Burda Style For people who sew

An alternative method of creating garments to using patterns constructed in standard sizes, is to construct a pattern using custom measurements - this results in a garment with a near-perfect fit. The disadvantage is that all the pattern manipulation must be done by the home sewer. However, a great deal of creative variation is possible from such a custom-made pattern using even minor changes. Here I present a step-by-step method to construct the close-fitting basic bodice block. The term "block" is used to describe a pre-pattern template - additional manipulation is required at the end to generate a pattern (e.g. changing the bust dart, adding seam allowances, etc.). This version of the basic bodice block is used to support the development of the bra pattern posted previously, but can also be used for a variety of other garments. You may also want to look at the companion sleeve how-to. The close-fitting variation has less ease introduced than other blocks.

The process involved is called "drafting", but the term should not cause worry. Each of the steps shall be described in detail so that the beginner can follow the method without previous drafting experience. To follow the steps, you will need a ruler, preferably a transparent ruler about a meter (yard) long, perhaps a smaller ruler, a sharp pencil, and a French curve (although a dinner plate can do in a pinch!). You will also need a calculator, and a set of body measurements.

A word about the body measurements needed. The construction method requires the bust measurement, the waist measurement, the shoulder length, the nape to waist length, the neck size, and the chest width. In addition, the back width is used along with the armscye depth and the bust dart width. However, these latter three measurments may be estimated from the former set of measurements. In fact, using only the bust measurement, the nape to waist length and the neck size, the remainder of the measurements can be estimated. However, the more measurement estimation goes on, the less perfect the resulting bodice block will fit. It is better to use more measurements than less, but the construction process can proceed with less measurements.

Finally, the construction process described will work for standard body types, but may need additional adapting for higher bust sizes (above 45" (115 cm) and large bra cup sizes (D and above).

This block construction method has been adapted from the following reference : Winifred Aldrich, Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear, 5th ed., Blackwell Publishing: Oxford, 2008, 215 pp.

Please note that, as of March 5th, I've made a few relatively minor adjustments to the measurements.

Technique Materials

paper or cardboard, ruler, pencil, calculator, French curve (or dinner plate), set of body measurements, compass (optional)

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20 Comments

• 

  Yesterday, 07.05 PMby Kicchan

  Hello! Thank you so much for this How To, it’s great and very helpful! :) I have a question though… I’m assigned to sew a morning suit for a man who is a bit corpulent, waist quite larger than chest. There are no patterns his size (and my budget wouldn’t allow it anyways). When drafting him a waistcoat, would I use this block, but instead of half his chest size use half his waist size? Or would I have to use a different drafting technique? Thank you in advance. :)
• 

  Aug 31, 2009, 03.43 PMby teodora.godar

  Thank you very much for posting this. I am so hungry for knowledge and to improve my work that I am always happy to see so detailed instruction. Since I did not go to any school for sewing just have experience and exchanged my experience with some experts here and get some good advice,I am always ready for good advice and to learn more,more and more!!!
  Thank you again so much!!!
• 

  Aug 27, 2009, 10.38 PMby ali-krysta

  I’ve tried doing this hoping that It would provide a solution for my small back/large bust situation, but I’m finding it impossible to come up with chest measurements without the front and back pieces overlapping! (is the chest measurement supposed to be horizontal to the ground, my breasts get in the way!? When I measure parallel to the ground I find that my chest measurement is about the same as my bust measurement as my back tapers in quite a bit to my waist) Also I have noticed that my bust point is about 2.5 cm lower than this guide suggests, although I have heard elsewhere that it is normal for those above an F cup. Is anyone here in a similar situation? Any tips?
• 

  Aug 22, 2009, 08.42 PMby rachellemarie

  Thank you for posting this how-to. I have no drafting experience, but I have made a few projects without a pattern or with my own pattern and always enjoy that more than following someone else’s pattern, so I’m very excited to be able to design my own clothes and control the fit.
  I made a bodice block and a toile of it without any trouble. Now I am wondering how to evaluate if the toile fits correctly and if not, how to adjust the block. How loose is it supposed to be? I could fit several fists, if I had more than two, inside at the bust level, and the arm holes gape a bit. I think it would be comfortable for a shirt, but not good for a dress. Should I just take in the seams and darts until it fits and then trace that back onto the block, or start a new bodice block with smaller measurements?
  Thanks!

  2 Replies

  • 

    Aug 28, 2009, 09.47 PMby gedwoods

    I’m not sure how to respond, rachellemarie. If the measurements are right, you shouldn’t need to restart a new block with smaller values – is it possible you added ease into the measurements to begin with? Some people do this with measurements – they add in ease right away – these blocks require that the measurements be “snug” and the ease is added in the drafting process. Also, these blocks are done for a “classic” fit and not a “loose” fit – often different blocks are used for the latter.
    
    If the measurements are right, then you will have to make changes and adjustments to get things to fit. But I would be careful not to put all the changes into one place – these blocks are designed to “average out” shape issues, and hence the adjustments may need small changes in several places to get things to work. A good book on making adjustments would be useful for this – there are several around.

