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The Wrap Over Top – Pattern Development

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Pinned on the dress stand in paper.

I love a wrap over top style. This is something you can do with your basic bodice block or you can use this technique and apply it to a pattern you already have.

As this is an a-symmetrical style – you will need to work on a whole front pattern piece. Mirror your basic shape at the center front.

Mirror your pattern piece at the center front – to make a whole front.

It’s always best to move darts out of the way when you are planning a style line – cut along the lines with the little scissors symbols and fold out the darts with the little arrows! Of course if the shape you have doesn’t have darts then you can miss out this step.

See my videos on moving darts to different locations if you want to know more about moving darts.

A clear route to planning the neckline

Now plan the new neckline shaping…

Plan the new neckline from the shoulder – make sure it isn’t too narrow or it may slip off in wear – continue across the center front. You will need a little notch at the center front for fitting. Dip under the bust – making sure you avoid the fullness of the bust shape. Stop at the side seam if you want to or you can add a tie extension here that wraps around the body secures the garment.

Detach the part you don’t need.

Now cut along the neckline and remove the part you don’t need. Now plan the drape lines as shown.

Fold out the last dart.

Cut along the drape lines and fold out the remaining dart and watch the drape lines open up!

Now you can trace around the whole pattern shape. Cut a left and a right side. The little notch you placed at the center front now becomes important – as this is where the left and the right pattern piece will meet at the center front.

Match the center front notches.

Why not give this technique a try – the same method can be used to create a wrap over skirt!

See you soon for more pattern cutting and sewing techniques.

Nicola x

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Current Projects

Working in Half Scale

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Half Scale Blocks

When I taught pattern cutting at degree level I always preferred to teach in full scale, as I believe it helps the student to get a second sense for proportion, fit and develop good cutting lines.

One year I decided to do a quick 15 minute session for those students that arrived early to class, in that session we used a half scale mannequin and very quickly covered a creative pattern cutting technique! I had fantastic feedback and my students told me they learnt a great deal from those sessions!

Today I have had a little fun preparing my blocks in half scale and sewing up a half scale toile! I plan to use these in my upcoming video tutorials.. so watch this space!

Super Cute Half Scale Bodice!

Back Bodice – Half Scale Version.

I must admit, I had to have a break after inserting one sleeve! It was quite stressful, but I know my half scale blocks fit my half scale stand and now I can work with them confidently!

Happy Pattern Drafting!

Nicola x

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Beginners Pattern Drafting Info, Pattern Cutting Techniques

Fitting Lines & Button Stands

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Understanding Fitting Lines

Firstly – what is a fitting line? A fitting line is anywhere where a pattern closes, with a closure, for example a zip, or a button stand. It is very important to maintain the fit of the garment, when adding a zip or button stand or any other type of closure. For example the center front of the pattern must still close to the opposite center front line. Fitting lines can be anywhere on a garment, the most common place is center front or center back and sleeve cuff openings, but they can be placed anywhere at all on a garment.

A common mistake that pattern cutters and sewers make in that they apply a zip or button stand and don’t take note of the exact fitting line.

Let’s look at an example:

An open ended zip inserted into the center front skirt –

The skirt must end up being the same width it is when placed as shown below with the CF to the CF after the zip or button stand has been added.

If the finished zip width, for example 0.5 cm (3/16″), is not subtracted from the pattern at the center front, then the skirt will be that width bigger and will not fit perfectly.

It may seem obvious, but it’s a mistake I have seen many times.

Let’s look at a shirt example…

A shirt may have a button stand added to the center front to close the garment. When a pattern cutter adds a button stand, it is important that the center front of the garment still meets, so center front still needs to close to center front.

Button stands need a little planning and thought. The button ideally will need to be measured before the button stand is planned. Also a decision as to which way the button holes will be placed on the button stand needs to be made, that is will they be vertical or horizontal. Horizontal button holes are stronger, however the design of the garment may call for vertical button holes for example plackets have vertical button holes.

Buttons are also required at stress points, so for example over the bust, it’s quite common to see a blouse where the front gapes on the wearer, this is due to poor planning of button locations, or the blouse is too small! Buttons are also placed at the waistline of a garment.

Buttons should always be placed a buttons width down from the neckline of a garment to begin with.

Buttons will always sit in the last 3 millimetres (1/8th of an inch) of a button hole.

To calculate the size of the button hole required for a particular button

Measure the button and add 3 mm (1/8th inch) for a button of normal depth. Increase this for thicker buttons. Always make a test button hole on a scrap of fabric to test the size first before sewing the button holes on the garment.

Wrapping Directions

Ladies garments have the buttons on the left side and the button holes on the right side. Men have the opposite.

Ladies wrap RIGHT over LEFT.

It can be a little confusing with jeans as some brands have ladies zips wrapping in the wrong direction, this is because they have their production set up to make both men’s and ladies jeans and they don’t change their machinery.

Let’s look at a button stand close up…

Important points:

  • The first button hole is a buttons width down from the neck
  • The button stand is the same width as the button used
  • Button Holes are planned 3 mm over the center front as the button will sit in the last 3 mm
  • Buttons are sewn directly to the center front
  • Button stands require fusible interfacing for strength

Place a cross where the button sits ( in the last 3 mm of the button hole) The button hole is marked as a line with a bar at each end. The button placement cross’s are marked directly on the center front line.

As you can see the right and left side of the pattern are exactly the same. The only difference is the placement of the markings for button holes on the right hand side and the placement of the cross marks for the button placement on the left hand side of the pattern.

I could write a book on this topic, but I have to stop somewhere, I hope this little bit of clarification helps. I will be adding more information on this topic in the form of different methods for buttons stands and plackets and how to construct the patterns.

Happy Pattern Making!

Nicola

 

 

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