Terminology

Terminology Terminology See the menu to the left.

Amendment to Bodice Block Instructions

The YouTube Bodice Block Instructions uploaded to YouTube earlier this year contains a mistake (with a flow on effect).   These written instructions that show you what the mistake is and how to fix it  are a temporary stop-gap measure until I am able to remake those videos. If you use those instructions without making […]

Plan of Action

The plan of action consists of looking at the Flat and any specification and making notes about what needs to be done, such as: determining many pattern pieces the design requires listing the pattern pieces making notes on what needs to be done for each pattern piece, or groups of pattern pieces (where relevant) doing […]

Cap Height

Terminology Cap Height The Cap Height of the sleeve is from the shoulder tip to the underarm line.  The underarm line is about 1.5cm below the armpit. See below for the examples of the Cap Height for a person’s body, and the Cap Height on a block or pattern. Note that the Cap Height on […]

Ease in Bodice: Aldrich

Analyzing Other Block Making Instructions Ease in Bodice: Aldrich In the article Why Upper Bust rather than Bust? the conclusions I come to are based what I see in other block making instructions.  In that article, I state how much ease Aldrich & Armstrong’s block send up with across the Bust and the Upper Bust.  […]

Ease in Bodice: Joseph-Armstrong

Analyzing Other Block Making Instructions Ease in Bodice: Joseph-Armstrong In the article Why Upper Bust rather than Bust?  the conclusions I come to are based what I see in other block making instructions.  In that article, I state how much ease Aldrich & Armstrong’s block send up with at the level of the Bust and […]

Ease in Bodice: General

Analyzing Other Block Making Instructions Ease in Bodice: General These explanations on block ease are for those people new to patternmaking and sewing, and may have the same problems I did understanding ease in the bust and at the underarm level. Important:  In this article, I use the term Underarm Level in place of  Upper […]

Awl

Tools & Equipment Awl The awl is used to mark points on the inside of the block or pattern, by piercing a hole through the cardboard or paper.  The resulting hole is referred to as a “drill hole”.  These drill holes indicate the placement of the dart point, pocket placements, buttons and buttonholes, and other […]

Pattern Notcher

Tools & Equipment Pattern Notcher The Pattern Notcher is used to clip the edges of the block where something needs to occur in the construction of the garment; e.g. at the end of the dart legs, so the sewer knows how much of the fabric to fold together to construct the dart;  balance points, so […]

French Curve

Tools & Equipment French Curve A French curve is used to draw curves at the armhole, neckline, curved darts, sleeve cap curves, and hip-line curve, etc.  They are transparent and some come with a straight edge including a Seam Allowance Guide and Grading Rules. French curves come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Examples  […]