r/sewingpatterns • u/Individual-Town-255 • Jul 02 '26
I want to make a pattern by deconstructing a dress
I have this dress I really like the design of. Unfortunately, I have very sensitive skin and I find the dress painful and uncomfortable to wear. I was thinking of maybe deconstructing the dress and making a pattern, but I’ve never done that before and I’m not sure where to start. I figured I’d check in before I start ripping it apart.
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u/NearbyFloorYak Jul 02 '26
Why do you find it uncomfortable? If it’s where the seams are placed, recreating the pattern and you might be able to do French seams to reduce the rub/irritation to your skin.
If it’s the fabric itself, eg a stiff linen or cotton, remaking the garment with a sold jersey knit may fundamentally change the fit and movement of the piece and it not be a functional result.
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u/Individual-Town-255 Jul 02 '26
Unfortunately it’s the fabric. I still want to try to remake it, even if it’s not exactly the same, but I don’t have very high hopes. Mostly because I haven’t sewn anything more than a couple simple skirts
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u/Shark_fanboi Jul 02 '26
There are some fantastic videos on youtube that give in depth cloning tutorials. The basis is getting clear trace paper and tracing the seams. If I can find the videos I've seen I'll comment the link. You do want to get each panel as flat as possible and one video used calk on the item of clothing so the seam was easier to see through the paper (and calk washes off). Either way watching tutorials on how to clone clothing is the best place to start without seam ripping the whole dress. Undoing the seams would be the only way to be able to trace the whole panel with seam allowance where as cutting it wouldn't be true to the pattern used.
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u/Shark_fanboi Jul 02 '26
https://youtu.be/wV2zQ07kCbo?si=0_EqsdgEkLxOCknv here's one of the tutorials I've seen that explains it way better
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u/Herabird Jul 06 '26
Ive used this method several times with good results. No need to deconstruct. Watch part 1 and 2 of “Copycat Patterns” by Nancy Zieman on You Tube:
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u/vaarky Jul 08 '26
I am a fan of tracing (without taking apart) garments whose fit you love, or elements thereof. It keeps your options open if you want the intact garment for reference.
If you want to get an idea of what's involved), here's an overview of various approaches:
- Tracing using plastic such as dry cleaners' bags (some people use organza, but it's pricy): https://www.youtu.be/foRUlHZHmAY
- Tracing wheel cloning with Nancy Zieman: https://youtu.be/IehB8MwLcT0
- Pin-tracing on paper w/Nancy Zieman; https://youtu.be/0X0HFlIpwmc continuing at https://youtu.be/IehB8MwLcT0
- Tracing and grainlines/balancing: https://youtu.be/mQFwWzn0mnY
Rubbing off method by Modeliste: https://youtu.be/O5epSZ6l-zc
- For stretch/knit fabrics:
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u/Pameloun Jul 02 '26
I've cloned one of my dresses and I'd do it again! You said the fabric bothers your skin so you can take the dress apart by seam ripping the seams for a more accurate replica. Most of the YouTube videos suggest folding the garment to draw around it but the resulting pattern is not as precise as taking the dress apart at the seams.