Let's draft the pattern for this trendy top with drawstrings. It is perfect for spring and summer and would look great with a matching skirt.
You can sew it in any lightweight, stretch material as jersey or lycra.
To draft the pattern, start from a copy of your basic block with darts and negative ease (block for knits).
If you wonder how to calculate negative ease or how to create a block that fits perfectly your unique body...We prepared a course on drafting made to measure basic blocks: click here to learn all details!
You can learn our method for drafting perfectly made to measure basic blocks (contoured ones, and the ones with wearing ease) and for fitting them in our basic blocks course/module 1.
Trace a copy of basic block with darts and negative ease for stretch fabrics. The ease is reduced in % according to the amount the fabric stretches.
Draw the underbust line and widen waist dart as a rocket: the underbust to waist section is 3cm wide all the way, while the bust to underbust section is shaped as a classic dart.
You also need a copy of the basic sleeve – remember that sleeves on knits do not need ease at cap.
Get the front and draw the V neckline and the keyhole opening.
Keep the V section slightly rounded (it fits better) and deep to bust height.
Cut on the new lines.
Get front and back and draw the style lines for the separate pieces:
Cut through the lines.
These are the new pieces: one piece for back (on the left) and two pieces for front (on the right side).
On front upper piece, draw a slash line from bust point to neckline. Cut through this line to manipulate the dart volume. Close the previous darts.
On front bottom section, close the dart.
See the front with manipulated darts and the new shaped.
Manipulate also back dart extending it all the way up to the neckline and then taping it close.
On front and back pieces, draw some slash line to add volume for gathers.
On back, draw some evenly spaced slash lines.
On front upper piece, draw a couple of slanted lines from neckline to side seam.
On front lower piece, draw some slanted slash lines from keyhole opening and center front toward side seam.
Cut through all slash lines and spread the pieces.
Space them by 2 to 4cm (depending on the fabric you will be using and on the gathers you like).
Redraw the whole back and front shapes filling the gaps.
Your new pattern is ready! It includes:
Here you can find a video where we sew a similar garment 😉
Can’t wait to see your new drawstring tops!
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