Into My World of Draping...Part 1

A friend recently told me I ought to do a post on draping.  So I'll try. :P  I'll also try to not write so much, but I tend to get carried away pretty easily! :O Hee.

So to begin.

You will need: Fabric (muslin, cheap sheets, or something similar), a pencil or piece of chalk, the dress form, your body, or the body of your friend. If you are draping the back of a garment on yourself...you will either need a dress form or a trustworthy person.

You'll take your person, or your dress form, and "drape" your fabric over it.  Like so.

the green ghost

 Then you will pin the fabric to your person or your dress form.  (If you are draping on yourself, or on a person, make sure you are wearing a TIGHT fitting shirt or cami to pin to.  Nothing will happen to this shirt. (unless you accidentally cut it :P)) Pin the fabric smooth, and if you are draping something around the neck area, like a yoke in this demonstration, you'll need to cut off some of the excess fabric, and possibly slit the neck. Like so.

 Then you will take your chalk or pencil (beware that pencil doesn't always wash out.  If you're just doing this for the pattern, no biggie.  But if it's the real thing...chalk is better :D) and mark where you want the arm hole, shoulder seam, side seam, neckline, etc.  (oh, and if you are using chalk, it will write better if you lick the end of it.  If you don't want to lick the chalk, you can keep a little cap of water on the table and dip in there every now and then)

 After you've drawn your lines, cut the piece out.  You can either add seam allowance now, or wait until you draw your tissue pattern.  But DON'T FORGET! :)

 You may find it a bit uneven if it's a piece like this, so what I do is fold it in half, and then cut off the excess.

And if it's a piece like a bodice front, I will make the pattern so you lay it on the fold, when I make the pattern.

 And to finish, you lay tissue paper over your cloth pattern, and trace it over.  You can add tips for yourself to remember later, as well as grain lines and other such things found on normal patterns if you wish.  If you haven't added seam allowance, this is the time to do it.

Even if you drape, you will more than likely have to tweak.  You can mark these changes on your pattern pieces.  But that's it! :) I hope this was helpful!

I'll do another post on how to drape something with darts, or pleats/gathers later.

~Theresa :)