Pattern Making: Bodice block to toile

In my pattern making class we are focusing on the bodice this term. You can see my first post about where bodice darts come from here.

We started by making a basic bodice block. It is by altering this block that other patterns can be created.

Front bodice block

Here you can just about see the bust and waist darts.

Back bodice block

This particular block has one dart from the waist.

Sleeve block

These blocks are all made to a standard size 12 using a formula. There are lots of different pattern drafting books, and each author has their own formula and way of producing a block it seems.

From these blocks, you can then create a pattern by drawing round them and adding seam allowance. You also have to transfer all the relevant information from the block, such as dart points, balance marks etc.

Front and back pattern

Sleeve pattern

And then from the pattern you can make a toile! In this case, the toile was made to check that the pattern works, and whether the notches for attaching the sleeves were in the right place (they weren’t!).

The sleeves are hanging slightly forward, which is the correct way (phew!).

So now that I’ve made the amendments that were necessary I should be able to use by initial block to create other styles.

Basic Bodice Block

This term in my Pattern Cutting class we are working on the bodice. From what I’ve been led to believe, this is slightly trickier than skirt patterns that we were working on last term.

So far we have understood where all the measurements for the bodice come from, and then drafted a basic bodice block using a standard size 12.

Hopefully I won’t get in trouble for using these, but I thought it might be useful to see how a basic two-dart bodice comes together from a flat piece of fabric. It helps explain why we have darts where we have darts.

As far as I know, all images are from Basic Pattern Skills for Fashion Design by Jeanne Price and Bernard Zamkoff.

This first image shows a flat piece of fabric wrapped round the body to create a cylinder.

By creating cones of fabric, or darts, above the bust the fabric shapes to the body. These are called the shoulder darts.

The same is done for the waist. These darts are then turned inside and sewn. The flat version above is the pattern for the two-dart bodice. From this basic pattern or block you create different types of top.

I don’t think I’m quite up to explaining how to draft your own block, but if you’re interested then I found a Basic Bodice Block tutorial on the BurdaStyle website that looks quite good!