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Draped strapless dress

4.5/5

A classic dart manipulation is the one from dart to draped section. This dress is the perfect exercise to practice the technique, since all front darts are turned into an asymmetric volume that ends in a side ruffle.

To draft the pattern, start by tracing a copy of your contoured bodice - you can learn our method for drafting perfectly made to measure basic blocks and for fitting them in our basic blocks course/module 1. You will learn in depth also how to manipulate darts, add volumes and a lot of pattern transformations that will take your pattern making skills to a higher level!

Step 1

Trace a copy of back and full front as the style to be developed is asymmetric.

Draw back neckline from armpit level (or 1cm below it) to center back 2 to 3cm below armpit level. Make sure you have a right angle in center back, then a soft curve upwards to armpit.

Draw front neckline straight in center (dart to dart area), then slanted downward toward side seam. Neckline in center front should be at least 7cm above bust points (we suggest 8 to 19cm above it, make sure the coverage is the one you like by measuring on yourself).

Widen left and right shoulder darts by 1cm at neckline. This helps the neckline to be tighter to chest area.

Step 2

Cut through the new neckline.

Reduce back dart discarding 2cm from center to shape it slightly. Blend the new lines to zero at hipline and reduce 1cm in center back at neckline.

Draw a vertical line on front, 8 to 10cm away from left side seam at waist level. Trace a copy of full front to create the lining/inner layer, then cut through the slash line to separate left and right front.

Step 3

On right front (bigger piece) draw some slash lines:

  • one line starts from right bust point, passes through left bust point and ends into the vertical slash line
  • one line starts from right side seam 10 to 12cm below armpit and ends at vertical slash line 5cm below previous line
  • one more line starts from right side seam at waist level and ends at vertical slash line 5cm below previous line
  • one more slash line is waist line
  • last slash line starts from right side seam 10 to 12cm below waist level and ends at left dart apex.

Cut through all slash lines and tape dart sections closed.

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