Pattern Cutting

Sewing Patterns

Drafting the Bodice Block

Pattern Cutting - How to draft your own sewing patterns. Although it is much easier to download sewing patterns drafted to your own measurements, many sewers like to learn how to do it from scratch. Here are my In-Depth Pattern Cutting Videos to get you started

The Pattern Cutting eBook Series is available to Members or can be purchased separately. I am including the Transcript for the Pattern Cutting Series.

Part 2 - Draft the Back Bodice

Pattern Cutting - The Variables

The Back Bodice

Find O: Measuring down from Top Line to mark O - 1", for over 38" bust 1½".

Find Bust Line: Measuring down from O for Bust Line: 8½" for Bust 36/38". Add or subtract ¼" for every 2" larger or smaller.

Find Neck Width: 2½" + ⅛" for Bust 36. Add or subtract ⅛" for each size larger or smaller.

Back Bust Line - Add 2" to Half Back Width for average sizes. A little less for smaller sizes. For larger sizes add up to 2¾".

Back Hip Point - For larger sizes make HP ½" or so less than ¼ hip measurement for CB.

The Front Bodice

Find the Shoulder Line: Measure down from O 1¾", for Bust 42" and over 1½".

Find the Base of Neckline: Measure down from O 3". This can be increased to 3¼" - 3½" for larger sizes.

Find the Shoulder Dart Width: For Bust 36" the dart width along the Shoulder is 3". Add or subtract ¼" for sizes larger or smaller.

Front Hip Line - For larger sizes make HP more than ¼ hip + 1½" to 2" from CF. Look for balance in the side seam between the back and front at Hip Level.

Find the True Waist: For larger sizes drop the Centre Front Waist Point up to 1" an up to ½" at the side seam.

Pattern Cutting - The Transcript

Square across and label the Shoulder Line SL.

The neck width is also graded according to bust size, with the addition of an ⅛". Refer to the PDF for variables.

Measure up from this point ½" for all sizes and add the label NP for Neck Point.

Join NP and O with a nice curve for the Back Neckline. Now along the Back Line measure half the back width using your own measurements.

Draw a vertical line through this point and up through the shoulder line and down through the Bust Line.

On the Bust Line measure out 2" for all sizes and label it UP for Underarm Point.

On the Shoulder Line measure out ½" and label it SP for Shoulder Point.

Join NP to SP for the Shoulder seam. You can check the Shoulder Seam Length with your own measurement.

At the angle on the Bust Line, draw a 45 degree guide line and mark a point 1¼" to 1½" along it. You can adjust this later, if you need a more roomy armhole.

We are going to draw the armhole curve, keeping it pretty flat at this point, passing through the back line.

So join SP to UP. The curve at UP will be quite shallow.

Moving down for the Hips, Measure down from the Waist Line 8-9", depending on where your widest hip measurement is. Take this line across to the Centre Front for the Hip Line.

So to recap, this is what we have so far. CB and CF, Bust, Waist and Hip Lines. The Back Neckline, Shoulder Line and Across Back Line.

We have found the Neck Point, Shoulder Point and drawn in the back shoulder seam.

We have found the Underarm Point and drawn in the Back Armhole Curve.

So to continue, measure out ¼ hip measurement for the Hip Point. Draw a straight line from UP to HP. Then to shape the side seam at the waist, measure in 3/4" from where this line crosses the waist. Then measure down ¼". This is the true waist line.

Redraw the side seam. Shape the side seam passing through this point and flatten out at HP and UP. Now for the Front Bodice.

Member's eBooks contain detailed diagrams to aid Pattern Cutting
Pattern Cutting Part 1
Pattern Cutting Part 2
Pattern Cutting Part 3
Pattern Cutting Part 4
See all Pattern Drafting Lessons