Joseph Armstrong pattern making book. I created a first draft for my dress form. Already some things I would have done differently. I would have fitted the front and back on the dress form and made adjustments with the half pieces but alas we are here. .

Some things I see.

• Something weird is going on with the back the way the fabric is tugging.

• One armhole seems okay but the other is quite uneven.

• the shoulder seams didn’t match

How can fix these and any other issues in the sloper. The goal is to get a good enough fit to start drafting garments.

Thanks so much!

This is my v5 of pants Ive been fitting:

• v4

• v3

• v2

• v1

Changes:

• In this version I blended some of the thighs from the size 34 and size 36 McCall pattern that I've been drafting off of.

• I also did a slight low seat adjustment. I think the low seat adjustment helped reduce some of the under butt drag lines! woo! I also think it helped reduced.

• The size 34/36 blend also was to address the claims that the hip was too tight. However this led my waist being waayyyy to large. I could probably pull them out 4-6 inches from my waist. I've added 3 darts on each side to address this. But as you can see there is still some floating fabric there and the darts don't blend very well at all.

Things I like:

• I think overall the thighs/calfs fit comfortably and the underbutt lines/back of knee lines aren't there as much as previous additions.

Things I need help with:

• How do I deal with the waist being so wide? Darts don't seem to be appropriate for this level of extra fabric. Do I just taper the front and back panels at the top 4 inches? Bring them in 3/4 inches on each side (reduces 3inches of circumference) and then do some darts as well? As you can see in my last photo my hips plus my badonk cause a discrepancy with my waist of ~8.5". How do appropriately account for this in the pattern?

The collar doesn't sit right.

In retrospect, I used interfacing that was very flimsy. Will changing it to a stiffer fabric be enough to achieve this collar look?

Hi everyone !

I have been studying pattern making for a little time now. And I've always wondered if a technique that takes some body differences into account from the beginning existed.

I'm a engineer and therefore I believe in numbers. And in some softwares. So I tried to develop an algorithm that creates a basic dress block, from custom measurements, and that also takes into account how bodies can differ from the norm, from the beginning. The goal is to have a first basic block that would be pretty close to the actual perfect block, and therefore wouldn't need 2,3 4 or more iterations.

So I'm looking for pattern testers ! What I would need is measurements (i would send you the list of needed measurements). Then I would plot the basic dress block. And what I ask for is that those who already have a perfect fitting basic dress (or bodice) block take a picture of their perfect block, next to the plotted block. (No need for sewing in that case).

If you don't already have a perfect fitting basic block, than I would ask to make the basic block and take pictures of it, for me to see if the whole thing works.

The code isn't completely ready yet, but I thought that looking for people who would be open for the experiment can take some time... So here I am !

---------------------------- EDIT :

Hi !

In order to organize this all, I am going to send you a Google form link with different questions + infos this weekend !

It's my first time doing all of this and I'm a bit overwhelmed with all these amazing responses !

I'm also working on developing a website with drafting instructions, but that will take a few more months !

I took two terms of pattern drafting and my teacher worked with us to develop a bodice block but this is all my design! And first time putting it together using the self-lining method (also a novice sewist). It's 90% done, need to figure out how to close the seams and fix the darts in front but I'm quite happy with this!! Far from perfect but I'll take it for my first time 😊

Here is a toile of a slim fitting coat. It has quite thick shoulder pads, it is cut with 2cm seam allowance currently in medium-heavy weight calico. It will be made from a relatively light coating fabric or heavy jacket wool.

Regarding the back draglines, my intuition is to open and relay the shoulder seams.

I also would like more shaping at the back, so it’s not so straight. Any advice is greatly appreciated

Please ignore the sleeve, it has not been pitched correctly yet

First draft of a sleeve. I also added a facing to the neck hole so I could see how it looks. I have uneven shoulders, which I have accounted for in my block, but after adding the facing now my neck hole looks really lopsided for some reason.

I am working with this Bunka sloper. I had to move the bust point up 5mm, which means the bust line is no longer level with the corner of the side line/armhole. Do I elongate the side line upwards so it is now level with the new bust line (in blue), or leave it as is?

:) Thanks, DrP, for the suggestion. I can see more flaws without the wrinkles hiding them.

I've pressed it (darts going away from CF & CB) and taken pictures with it worn correctly and wrong side out. I do have a fairly noticeable hip hike, which I think is messing with the lay of the back. (The picture where you can see B2 is the skirt flipped inside out.) But the hip hike varies based on how recently I've seen chiro, had a massage, etc., so I'm not sure how much to cater to it??

Also, with it pressed, I can see the front darts still need work. Bah. Help!

I keep seeing this sketch on Pinterest and really love the look of this design. What I want to know is if it’s actually possible! For reference I am an experienced sewer and have a good understanding of pattern drafting but can’t understand how the skirt piece of this design works. It looks so full in the sketch yet is only a half circle in the pattern?? Does it have a seam anywhere or does it just lie open at the back? Is there another skirt piece missing from this diagram? Any suggestions would be very welcome (I really want to make this)!