Bodice Front Style 37

The bodice of this garment has a gathered waist. Since all the gathering is in the waist, it makes sense to use the 1-Dart Block.  There is no need for dart manipulation; just some minor adjustments to the outline. Gathering is one of the dart-equivalents; you need the dart value to create the shaping, the dart value is converted to gathers.

Example: Outcome

Figure 1 shows the block being used on the left (1-Dart Block), and the pattern that will be created (Style 37) on the right.

Note: The actual pattern would need seam allowance or cutting instructions added; this has not been done here we are just covering the theory of manipulating darts.

Instructions (Style-37) – Figure 1

Note that in the instructions, color is used for emphasis, so it can be seen more easily, particularly in the current step.  You will be using a hard (4H-6H pencil).

• Trace the block onto your paper.  You do not need to trace the dart value line, shown in red.
• Mark the Bust Point.
• Lift up your block (see Figure 2).

Instructions (Style-37) – Figure 2

• Join the existing lines with a smooth curve (shown by the blue line).
• Mark the gather in the method you prefer.
• Of course if this was a pattern, you would need to also mark cutting instructions, pattern piece number, number of pattern pieces, etc.