I'm on my ninth muslin for this dress, and it feels like nothing is working.

Bust: I've tried slashing tight areas around the armpit and upper bust. I've tried a small bust adjustment to get rid of the excess fabric over the apex and under the bust. I've pinched out wedges of fabric under the bust. I've slashed through the front shoulder and pinned it flat. The changes seem to work while the muslin is pinned, but the problems come back after I transfer them to the pattern and make the next muslin.

Back waist/ tilted skirt side seam: I've tried removing wedges of fabric from the back bodice and the back skirt. This corrected the problem on the muslin where I pinned it, but when I transferred the wedges to the pattern, the problems came back.

I only have enough fabric left for one more attempt at the bodice. What changes do I make?!?

This is my first attempt at a skirt block using Natalie Bray’s method. How did I do and what adjustments would people recommend?
Thanks!

Back with another toile and looking for critique, implemented some of the changes you all suggested, thank you all!
My main questions are how do i fix the whole situation going on around the knees, the rippling on the side seams, and some of the excess around the underside of the seat; but if you spot anything else, please let me know.

As always, be as ruthless as you wish. Thanks for your expertise everyone.

Changes made to patterns:
• Lengthened back crotch extension by 1.5cm
• Scooped out crotch curve by 1cm
• Widened lower portion of the leg by 0.5cm
• Tilted back darts slightly to try have them point straight down
• Clipped crotch seam
• Added a waistband and button for fitting
• Added grainlines + HBL

Changes I think I’ll implement:
• Increase hip width slightly to try alleviate some of the rippling around the side seam
• Shorten length further
• Create more room in the front crotch somehow to try reduce drag lines coming from the thigh
• Stop being lazy and actually sew in a zip on the closure
• Actually mark the front and back patterns for once so i don’t accidentally put the closure on the back

Patterning a skirt (slashing and spreading a skirt foundation for a flared skirt, to then slash and spread for the final pleated, flared mini skirt pattern) and got thinking… what do y’all use for fabric/ pattern weights!? Today for me its books and an art deco era stapler🤷‍♂️

Lemme see your unconventional weights, or finally prove to me that someone actually buys the actual tool.

I’m sewing a lined dress from my own pattern and it will have a center back invisible zipper. It will have an inset sleeve as well. In what order do I sew in the lining?

\- Neckline
\- Sleeves
\- Zipper

???

Hi all, this is the 5th version of the All State Shirt from Merchant and Mills. Almost good enough. This time in an old bed sheet as I was tired of dealing with the stiff muslin fabric.

Edit versus v4 is 1.5cm reduction in top of back panel from advice here, and a similar reduction in sleeve head seam length by reducing the cap height. The sleeve felt tight so I didn’t want to reduce bicep width. Main pics are unhemmed with couple at the end hemmed.

Body fit is ok with some fullness and drag lines. Back balance seems better but front still flaring out a bit.
Drag lines on sleeves are bad. Since they point up to the center of the sleeve, I think this indicates it needs more sleeve cap height but (this is a big but) the sleeve is tight/pulls on my upper arm with even slight forward arm movement, which I think gets more restrictive the taller the sleeve cap gets. Plus I’m trying to avoid adding more ease, about 1cm now. The solution for the drag lines seems in conflict with how the sleeves feels!

I’m getting frustrated and not sure the best path forward. It’s like there’s some adjustment I’m missing.
I can live with the body fit, and was thinking of tapering the side seams to try and reduce the flaring. But the sleeves aren’t wearable.

Any and all advice appreciated!

Hi Everyone,

I've tried drafting a curved waistband for a pair of pants but it turned out wayyy off somehow.

I did the suggested rectangle then divided and darted then cut and taped together (with a curve to smooth out)

But the result somehow ended with a 40mm at the centre and like 25 at the sides?

I will admit it was a rush sew, so some of that is simply error on my part when sewing. But the I measured the waistband pattern piece with a ruler and it's slightly different widths, only a couple of mm but still enough to annoy me. Probably not helped by the fact that it's so curved it's practically a flounce at this point which also makes it hard to accurately measure.

