Start from a basic dress with darts, 8 to 12cm wearing ease at bust circ* and matching sleeve, then start the manipulation for the coat:

• on front and back, raise shoulder points by 0,5cm for a thin shoulder pad and redraw shoulder lines (here in red)
• on front and back, adjust length to 6cm below knee or desired measurement and flare by 5cm at sides, blending to zero at hips
• on front, redraw neckline dropping 0,8cm in center front and draw button stand adding 5 to 6cm past center front
• on sleeve, redraw inseams slightly curved to have a more fitted sleeve, then raise sleeve cap by 0,5cm to match new shoulder lines.

*Our method for drafting perfectly made to measure basic blocks, choosing wearing ease and for fitting them is included in our basic blocks course/module 1.

Now focus on back and front.

On front, find a new point 1,5 or 2cm on the side of bust point, then redraw shoulder dart keeping the original width and ending at this new point. Square down from this point to hemline, and redraw waist dart using the new line as a reference.

On back, square up and down from dart apexes to shoulder and hemline.

Now let’s work shortly on the dress pieces:

• on front, draw a line from original bust point to side seam 4cm below armpit – this is the slash line for manipulating shoulder dart
• on sleeve, draw the new hemline 5 to 7cm below armpit level.