Drafting the Bodice Back - Tutorial

As my ModCloth Ripoff series has started, There are a few basic things that you will need to be able to follow along with me.  Half of this stuff I'll make up as I go along, but if I can make it work, then anyone can.

Materials needed:

Yard stick or long clear ruler (mine's 18 inches)

French Curves (a dinner plate can work in some places)

Pencil and Eraser

Wrapping Paper*

Measurements (tutorial here)

*I use wrapping paper because it's wide enough that I can do my front and back blocks side by side, but it's also helpful to use wrapping paper because printer paper won't be long enough or wide enough to accommodate the widths we're working with.*

This is the tutorial for drafting the basic Back Bodice pattern or block. 

Measurements Needed:

Wide Back - Full Back Length - Center Back Width - Center Back Length - Shoulder Length - Back Waist - Side - Across Upper Back - Dart Start

1. Draw a rectangle with the width equal to your wide back measurement divided by two plus 1/4 inch and the length equal to your full back length measurement plus 1/4 inch. Label the left edge "Center Back."

2. Along the upper edge, measure over from the center back along your Center Back Width measurement and mark with a dot.  Mark another dot 2 inches below the first dot and label it "A." Along the center back edge, measure up from the lower edge your Center Back Length measurement plus 1/4 inch, mark a dot and label it "C."

3. Draw a line the length of your Shoulder Length measurement, connecting dot A to the upper line.  Mark a dot where the lines meet and label it "B." With a French Curve or other curved object to draw the back neckline (Try to make the shape close to what I have drawn).  Make sure that where the line meets dot C is at a square angle.

4. Divide your Back Waist measurement in half and add 11/4 inch.  Mark a dot along the lower edge from the center back with this number, label it "D."

5. Draw a line the length of your Side measurement connecting dot D to the right edge. Label this for E.  Measure up 1/4 inch from the lower edge at the center back and mark it with a dot labeled "F." Connect dot F to dot D.

6. Measure from dot C to dot F and divide this measurement by four.  Mark a dot this distance down from dot C along the center back and label it "G."

7. Divide your Across Upper Back measurement in half and add 1/4 inch.  Draw a perpendicular line from dot G this length.  This line is known as the HBL or Horizontal Balance Line.  Mark the end of this line with an "H." Using a french curve or other curved object to connect dots A, H and E to form the back half of the armhole.

8. Mark dot "I" along the lower edge, measuring out the distance of your Dart Start measurement from the center back.  Measure out another 11/2 inch from dot I and mark for "J." Then mark the midpoint of dots I and J.

9. Draw a temporary perpendicular line from the center back line to dot E.  Draw another line vertically form the midpoint of dots I and J to the first temporary line.

10. Measure down 1 inch from the top of the midpoint line and mark with dot "K."  Connect dots K and J to create a dart leg, measure this line and create another dart leg the same length between K and I, redrawing the line between F and I if necessary. True the dart like in the final 3 pictures of the Bodice Front Tutorial.

Next: Drafting the Sleeve.