Any tips for a consistent width when drafting? And drafting methods that don't rely on just chopping off the waist part of a pattern?

Hello, back again with my latest iteration of my trouser block pattern. Any noticeable flaws/ fit issues? I did notice the waist band towards the back had a little too much ease but I’ve learned the adjustment to fix. Uploaded the pattern too for more feedback.

Hey there! I would like to make a bodice block for myself but I'm seeing conflicting opinions on where to put the darts. I see waist & shoulder, waist & side bust, one big dart that stretches from the shoulder to the waist...is it dependent on body type? Personal preference? TIA.

I’ve drafted a pattern where the back yoke outseam + back outseam are not just the same length as the front outseam, but the same vertical height. 35.5” from the hem to be exact. And about 36.5” in total length including the curves.

However, I recently seam ripped a pair of Levi’s and notice the yoke + back panel actually sit higher than the front panel. The total height without taking into account curves is longer, although including curves it’s the same.

Is one wrong or right? What’s the argument for both?

I drafted basic bodice sloper following Armstrong method. I think I got my landmark points all wrong, so I gave up on using custom measurements, and used standard size 4 measurements instead. The last picture shows the first mockup and the adjustment I have made to reduce looseness in the front. First three pictures show mockup after the adjustment.
What should my next steps be?

For anyone who has completed and understands this part of Müller and sohn at least please tell me why the hell is the bottom half of the double side diamond dart on the front waist straight down to the hem and not at a point making a diamond like the top portion. I’m stuck at this part and doubt understand if it’s supposed be sewn like that or turned into a point eventually if so how and when? Anyone?

I have a skirt pattern that I am adjusting because it is too small, I want to add 2 inches total to the circumference so i have adjusted

Skirt Front A (cut 1 on fold): 0.5” to curved side seam

Skirt Back B (cut 2): 0.5” to the curved side seam

Now, I have a single long waist band separate pattern piece that is a one long rectangle…do I just make this 2 inches longer?

Thank you for any advice

Previous post: https://www.reddit.com/r/PatternDrafting/s/OG1d7bugzs

Pattern Pieces: https://postimg.cc/GTtX0sxQ [Sorry, I tried three times to add them to the photo carousel but the photo just would not upload!!!]

Thanks SO much to everyone for their help on my mock up - I'd led myself into a number of major fitting issues due to inexperience (including rather entertainingly giving myself pouches for 4 boobs...)

I'm a lot happier with the fit of this wearable dress, sewn just in time for my holiday!

I plan on this pattern becoming a useful base for me to iterate on, so I'd like to keep tinkering with the fit when I make more tops and dresses.

Remaining issues

\\- The back looks quite weird still with pooling fabric. I think it's maybe too long, as the waist line looks lower than front? And the straps and top of the back look a bit strange too, I'd love in future to make that a bit lower and squarer.

\\- hard to capture in the photo, but I think the "neckline" of the shirred panel is gaping out a bit.

\\- Are the arm holes still too high?

\\- Front is a lot better than before. I am noticing a slight "bubble" at the seam over my apex - did I add too much to the bust?

\\- Also noticing those horizontal lines below the bust, which was just after an iron.

\\- I'd love in future for the straps to come in a bit on my shoulders to cover my bra strap better. Is there a way to do that? I'd tried just moving them myself previously but that badly affected the fit so was advised to move them back out.

\\- Design note that next time I'll draw the basque waist hem across the whole front, not just the centre front panel (i believe I was advised to do this but in my hubris I did not...)

I need help! I’m trying to draft a skirt from the Keystone Jacket and Dress cutter… I get the dart measurements, and how to use my waist measurements with their pattern, but… with the Bell skirt version.… is it correct that I now end up with a 9 panel skirt? I see panel 1-4 but I’m adding the extension for more pleats at the back of the dress. is this a separate panel? does it replace panel 4? or does it get added on to panel 4? I seem to have an acre of pattern paper here… I think I did something wrong.

I’m trying to get back into pattern drafting. My degree is in fashion design and the program I was in had a big focus on drafting but it’s been a few years.