  • 

    Sep 6, 2009, 04.27 PMby rachellemarie

    Thanks. I ended up taking the toile in at the shoulder and side seams, then going back through the steps of the block to try to see what happened. I found that I had made a mistake with the shoulder and correcting that took care of the extra there. Then I also discovered that I needed to use the full size of the waist darts, even though I doubled checked my measurements and the formula said I shouldn’t. I’m still not sure why that was, but the new toile fits very well.
    Again thanks for sharing all your work.

• 

  Aug 2, 2009, 05.29 PMby MrsPost

  I’ve done my share of drafting and I’m trying to follow your instructions but the images have the top portion cut off. That makes it difficult to see everything at the top and that’s where a lot of the action takes place.

  The thumbnail images seem fine, just the ones with each step are cropped.

  Any thoughts?

  1 Reply

  • 

    Aug 28, 2009, 09.41 PMby gedwoods

    Every time I look at the images, they seem fine on my computer. But someone else mentioned this. The trouble is, since they look fine on mine, I’m unsure how to modify them so they work!

• 

  Jul 26, 2009, 09.12 AMby heleneqc

  hello
  have you the same thing in french?
  is how to build a bodice …
  thank you

  1 Reply

  • 

    Aug 28, 2009, 09.40 PMby gedwoods

    I will do a French version – it’s just the text that needs to be adjusted – the hard work is getting the diagrams done. Good idea!

• 

  Jun 15, 2009, 09.30 AMby nightgigjo

  I sketched this up last night at 1/4 scale and enlarged the copy this morning. It looks like it’ll work nicely! I can’t wait to get a mock-up done!
• 

  May 11, 2009, 12.16 AMby pinkflamingo84

  Thank you for this “how to”. I am just an avid home sewer, and I bought the textbook that you are basing your instructions on a while ago. I keep having the same problems though, and I was wondering if you could help me?
  I have relatively broad shoulders, which means that the armhole becomes very narrow. It looks nothing like the book’s diagram, and it just looks wrong! If I measure what I think my shoulders are, they almost overlap on the block.
  Also, the armscye depth seems too short for me, (i’m about an 80cm bust, but very tall), but as this is a fixed depth in the text book, I’m not sure if i’m ‘allowed’ to change it. It almost needs to be about 2cm more than it says! Does that sound really wrong?
  I’m so desperate to be able to do this!
  Any suggestions on how I might fix this?

  3 Replies

  • 

    Aug 28, 2009, 09.37 PMby gedwoods

    Regarding the narrow armhole and the appearance with regard to the presented block – I’ve noticed this on several body types now. Sometimes the block you construct looks very different from the one used to illustrate. Don’t worry about it – the block is right even if it looks wrong!
    
    
    In terms of making adjustments, such as modifying the armscye depth – everything is “allowed” if it works. I have been gaining experience on how to adjust these blocks for individual body types, but it isn’t always obvious! My suggestion is try things and make muslin shells, until you get it right!
    
    
    Another tip is to undo a good fitting garment you have and compare the shape of the pieces to the block shape, and then adjust the block shape towards the undone garment. It’s worth tinkering with the block if this is your own, because once you get it right, it becomes “gold” – it can be adapted ad infinitum and (almost) always will preserve a good fit!

  • 

    Aug 28, 2009, 09.37 PMby gedwoods

    Regarding the narrow armhole and the appearance with regard to the presented block – I’ve noticed this on several body types now. Sometimes the block you construct looks very different from the one used to illustrate. Don’t worry about it – the block is right even if it looks wrong!
    
    
    In terms of making adjustments, such as modifying the armscye depth – everything is “allowed” if it works. I have been gaining experience on how to adjust these blocks for individual body types, but it isn’t always obvious! My suggestion is try things and make muslin shells, until you get it right!
    
    
    Another tip is to undo a good fitting garment you have and compare the shape of the pieces to the block shape, and then adjust the block shape towards the undone garment. It’s worth tinkering with the block if this is your own, because once you get it right, it becomes “gold” – it can be adapted ad infinitum and (almost) always will preserve a good fit!

  • 

    Aug 28, 2009, 09.37 PMby gedwoods

    Regarding the narrow armhole and the appearance with regard to the presented block – I’ve noticed this on several body types now. Sometimes the block you construct looks very different from the one used to illustrate. Don’t worry about it – the block is right even if it looks wrong!
    
    
    In terms of making adjustments, such as modifying the armscye depth – everything is “allowed” if it works. I have been gaining experience on how to adjust these blocks for individual body types, but it isn’t always obvious! My suggestion is try things and make muslin shells, until you get it right!
    
    
    Another tip is to undo a good fitting garment you have and compare the shape of the pieces to the block shape, and then adjust the block shape towards the undone garment. It’s worth tinkering with the block if this is your own, because once you get it right, it becomes “gold” – it can be adapted ad infinitum and (almost) always will preserve a good fit!

