Start by drafting your basic dress with darts and zero to negative wearing ease depending on the fabric you will use and the fit you prefer. The construction for dresses with zero and negative ease is included in our basic blocks course/module 2.

Adjust length to mid calf, then mirror front to have it full.

Identify the knot position 2cm on the side of left waist dart and 3cm above waist, then draw 4 seam lines by connecting this point to:

• right side seam at waist
• left side seam 4cm below armpit
• left side seam at waist
• hemline, squaring down from knot to hem.

On each piece (piece=section included in between 2 seam lines), draw 2 slash lines (marked in blue here). All slash lines start from knot point:

• on top piece, lines start from knot and end at bust points
• on left piece, line start from knot and ends on left side seam halfway in it
• on bottom left piece, line starts from knot and ends on left side seam 10cm below hip
• on bottom right piece, one line starts from knot and ends on right side seam 10cm below hip, another line ends at hemline 8 to 10cm before center front.

Cut through the seam lines (red lines) to separate pieces.

Now mark the slit position with a notch on bottom pieces, 20 to 30cm above hemline.

Get top piece and cut through slash lines (blue lines).