Bodice Front Style 26

The bodice of this garment has style line that runs, on the half-block, from the CF neck, to the Bust Point, then from the BP to the side seam waist. There are no darts; the darts have been incorporated into the style-line. This style will have 2 pattern pieces for the front bodice.

Example: Outcome

Figure B shows the block being used on the left (2-Dart Block), and the pattern that will be created (Style 26) on the right.

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.

Instructions (Style-26) - 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 CF Neck (point A) to the Bust Point
• Draw a line from Bust Point to the waist side seam (point B).

I have marked the points A, B, C, D, E & F on the block to assist in the instructions.  You do not have to write these on your block.  Note that A, B, C, D, E & F relate to the points where the dart leg meets the edge of the block, as shown by the arrow tips. 

Instructions (Style-26) - Figure 2

• Mark the Bust Point by putting your pencil tip through the BP hole.
• Extend the dart leg line F (side seam) 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 (drawn as a red arrow in the image).

Instructions (Style-26) - Figure 3

• Trace the block from the style line point A to dart leg F.
• Trace the block from point B, the new waist design line, to dart leg C.

Instructions (Style-26) - Figure 4

• Holding the block down at the Bust Point so it doesn't slip or slide, pivot the block in a clockwise direction until the side seam dart is closed. (i.e. dart leg E meets the extended line shown in the image as a red arrow).
• Trace around the block from dart leg E in the side seam to dart leg D in the waist.
• You can lift up your block (you should have marked the Bust Point in a previous step) - see Figure 5.

Instructions (Style-26) - Figure 5

• Draw lines from the Bust Point to the edges of the shape you traced from block to complete the pattern piece.  This is pattern piece #1.

Instructions (Style-26) - Figure 6

• Put the block down again, some distance away from the first pattern piece, so there will be enough room on the paper to add seam allowance to each pattern piece.
• Mark the Bust Point for this pattern piece by putting your pencil tip through the BP hole.
• Extend the dart leg line C 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 (indicated by a red arrow in the image).
• Trace the block from the style-line point A to the dart leg C.

Instructions (Style-26) - Figure 7

• Holding down the block at the Bust Point with your pencil, pivot the block in an anti-clockwise direction until the waist dart is closed. (i.e. dart leg D reaches the line at the waist, shown in the image as a red arrow).
• Trace the block from dart leg D to style line point B.
• You can lift up the block (see Figure 8).

Instructions (Style-26) - Figure 8

• Complete the outline of this pattern piece by drawing lines from the Bust Point to the edges of the traced shape.

Instructions (Style-26) - Figure 9

This is the outcome after the dart manipulation.

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

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