Develop Your Personal Pattern: Bespoke Sewing Part 2

Develop Your Personal Pattern:
Learn Bespoke Sewing Part 2
Refining the 7 Measurements To A Basic Bodice Pattern

 

If this is your first time joining us in the “Learn Bespoke Sewing” class, go to this post to begin.

 

Learn Bespoke Sewing

 

 

Tools You’ll Need to Develop Your Personal Pattern

1. 1 ” Tru-grid, available here.
2. 60″ Seamstress Measuring tape
3. Pen or pencil
4. 18″+ ruler
5. 2 yards of String

 

Develop Your Personal Pattern:

What your bodice looks like now:

 

 

We left you two weeks ago with your personal pattern at this step.

Now we’re ready to add the front neckline and armhole.

 

Draw the Front Neckline

1. The Front Neckline begins at Point B.
2. Typically the neckline is variable according to the design you hope to achieve, but for simplicity we’ll say the rule for the front neckline is a drop of 3 1/2″ from Point B to the Bodice Center Front.
3. Mark the Bodice Center Front horizontal to Point B. Measure  3 1/2″ down from this mark and place a mark there on the Bodice Center Front.
4. Use a 6″ to 8″ plate or bowl for an approximate circle mark for the neckline. Place the bowl on Point B and the new mark on the Bodice Center Front. Trace around the circle.
5. Round out the simple circle from the bowl to create a more oval opening for the neckline.
6. This new oval line will be adjusted later after you sew your first Bodice.

 

Adjusting Point E

1. The Armhole joins Point B to Point E with another simple curve, which needs to be adjusted to your personal size.
2. To find the true Point E: tie a string around your body at the widest part of the bust. Look in a mirror to make sure the string is straight all around you and doesn’t dip in the back.
3. Place a mark on the string under each arm. This is your Side Seam. Be sure to identify the string front and back, as they may measure differently.
4. Before removing the string, measure vertically from Point B on your neck down to the string. Mark this dot on the pattern. Lightly draw a horizontal line across this dot.
5. Now measure up from the string on the side seam mark to 1″ below your arm. This determines Point E.
6. Cut the string at the underarm marks. Fold the front string in half and place the fold on the Bodice Center Front fold along the Bust horizontal line. Mark the underarm width.
7. Using the measurement from number 5, mark Point E. If this is different than the original Point E from the first lesson, use today’s mark. Then measure from the new Point E to the waist with the waist measurement you got in the first lesson. Mark a new Point F.
8. If the new Point F is higher than the old one, draw a curved line, as shown in the diagram, from Point F to Point D. The downward curve allows for additional blouse length that your personal bust measurement requires.

 

 

Draw the Front Armhole

So now we’re ready to draw the curve from Point B to Point E.

1. With the tape measure starting at Point B, measure vertically down to the horizontal bust line.
2. Divide this measurement in thirds, and place a mark on your pattern at the 2/3 point. This is Point G.
3. Now measure your body horizontally from arm to arm across your front between your shoulder and bustline approximately at Point G.
4. Divide this measurement in half and adjust Point G to the width of this half. This is the widest part of your armhole.
5. Begin at Point B and draw a slight curve to Point G.
6. Sharpen the curve to join Point G to Point E, as shown in the diagram.

 

 

Now you know how to develop your personal bodice pattern front!

 

You did it!
You’ve completed Lesson 2 of “Learn Bespoke Sewing.”
Next time: Design the Back Bodice Pattern.