How to Draft a Simple Blouse Pattern
Creating your own blouse pattern is a rewarding experience, allowing you to tailor a garment perfectly to your body and style. This guide will walk you through drafting a simple, basic blouse pattern using your own measurements.
Materials
- Paper: You'll need a large sheet of paper, such as butcher paper or brown wrapping paper.
- Pencil: Use a sharp pencil for precise drawing.
- Ruler: A ruler is essential for accurate measurements.
- Measuring tape: For taking your own body measurements.
- Scissors: For cutting out your pattern pieces.
Taking Measurements
- Bust: Measure around the fullest part of your bust, keeping the tape measure level.
- Waist: Measure around the narrowest part of your waist.
- Hip: Measure around the fullest part of your hips, keeping the tape measure level.
- Shoulder: Measure from the top of one shoulder to the top of the other shoulder, across the back.
- Back Length: Measure from the base of your neck (where the collarbone meets the shoulder) to the desired length of your blouse.
- Front Length: Measure from the base of your neck to the desired length of your blouse, following your natural body curve.
- Armhole: Measure from the top of your shoulder to the top of your arm, keeping the tape measure close to the body.
- Sleeve Length: Measure from the top of your shoulder to your desired sleeve length.
Drafting the Pattern
-
Front Pattern:
- Start with a rectangle: Draw a rectangle with the following dimensions:
- Width: Bust measurement / 2 + 2 inches (for ease)
- Height: Front length
- Mark the neckline: From the top center of the rectangle, mark down 1/2 inch for the neckline depth.
- Create the neckline: Draw a curved line from the 1/2 inch mark to the sides of the rectangle, creating the neckline shape.
- Mark the bust dart: Mark the point 1/4 of the bust measurement from the center of the rectangle. Mark a point below this point on the neckline, about 1/2 inch down. This will be the dart point.
- Draw the dart: Connect the bust point and the dart point with a straight line. This is the dart.
- Create the side seam: Draw a curved line from the bottom of the dart to the bottom right corner of the rectangle.
- Mark the armhole: Measure 1/4 of the armhole measurement from the top of the shoulder line. Mark this point.
- Create the armhole: Draw a curved line from the armhole mark to the side seam, creating the armhole shape.
- Start with a rectangle: Draw a rectangle with the following dimensions:
-
Back Pattern:
- Start with a rectangle: Draw a rectangle with the following dimensions:
- Width: Bust measurement / 2 + 2 inches (for ease)
- Height: Back length
- Mark the neckline: From the top center of the rectangle, mark down 1/2 inch for the neckline depth.
- Create the neckline: Draw a curved line from the 1/2 inch mark to the sides of the rectangle, creating the neckline shape. Make it slightly wider than the front neckline.
- Create the side seam: Draw a straight line from the bottom left corner of the rectangle to the top of the armhole.
- Mark the armhole: Measure 1/4 of the armhole measurement from the top of the shoulder line. Mark this point.
- Create the armhole: Draw a curved line from the armhole mark to the side seam, creating the armhole shape.
- Start with a rectangle: Draw a rectangle with the following dimensions:
-
Sleeve Pattern:
- Start with a rectangle: Draw a rectangle with the following dimensions:
- Width: Sleeve circumference / 2 + 1 inch (for ease)
- Height: Sleeve length
- Round the sleeve: Gently curve the top and bottom edges of the rectangle to create a slightly rounded shape.
- Start with a rectangle: Draw a rectangle with the following dimensions:
Transfer and Cut
- Trace your pattern: Trace your drawn pattern pieces onto your fabric. Use a pencil or tracing wheel.
- Cut out: Carefully cut out your pattern pieces, leaving seam allowances around the edges.
Additional Tips
- Ease: Add extra inches to your measurements for comfort and ease of movement.
- Adjustments: Always try on your first muslin or toile to make adjustments before cutting your final fabric.
- Fabric: Experiment with different fabrics to find what works best for your blouse design.
Once you've successfully drafted and cut your pattern, you can follow standard sewing techniques to construct your blouse. Enjoy the satisfaction of creating your own unique piece of clothing!