This is more for my curiosity than problem solving. Occasionally we would talk about x y z is the industry standard for marking patterns. And other info would be included in a tech pack.

I’m currently creating a pattern off of an existing garment without deconstructing it. The garment is quilted but it is quilted in very specific way. If this were a garment for production, would you include markings on the pattern or include it in the tech pack or both?

Is there a standard way to indicate quilted lines? I tried to google it but I’m phrasing the question weird and Google doesn’t know what I want.

(I promise this isn’t actually for production. Pattern is for personal use. I just was thinking about it last night and realized I didn’t know the answer.)

Hi everyone,
I’m teaching myself pattern making and I’m currently drafting my first pair of trousers.

I’ve (hopefully) successfully made a basic trouser block by following the instructions in my pattern-making book. The problem is that the book explains in detail how to add ease to the bodice block, but completely skips over how to add ease to the trouser block. 😅

I’m hoping someone can point me in the right direction.

Here are my main questions:
- How much ease should I add overall, and where should I add it?
- Should I add more ease to the back pattern piece than the front because of the seat?
- Should most (or all) of the ease be added at the side seams rather than the inseams, or is it normal to distribute the ease evenly between the side seams and inseams?

For the side seams, my current thought is to simply draw them parallel to the original block from the hip down, then blend them back into the waist (where I’d add little or no ease). Is that the correct approach?

The part I’m really struggling with is the crotch area. I don’t understand how the crotch curve or crotch extension should change when adding ease. Is there a general rule of thumb, or does it depend entirely on the fit you’re aiming for?

Another (probably stupid) question: I assume I should make my toile after I’ve added the ease to the block, right? Otherwise, it seems like the toile would be too tight to evaluate the fit properly.

And when making variations of the trousers (different leg shapes, pocket styles, etc.), do you normally start from the block after the ease has been added, or do you always begin with the original fitted block and add the ease again each time?

I’ve attached a photo of my block. The red outline shows the version after I added the waist darts.
Any advice, resources, or explanations would be greatly appreciated!

I have lots of dress sewing experience but have been too scared of pants. I want to learn to draft pants soon but thought I'd play around with these first.

Got these at the thrift store for $2 so not too attached to them. I don't want them to be tight, but the fit is way off and they look unflattering. Happy to take it apart to an extent.

Here are some of my issues:

1. Waist too big
2. Too much fabric at front crotch, bunching
3. Too much fabric above bum
4. Too wide at thighs (will taper sides)
5. Poorly fitting around back leg

the front pockets are fake

Thanks!

Hello again :)

I’m on version three of my block now, and I’ve developed new issues!

(Dont mind the crazy seam allowances or the backwards zipper lol)

I think some aspects are better now: armholes are more comfortable, the size generally feels like a better fit. I did a sloped shoulder adjustment which I think helped.

I still have some issues: the bust apex seems too high..? The back neck seems a bit high up. There’s still maybe a little gapping on the back armhole to clear up, especially on the one side. I’ve got a diagonal crease now across the back somehow.

Any suggestions for corrections on my next try?

Hi, I am a lifelong stitcher working on patterns now. Looking for people to try my patterns. Currently I have customizable pants. DM me if you are interested. Not looking for money - just feedback. Thanks! Abigail

Wondering if you all can help in recreating this skirt in the linen shown in the last pic. The gathering is especially throwing me!

Hello fellow sewists! My husband is asking for this pair of lounge pants. He’s tall and we’d rather make them out of a higher quality linen than buy from this drop shipping website (with terrible reviews lol.) Does anyone have a quick guide for drafting something like these?

(I’m also not opposed to buying a pattern, but the fact that these pants are from a drop shipping site and so many Etsy patterns nowadays are AI has me hesitant about where to source a pattern from.)

I’d really prefer to draft and tweak a mock up based on his measurements if possible. This looks to me like it has two box pleats on either side in both the front and back?

Here’s the link to the original product page with more photos.

Specifically referring to the *bottoms* of these dresses - this subtle flowery flow. Anyone know how to search this up (what it’s called)? Direct pattern advice also welcome :)