Bodice Front Style 14

Design shown on a croquis; design in 3D — Figure A: Style 14 shown on a croquis (3D version of the design)

The bodice of this garment has two darts; one in the mid neckline and one in the waist. Using our two-dart block, we will pivot the side seam into the mid-neck and leave the waist dart as is.

Example: Outcome

Figure B shows the starting point (the block) and the outcome (the final flat pattern after the dart manipulation).

The focus of these instructions is covering the theory and practice of manipulating darts and the exercise finishes after the dart manipulation has been done. For production ready patterns you would need to take further steps to add seam allowance, pattern labels, pattern piece numbers, the grainline, etc.

Final flat pattern after dart manipulation; design in 2D — Figure B: Style 14, final 2D flat pattern

Instructions (Style-14) - Figure 1

In these images I have used color for emphasis only. Use a hard pencil (4H-6H) when hand drafting patterns.

Draw the new design line on your block; from the mid-neck to the Bust Point (not the Dart Point!).

Draw new design line on the block — Style 14, Instructions Figure 1

Instructions (Style-14) - Figure 2

Holding the block firmly in place so that it doesn't move, trace around the block in a clockwise direction from the design line you drew (marked A on the image) to the first side seam dart leg (marked E).

Trace part of the block — Style 14, Instructions Figure 2

Instructions (Style-14) - Figure 3

Mark the Bust Point and the Waist Dart point by putting your pencil tip through the BP hole and the Waist Dart hole.
Extend the dart leg line (E) out past the block. To make sure the line true, use a ruler to line up the Bust Point and the dart leg on the edge of the block, and continue that line beyond the block onto the paper (the red line shown in the image).

Mark dart legs — Style 14, Instructions Figure 3

Instructions (Style-14) - Figure 4

Holding the block down at the Bust Point, pivot the block anti-clockwise until the side seam dart is closed. (Dart leg D reaches the extended line you drew in the last step - the red line).

Rotate block to close the side seam dart — Style 14, Instructions Figure 4

Instructions (Style-14) - Figure 5

Making sure the block doesn't move, finish tracing the remainder of the block from D to A.

Continue tracing block — Style 14, Instructions Figure 5

Instructions (Style-14) - Figure 6

Draw the new dart legs from the Bust Point to points A1 and A1. (They should be the same length, but check to make sure).
Finish off the dart, remembering that the Dart Point stops some distance before the Bust Point.

If you are unsure about how to finish off the dart, see the pages on Finishing off Darts,which gives a few step-by-step examples.

Draw the dart legs in the new pattern — Style 14, Instructions Figure 6

Instructions (Style-14) - Figure 7

This is the final pattern after the dart manipulation is finished. (See Figure 8 for a final note).

If this was a production ready pattern, you would need to label the pattern piece, add seam allowance, cutting instructions, grainline, note the pattern piece number and the total number of pattern pieces, etc.

Finished flat pattern — Style 14, Instructions Figure 7

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