FLARED Skirt - Parlez Vous French Pattern Drafting? Moulage Class Pay Off

   
The second of three skirt drafts, I leaned about in the French Pattern Drafting/Moulage class I took from Lynda Maynard.

To create a flared skirt from a sloper. This example shows a back sloper. The changes are the same for both front and back.

* A - In the beginning, it's like what we did drafting the straight skirt * 

 First, trace a new copy of each sloper piece, back and front,  on your pattern paper of choice.

Second, Cut away above* the Waist Balance Line

*Leave some seam allowance above that waist balance line. You may want to face the skirt waist or you may want to add a waistband. Better to leave a little extra for now....

Third, Extend down 26"** from the Waist Balance Line at Center Front 

** 26" was suggested by Lynda, maybe a longer or shorter length works for you. Play around with your muslin version. I measured a knee length skirt I made last summer, and this length was about right for me. 

* B - Now... the pattern changes from what we did for the straight skirt *

Fourth,  
i. Cut down one of the dart legs (red dots)
ii. Cut UP from the hemline to just below where you cut the dart leg, leaving a hinge point there

 

                                                                          

Fifth,  Move the cut dart leg over beneath or on top of the other dart leg. This opens up an area in the skirt. You may choose to leave a bit of the dart in place, if you want less of a flare. Tape your dart legs together.

 Sixth, i. Cut a piece of tissue that would fill in behind the newly opened part of the skirt pattern with paper. This is the insertion. Then add another 1/4" to the insertion.

ii. Create an extension that is the same size as the original insertion.  Tape your insertion and extension onto the back of your pattern.

Seventh - Make a nice new pattern piece with no tape. You may want to go ahead and add seam allowances to the new pattern. Since I draft my patterns from my sloper, it doesn't have seam allowances already. A 1" seam allowance is great, the first time you draft a pattern. It gives you a lot of wiggle room. 

Don't forget to date your new pattern pieces. You'll be glad you did.

STRAIGHT SKIRT: Parlez Vous French Pattern Drafting - Moulage Class Pay Off

                                                                
The first of three skirt drafts, I leaned about in the French Pattern Drafting/Moulage class I took from Lynda Maynard.

To create a straight skirt from a sloper. This example shows a back sloper. The changes are the same for both front and back.

First, trace a new copy of each sloper piece, back and front,  on your pattern paper of choice.

Second, Cut away above* the Waist Balance Line

*Leave some seam allowance above that waist balance line. You may want to face the skirt waist or you may want to add a waistband. Better to leave a little extra for now....

Third, Extend down 26"** from the Waist Balance Line at Center Front 

** 26" was suggested by Lynda, maybe a longer or shorter length works for you. Play around with your muslin version. I measured a knee length skirt I made last summer, and this length was about right for me.

Fourth, Extend out 3/4 of an inch from the side seam at the hem

And Finally grade back up from the extended hem to the full hem balance line. If you (instead) draw the side seam straight, the skirt will read as a pegged skirt and not a straight skirt line.

Holiday Crafternoon Tea - Finished my Beaded Cap (Terminado!)

First Marilyn made us a lovely festive tea! Doesn't she set a lovely table? And then we watched "Miracle on 34'th Street" (the original with Natalie Woods and Maureen O'Hara of course!), and worked on our craft projects together. OK, we also talked non-stop.

 I finished beading my faux-tapestry cap. You remember it? That's the project I started in Vancouver. I talked about sights, sounds and sewing inspiration in Vancouver in my (Episode 26) November, Enchanted By Sewing audio/podcast. You can find out more about that episode and listen right on the web, or download it to your mobile device, by clicking on the show notes at http://enchantedbysewing.blogspot.com/2014/11/ench-by-sew-026-embellishment-via.html.