Fitted Bodice Block
step-by-step
These instructions are a resource to go with the video tutorial, they might not make sense without the video!
1. Draw centre back line on the left of your paper
2. Draw waist line along the bottom
3. Draw centre front line on the right - measure from centre back. (Bust + 2.5cm ease, divided by 2)
4. Draw the side neck line, measure up from the waist. (Back side neck to waist + 0.5cm ease)
5. Draw the front side neck line if your front measures more than your back measurement, measure up from the waist. (Front side neck to waist + 0.5cm ease)
6. Draw the armhole line, measure up from the waist. (Waist to armhole + 0.25cm ease)
7. Measure centre back width to armhole. (Back width + 1cm ease, divide by 2)
8. Back neck drop = 1.5cm
9. Back neck width. (Neck divided by 5, then subtract 0.5cm)
10. Draw in back neck shape
11. Draw in shoulder line down from side neck (top) line. (Measure from side neck line to armhole line, divide by 5, then add 0.5cm)
12. Draw in back shoulder. (Shoulder measurement + 1cm for dart), draw line from neck to meet shoulder line.
13. Find half way point of shoulder line, draw a short line perpendicular to the shoulder line to construct the dart.
14. Draw back shoulder dart, total width 1cm, length apx 5.5cm.
15. Measure from shoulder line to armhole line to find mid point.
16. Draw in top curve of armhole.
17. Find mid point between centre back and back armhole line, draw down to waist.
18. Front neck width, same as back neck width.
19. Front neck drop. (Neck divided by 5, then add 0.5cm)
20. Draw in front neck curve.
21. Measure from neck to armhole line, divide by 3. Measure this amount up from armhole line and draw a short line.
22. Measure centre front width to armhole. (Chest width + dart width, divide by 2). (Click here for dart widths)
23. Square down to armhole line.
24. Find mid point between front and back armhole positions, draw in side seam.
25. Draw in bottom part of armhole.
26. Measure to bust point from waist line. (Waist to bust point + 0.25cm).
27. Measure to bust point from centre front line. (Bust point to point + 0.5cm ease, then divide by 2).
28. Join bust point to front side neck point.
29. Measure dart width across from front neck.
30. Join bust point to left side of dart, make sure the length is the same as the first side of the dart.
31. Draw front shoulder line 1.5cm below back shoulder line.
32. Draw shoulder, (measurement on body) from dart to meet front shoulder line.
33. Complete the armhole curve.
Waist shaping is optional.
34. Subtract waist measurement from bust measurement, divide by 2. This amount is the total you need to shape for the waist, divided between back dart, front dart and side seam. How you position it is down to your body shape.
35. Draw down to waist line from bust point.
36. Work out for your body shape where you want to shape the waist and make dart widths on waist line.
37. Join each of these to the point of the dart on the armhole line for the back dart and side seam, and at the bust point for the front dart.