Tag: pattern-drafting

• Draping vs. Flat Pattern

  The two ways to make a pattern - sculpting fabric on a dress form, or drafting with measurements and rulers on paper - how each works, what each is good at, and how they combine in practice.

• A-Line Skirt

  Drafting and sewing an A-line skirt - two ways to draft the flare, how much fabric to buy, fabric choices, and hemming a curved hem so it hangs evenly.

• Basic Bodice Block

  What a bodice block is, the measurements you need, how to fit one with a muslin, and how to move darts around it to create new designs - with a worked dart-rotation diagram.

• Collar

  How collars work - why the shape of the neck edge decides whether a collar lies flat or stands, the main collar types, and how to sew crisp points and edges that roll neatly underneath.

• Sleeve

  Set-in, raglan and kimono sleeves compared - the parts of a sleeve pattern, how cap height and ease affect fit and movement, and how to set in a sleeve without puckers.

• Grading

  Trimming the layers of a seam allowance to different widths so the bulk steps down instead of forming a ridge - when to do it, which layer to cut narrowest, and how it differs from pattern grading.

• Grainline

  The direction of the threads in woven fabric, and the arrow on a pattern piece that must be laid parallel to it - how to place it accurately, straighten off-grain fabric, and why it decides how a garment hangs.

• Notch

  The small marks on the edge of a pattern piece that show where pieces match - how to cut and use them, what single and double notches mean, and why they matter most on curves.

• Seam Allowance

  The margin of fabric between the cut edge and the stitching line - standard widths, how to sew a consistent allowance, finishing it, and what happens when it's wrong.

• Topstitching

  Stitching sewn on the right side of a garment, parallel to an edge or seam - what it does, edgestitching vs topstitching, thread and needle choices, and how to keep it straight.

• Gusset

  A small diamond, triangle or strip of fabric set into a seam to add room for movement - where gussets are used, why they work, and how to sew the points cleanly.

• Princess Seam

  A long, curved seam running over the bust from the shoulder or armhole to the waist or hem, shaping a garment without darts - shoulder vs armhole princess seams, why they're easy to fit, and how to sew the curves.

• Yoke

  A shaped piece across the shoulders or hips that the rest of the garment hangs from - shirt yokes, skirt and jeans yokes, why yokes replace darts, and the neat 'burrito' method for a double shirt yoke.