Draft Yourself a Block

What on earth is a block? Think of blocks like a plain cake recipe, a template for a specific type of garment like a dress that can then be used to new designs or recipes! Blocks have no fullness or design details. There are specific blocks for different garment types, so select the one that suits your project: for example, you wouldn’t draft a T-shirt block if you wanted a fitted dress! Blocks are used in the garment industry as every brand or company uses a block based around the average measurements of their customers. This is why there is so much difference in the fit of ready-to-wear clothes between shops! Haute Couture fashion is created from blocks, drafted for each customer, using personal measurements. All drafting systems, including ‘freehand’ methods, involve inputting a series of measurements into a template or formula.

The Best Books for Pattern Drafting

There are many, many books and tutorials on pattern drafting. Ones we’ve tried and tested are Metric Pattern Cutting by Dr Winfred Aldrich, Pattern Cutting And Making Up by Martin Shoben and Pattern Cutting (Portfolio Skills) Dennic Chunman Lo.

Make a toile

The most important step is to make up a toile from your block, before you start making any pattern modifications. It’s rare that the first draft of any block system will be a perfect fit, as you can see in the photos from one of my recent tests. I used the exact measurements of my mannequin to draft this bodice block, yet there are still some fitting tweaks to be made.
Once you’ve transferred all your fitting adjustments onto your block, you’ll need to trace off a fresh copy.

Build a basic drafting kit

You’ve probably got some basics like a tape measure, pencil etc in your regular sewing kit. It’s easy to go crazy buying tools and gadgets, so here are my essentials.

1. Pattern paper - While it’s absolutely possible to use newspaper or wrapping paper to make patterns, dot and cross paper will really make the process much easier! The lines of dots and crosses mean you can easily draw vertical or horizontal draft lines.

2. Pattern master or dressmaker’s ruler - Pattern drafting requires you to draw curved and straight lines, and this tool is a mega multi-tasker! Not only does it provide straight and curved edges, it has right angled corners, and guides to add seam allowances!

3. French curves - These clever tools offer a full range of curves you can use if your freehand curves are a little shaky.

4. Long point tracing wheel - You may well already own a serrated tracing wheel, but the sharper, needle points on this style work much better on paper. It’s useful for marking through layers of paper when they’ve been folded, for example in a dart. The sharp points leave lines of holes that can be marked with a pencil once the paper is unfolded.

Pattern adjustments

Working on another copy of your block, you can now begin to play! The basic principle of block transformation is the manipulation or re-positioning of the darts. You can also eliminate them entirely without affecting the overall fit. Pattern adaptations to your block are done either by the ‘slide and pivot’, or the ‘slash and cut’ method. My preference has always been slashing and cutting, so I can really see the changes I’m making.

This bodice block has had the darts converted into a princess seam, a flattering curved shape that looks very different to the original.

In this second example, a sleeve block has been slashed and spread apart to add fullness that can then be gathered back into a cuff.

Adapting your block into a design or style will need practice, but there’s load of great classes available as well as advice on offer in books and online tutorials. Commercial patterns also make a great starting point for manipulation if you’ve already nailed the fit.

The best tip I can give would be to be brave and dive right in making some patterns. Happy sewing!

FREE RUFFLED DRESSING GOWN PATTERN DRAFTING TUTORIAL

This month's featured Sewing Designer of the Month, Elisalex de Castro Peake, has shared her tutorial to draft your own luxurious dressing gown! You can use this to get to grips with the basics of pattern-drafting before you move on to the more complex shapes.

Read our Masterclass: How to Grade Up A Dressmaking Pattern