Bodice Front Style 16

The bodice of this garment has an angular style-line (or design line) that goes from the armhole to the Bust Point and the BP to the waist.

Style-lines are one of the dart equivalents.

Starting with the 2-Dart Bodice Block, it requires the same dart manipulation as Style 11. (i.e. Starting with the 2-Dart Block, and pivoting the side seam dart into the armhole).

The difference between this style and Style 11 is:

• it has no darts, as the darts are incorporated into the style-line
• this style will have 2 pattern pieces rather than 1, as the style-line crosses from one edge to another through the Bust Point, and allows the bodice to be divided

Note that this style is also very similar to Style 20, the Armhole Princess Line Style.  The only difference between 17 & 20 is that style 16 keeps the original angular lines to and from the BP, whereas the Princess Line (Style 20) is curved.

Example: Outcome

Figure 1 shows Style 11 on the left and style 16 on the right

Note: The actual pattern would need some further work (e.g. rounding the sharp corner at the Bust Point) plus seam allowance and cutting instructions added, etc.  This has not been done as here we are just covering the theory of manipulating darts.

Style-16 – Note

These pages are meant to cover dart manipulation, and as such are not meant to cover other steps needed to finish off the pattern piece.  However, I will just note the following:

• Although this is an angular design, a small amount will probably still need to be taken off the sharp corners of the pattern pieces near the Bust Point (see No.1. in the image).
• This will make the adjoining pattern piece seam lengths (orange lines) different lengths, as more will have to be rounded from PP#2 than PP#1.  As the seam lengths need to match, this requires an adjustment. You will need to add a little to the length of PP#2 by extending the line below the waist.  (see No.2. in the image).
• Then you will need to redraw the waistline, blending into the new lowered waist point.

As this is not shown here in step-by-step detail here, if this is not clear, refer to the information on the Princess Line in the Elements > Style-lines Pages for step-by-step instructions.  The amount you are taking off for this Style (style 16) will not be the same as for the Princess Line style (since that is more rounded), but the principle – i.e. checking the length of adjoining seams and making the necessary adjustments – is the same.