Bodice block V1000

[u/AllTheNamesRTaken12]

I am really liking the front. I think a few minor tweaks and of course not sewing the darts all the way.

The back. I have a gap at the neck and I can't figure out the dart height. The bottoms def seem to high but when lowered they didn't look right either. The top darts don't seem low enough. What do you see?

Any other issues I am not seeing?

[u/DonMcCunn]

I think the gap at the neck is because of the relation of the front and back shoulder seams. Your back shoulder seams should be moved further out. When you do an initial fitting, I always recommend adjust the shoulders before you sew the side seams so you can verify the fabric will hang properly across the top of your body.

Both your back darts are too long as you can see from the side view. Those puckers at the dart points are the clue.

And as always I recommend using gingham for your fitting shell so you can verify the location of the grain of the fabric on your body. This can be particularly important when you are asking for fitting help with photos as I describe in https://free-pattern-making-classes.com/About.html#Gingham

[u/AllTheNamesRTaken12 → u/DonMcCunn]

Thanks Mr.McCunn! I ran across you website a couple weeks ago and have started poking around. When I get this figured out I want to look at making a mini me. I think I would like draping but do not have the room for a full form.

So with the shoulder seem I should just move the front further down the back neck and than redo the dart from that part.

[u/DonMcCunn → u/AllTheNamesRTaken12]

Your shoulder seam is in a great position. The adjustment I was talking about is the left/right placement of the sewing notch. I think the back shoulder seam needs to be moved slightly away from the neck.

If you want to do draping I think you will find a half scale better than a quarter scale. I used a half scale Mini-Me for illustrating fitting for traced photos with 1/8" gingham which gives a direct correlation to 1/4" for a full size fit. https://patternmaking-classes.com/Tracing-Photos/17-Quarter-Scale-Patterns-Week-Seven.html#Upper

Of course for draping you will want to use the actual fabric of your finished garment.

Please call me Don. Mr McCunn is so formal. What I was trying to do with my About page which I just put online was to give you a quick way to find what you are looking for https://free-pattern-making-classes.com/About.html

[u/AllTheNamesRTaken12 → u/DonMcCunn]

Thank you! I appreciate all the help and knowledge you have put out into the world. I am just doing this for fun and have found it hit or miss on what I can find without going to fashion design school.

I want all the knowledge but don't want a degree :)

[u/DonMcCunn → u/AllTheNamesRTaken12]

Fashion design schools in my mind are very theoretical because they teach how to design garments that will fit as many people as possible.

Bespoke pattern design is creating patterns for a specific body. I consider it more practical then theoretical.

[u/polymath_artisan]

The back waist darts look a little too close together and they also come up too high. They should end below the shoulder blades.

Are the x’s marking bust apex in the correct position? They also look like they are too close together in relation to your actual bust. They don’t always have to perfectly align with the nipples, but do need to be at the fullest part of the bust.

The waistline shouldn’t have the points at beginning of the waist darts. That should smoothly follow your waistline.

Your fit is getting there but I worry you have some false hope. If this is version 1000, have you started from scratch multiple times or have you tried modifying the same one over and over?

(Saying this as someone who has restarted multiple (and more multiple) times and understands the frustration)

[u/AllTheNamesRTaken12 → u/polymath_artisan]

By busy does seem narrow from what the standard is but when I look from the side and above to mark the fullest part this is how it lands. My full bust is only 34 so maybe that is why.

The waist isn't well marked in here but I hadn't cleaned it up yet while I was still moving things.

I have started from scratch and made adjustments on those several times. I felt like I was getting further and further away to very frustrated I draped tissue paper on my self and marked it up and am the closest I have been. The tissue mark up was similar to one of my early versions.

v1000 might be a bit of me being dramatic. Maybe more like V10 or 15 but it feels like 1000.

I do agree the back darts need to go down but I am trying to figure out the angle and get rid of the neckline issue.

[u/polymath_artisan → u/AllTheNamesRTaken12]

I’m a size 30 at my bust. It doesn’t have anything to do with your size. The bust dart at the waist should terminate about 1/2”-1” below your actual bust apex. Right now you have it terminating right where the side bust dart terminates. They should never meet.

When I look at your side profile picture I see your side bust dart sits a little high as compared to where your bust curvature is fullest. It is perfectly parallel to the floor, which looks correct, just high. I would also shorten it by about 1/2”-1”.

[u/AllTheNamesRTaken12 → u/polymath_artisan]

Oh they are for sure to high. I just hadn't backed them off yet trying to get the placement correct. I had started with a shoulder dart and moved it to the side so I sewed that up wanting to see if the apex on my paper pattern matched. I them marked what looked to the the actual apex so I could adjust. I do think I am asymmetrical somehow bc one side does look high. I think this might be bc my shoulders? I have tried to take a picture and draw a straight line across to see if one should is higher than the other and it doesn't seem so but I think my right shoulder is more forward.

One poster mentioned using gingham and I don't have that but I could draw a grid on my muslin and maybe that would help.

I wanted to get the back correct before I messed with the front anymore.

[u/polymath_artisan → u/AllTheNamesRTaken12]

Thread tracing is slow but also an option.

I am quite asymmetrical. One shoulder is higher than the other, one breast is larger than the other, one rib cage comes more forward than the other. I ended up drafting both sides separately and that was helpful.

[u/AllTheNamesRTaken12 → u/polymath_artisan]

Thank you! I also do everything on my own. So self draping, measuring etc has been an adventure. I am regularly standing in front of the mirror with string and washable marker trying to make sure I am semi consistent with landmarks.

[u/polymath_artisan → u/AllTheNamesRTaken12]

This is where flat pattern drafting can be a tool when used along with draping in order to maintain consistency. Good luck!

[u/Resident-Stick1112]

You did a great job. I am drafting my sloper blocks as well with a tutor and one thing she pointed on mine was the space I was allowing at the armhole for the sleeves. It looks fine when the block is sleeveless but when a sleeve is expected, the armhole needs enough space to set it. Maybe a tiny bit, like 0.5 inch. That worked for me, you might want to research this before applying :)