• 

  Apr 7, 2009, 10.22 AMby ChanelGreen

  Thank you so much for making this process to accessible and easy to follow. I really appreciate the time you have taken to do this! i have just spent my afternoon drafting my own bodice block, following every step to the T – ( the only slight problem i had was how to take my own chest measurement – i wasnt sure how far to measure to). But apart from that every step was so straight forward and easy to follow! Again, thank you so so much. ;-D

  Chanel
• 

  Mar 28, 2009, 05.53 PMby kimbishopp

  Hi!

  I’d sewn only a skirt from a bought pattern before so had no experience drafting patterns…
  Tonight with some hideous fabric and a couple of zips, I followed your tutorial, constructed the resulting bodice plus section down to my hips. The result was a little bit wide but since you’d explained a few things as you went I realised where I needed to tweak the pattern.
  I cut the next ‘version’ with an A-line skirt extended from the waist-to-hip lines, and the result is the best fitting dress I’ve ever worn and I’m so proud!! Now I can use the redrafted ‘block’ to base new designs for tops and dresses for as long as I remain this shape!!

  Thank you so much for this tutorial, it really has opened up new creative possibilities!

  a delighted Kim
  :D
  

  1 Reply

  • 

    Aug 28, 2009, 09.30 PMby gedwoods

    This is a very late reply to your comment, Kim – I just wanted to highlight the important point you raise… Once you have a block that works, keep it as a template and re-use this as much as you can!

• 

  Mar 17, 2009, 01.16 PMby divawitch

  Hi

  I’m currently doing a fashion design course at college and use this method to construct basic blocks. It looks like a lot of work but as long as you stick to the instructions and pay attention to detail it is relatively straight forward. And it can be altered in so many ways.

  We also have made a sleeve block, trouser block and dress block.

  So far using this block I have made

  Halter neck top
  Halter neck waistcoat
  Boat kneck dress
  asymetric dress.

  Thank you for posting this, it is fab

  Happy sewing.

  Clare
• 

  Mar 15, 2009, 02.19 AMby AestheticWaif

  This is an absolutely awesome How To! Now I just need to get my butt in gear and actually make something from it..! Thanks… :)
• 

  Mar 8, 2009, 02.49 PMby lizzielizard

  This is so cool! Although I have no experience in this what so ever I think I’m going to give it a try. If it goes wrong, then it goes wrong, what’s life without a few failures? :P
• 

  Mar 2, 2009, 08.50 AMby gedwoods

  Of course you are right, IchiGoGirl, and it’s a good point to make. I usually make a toile before finalizing the fitted garment (and its pattern). I’ve done this on about 10 different body types, however, and have never had to do more than relatively minor adjustments. Over a much wider range of body types, I’m sure there will be issues and a greater need for adjustment, however.
• 

  Mar 2, 2009, 06.17 AMby Ichigogirl

  I took a pattern-constructing course along with about ten more, where we made our own bodice-blocks using basically this method (it’s great!). Based on that experience, I’d recommend making a toile and testing the pattern before making a cardboard-one. Since our bodies are so very different, it can create weird effects sometimes (it did for most of us actually), that have to be corrected by testing the pattern. Mark what’s weird/wrong on the toile and then transfer it to the pattern, to make it perfect… :-). I do recommend making one though, it’s the best, and there are some great books with instructions on how to change a bodiceblock to different styles (pattern magic )! Great that you posted the how-to :-)!
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  Feb 25, 2009, 02.05 PMby tattooedkitty

  Thank you so much for putting this together, all your hardwork is definitely appreciated! I’m looking forward to creating my block, not just because I’ve been needing some custom patterns for my own use, but also as a way to learn how to create such things. Thanks!
• 

  Feb 24, 2009, 06.40 AMby anek

  Thanks a lot for uploading this how-to. It’s very useful to see and understand the way patterns are drafted.

  so far I used the sloper pattern uploaded by JJ, because it fits me very well. but I might get in the mood sometime to draft a bodice using my own measurements.
• 

  Feb 23, 2009, 04.46 PMby gedwoods

  You can finish the garment anyway you like – as a button down or as a closed bodice. Note that you will probably have to shift the bust dart to do a finished garment. I will post another “how to” shortly on the required manipulations to do this, when I have recovered from doing this one! It took me nearly 10 hours to put together this how-to. Essentially, the bodice block is a “root template” that you modify to make a whole range of garments, all in your own custom size. You can even construct dresses from this block – the inclusion of the below waist elements is fairly straightforward.
• 

  Feb 23, 2009, 07.19 AMby Grinchy

  Wow! It’ll take a while to do, but it’s definitely worth it! Is the finished bodice closed in the front, or what does it look like? I will definitely try this out.
• 

  Feb 22, 2009, 04.03 PMby MRSJOKER

  I’m sure this works perfectly but too much complicated for me.
  However since I’m kind of a cut,sew,wear it tonight girl I better
  stick to already drafted patterns.
  It looks and reads like you did a lot of work on it and I’m sure that
  a lot of people will be using your how to for a long time