Draft the pattern starting from a dress block with zero to 2cm wearing ease at waist and hip circumferences.*

Adjust length to 20cm above knee or desired measurement (full length would also look great and perfect for ceremonies) – see red line.

Highlight or draw underbust line (marked in blue here), then drop 2cm in center back and draw skirt upper line, shaping it slightly. On front, drop 3 to 4cm at waist dart and draw the skirt upper line shaping it as an underbust wire (see purple line). I suggest quite flat curves, and a narrow peak in center front.

*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 draw the panels starting from center back:

• first line is parallel to center back and 2 to 2,5cm from it
• one more line is 8 to 12cm from the previous
• one more small section 4 to 6cm wide
• and automatically you get back last section, which ends at side seam.

Erase original back dart and draw 2 smaller ones where the blue dots are – so 3 of the panels will be slightly shaped at waist.

Move to front, and start from center:

• first line is parallel to center front and 2 to 2,5cm from it
• one more line is 8 to 10cm from the previous one
• one more small section 4 to 6cm wide
• and automatically you get front last section, ending at side seam.

Erase original front waist dart and draw 2 smaller ones where the blue dots are – so those panels will be slightly shaped at waist.

Trace all panels separately – notice where the shape coming from dart manipulation is – I highlighted it with blue arrows in this image.

Make sure to label pieces not to misplace them 😉