Burda Style For people who sew

Along with the drafting blocks for a bodice ("http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/constructing-the-basic-bodice-block"), dress ("http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/drafting-a-princess-line-dress-pattern-from-the-basic-bodice-block"), and trousers ("http://www.burdastyle.com/techniques/constructing-the-basic-trouser-block"), a block for a skirt represents a rather straightforward use of the approach, as the adjustments for different measurements are relatively simple. Of course, once a basic skirt shape has been found, a vast variety of variations can be constructed.

Technique Materials

As for the other drafting techniques, you'll need large sheets of paper (I use large newsprint blocks of the cheapest quality), a pencil and eraser, a yard or meter ruler, a smaller ruler, a square and a "French curve" that can be replaced by sliding a dinner plate along, to produce a nice smooth curve. A calculator is useful, in addition. You will also need a set of body measurements (waist, hips, and waist-to-hip distance), and waist-to-knees distance. The latter is necessary only to determine the length of the dress. This block construction method has been adapted from the following excellent reference : Winifred Aldrich, Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear, 5th ed., Blackwell Publishing: Oxford, 2008, 215 pp.

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4 Comments

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  Jan 31, 2011, 09.51 AMby melibli

  Thank you so much for this how-to! I made a skirt following this and I am totally happy with the result!

  1 Reply

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    Jan 31, 2011, 04.16 PMby gedwoods

    If you upload the skirt to the Projects, could you give a pointer here to the result? I’m sure others would like to see how tutorial leads to results, and I’m curious for sure!

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  Jun 24, 2010, 06.02 PMby woman

  oo this is exactly what i’ve been looking for! will try it out soon, thanks so much for this! :D
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  May 26, 2010, 12.44 PMby vanee

  thank you sir for showing us how to draft patterns, i find it very interesting and i’m trying it

  i would like to know if you can show us also how to draft bridesmaid dresses like mermaid dresses, and also suits, working clothes.

  thank you for your help

  1 Reply

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    May 26, 2010, 01.45 PMby gedwoods

    Actually, Vanee, bridesmaid dresses will actually involve a variation on the basic bodice block. If you look at my Technique on constructing a princess line dress from the basic bodice block, you’ll see instructions on how to transform the bodice block into a dress. There’s nothing to stop you from lengthening the dress shown – I did a short dress, but you would lengthen it before adding flare, and that will take you very close to a bridesmaid dress in a fairly simple format. You will need to elaborate and innovate further to get close to the final design you will need. For suits and working clothes, between my 8 blocks now published, by adapting these suitably, you should be able to construct most such garments. If you look at my “Make It” projects, I show several ways of adapting blocks to get finished garment designs – these are for my designs, but the same principles apply to developing any other design.

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  Apr 16, 2010, 02.44 PMby nhouse

  Hey!

  Thanks so much for the skirt sloper “how-to”. I used it last night. It was super easy to follow. I love the end result. I can’t wait to make a skirt with it. I will credit you when I do. I am also going to use your other sloper instructions to make others. Thanks a bunch.

  1 Reply

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    Apr 16, 2010, 03.25 PMby gedwoods

    Can’t get much better than that! Thanks for the feedback!