A-line Dress

The following shape A-line dress is a pattern that I developed at school, it is such a comfortable and popular style that I made a thousand times and sold many when I first arrived in London back in the day. 

To create this style, call the basic block 10 into part organise, set the following options to get a shirt blouse shape with a straight side seam.

By double clicking the called block you gain access to the Options menu, here apply display measurements, set CB to centre back fold, side seam outline identical Y (yes) and side seam straight Y (yes), hem direction at side seam at a right angle.

Tolerance:       Bust  100m,        Hip 211mm (to start the a-line shape),      

Across Bust 15mm,  Across Back 15mm. Shoulder dart: closed by dragging the active square down to 0.

Neckline:  front 30mm on CF and 30mm on shoulder. Back shoulder set in 30mm and cb  remains unchanged. Line relocation: lengthen on CB to (860).

Shoulder: relocate shoulder line to the front by 10mm. Hem: curve at CB to 9 degrees

Insert the following 6 parts into Part Organise below Bodice 10. Development, divider line, Front, Back, FF (front facing), BF (back facing).

Part Organise

Insert front and back pattern pieces into the Development part and create style lines.

shoulder dart into side seam on development piece

Front shoulder dart into side seam at 300mm (yes, it's long) from the underarm, you will have to link the side seam before you relocate the dart. The armhole shaping is drawn using curves tool, set direction and insert points to adjust to desired shape. Use curves to create the back armhole and back V-shape to CB. The dress has a 20cm Zip inserted into at CB seam.

Development piece with completed style lines

Draw a line (freehand line from pt to pt) from the front waist dart to the hem to increase the width of the hemline. By using the transformation tool and turn with rotation angle of 10 degrees and a 50mm spread occurs at the hem. Remember to separate the hem at the intersection of line /hemline. To increase the back hemline measurement, draw a line from the underarm to the hem and use the spread tool with 20mm. 

Use parallel tool at 50mm to create guide lines for facing and curve tool to finish shape, tidy up with cut on and separate and delete unwanted lines. I use a dashed line to show facing pattern pieces.

Trace off pattern pieces and complete with seam allowances, text and notches, arrows for darts and grain line.

Completed Pattern _N38

Back with Zip

Front with Impressive Darts

I love a paper pattern its what I grew up with, like peas and carrots and so I drafted one using the Grafis block measurements! Its also a great way to prove the pattern works!

I wouldn't usually use big clothes pegs to pin up my pattern but they were at hand from another craft project so ... Cela Vie!