Pattern Drafting

Pattern drafting using notes and close up photographs as reference. 

For the past few days we have been focusing on pattern drafting so as to make a toile.
On Tuesday afternoon we met and went through our notes from the meeting in January. I had recently gone back through my drawings and written everything out again to try and give them more clarity. The time frame between taking the pattern and drafting it was definitely challenging. In the future I will try and make my pattern immediately afterwards whilst it is still fresh in my mind or, if possible, whilst with the original garment.

The aspect of pattern drafting this pattern I found most challenging was trying to recreate the shapes. We had not taken any angles of the pattern pieces and so trying to recreate the curves was difficult and the sleeves, which are irregular trapezium-type shapes, was very hard to match up the measurements to the right shapes.
I think, considering this, we have created a good pattern. We decided that we would toile it up and in the fitting adjust the lines to be accurate, as there was little way of us then knowing. We left 5cm for all seams initially, so as to leave extra space for adjustment as we were unsure how the 2d pattern pieces would relate to a 3d garment

Yoke 

I am most unsure about the yoke. It was hard to measure because it was lined on the inside differently and therefore we are unsure about the length of the neck. Also the curves may need adjusting to create a pleasing shape when on.

Front panel 

This is the front panel, with the CF on the right. We were unsure about the angle in which the front should match to the yoke as in out photos it is almost perpendicular from the sleeve. This meant that the shape of the armhole became quite peculiar. It is the right size but in quite an unnatural shape and is something we will work on in the fitting.

Back Panel (CB on left)

The back is a large rectangle that will be gathered at the top to the yoke with cartridge pleats. It also has a 40cm dart in the corner from the armhole, which is 1cm deep.

Sleeve 'wing'

Back sleeve

Hanging sleeve

 The curves on the sleeves were probably the hardest to recreate. They were tricky to measure as the corner of the back sleeve wraps underneath  the wing to join it and I found that hard to visualise.
The hanging sleeve was surprisingly irregular to draft. I found a pattern in Friendship's pattern drafting book which we used for inspiration on this sleeve (will put in a later post)

(NOTE: For further information on the patterns, including measurements and photos please see my workbook)