2. ⢠Draping is an important part of fashion
design.
⢠It is the process of positioning and pinning
fabric onto a dress or tailorâs dummy, to
develop the more fluid structure.
⢠It is used particularly in haute couture.
3. Why is Draping
Useful?
⢠Draping is used to achieve the desired
pattern through the first-hand
manipulation of fabric, providing the
opportunity to sculpt and create one-of-
a-kind designs, which is why draping is
a technique used primarily when making
couture and high-end pieces.
⢠It is very important skill for fashion
designers.
4. ⢠itâs common for designers to create garments
based solely on flat pattern-making techniques,
draping brings the process into the third
dimension, allowing even more creative freedom.
⢠Also, some fabrics just plain need to be
experimented with on a dress form in order to
know for sure how they behave.
⢠Itâs possible to begin the process with a design
sketch and drape according to that image, but
you can also start designing right then and there
with the dress form, letting the ideas flow.
5. Draping can be
approached in 2 ways
mainly
1. Planned way of draping â based
on reference image / sketch
2. Spontaneous draping -
driven by the weight and
fall of the fabric
6. Definition
Draping is a technique used to make a
3-dimensional dress pattern, with the
aid of a dress form figure by pinning
and placing fabric against the form to
create a garment.
8. ⢠Apex
⢠Highest point of a bust on a dress form or live model.
Reference point for establishing the cross-grain
position on the front bodice
⢠Balance
⢠The matching of grains and adjacent pattern sections
9. ⢠Bias
⢠A line diagonally across the grain of the fabric
that offers the considerable amount of
stretch ability.
⢠True bias means at a 45degree angle.
10. ⢠Blend
⢠A technique that helps to form a
smooth, continuous line.
⢠smoothly shapes variation of arks
or dots made on the muslin fabric
drape.
11. ⢠Smoothing angular lines or transition lines on
a pattern to ensure smooth curves for sewing.
⢠In the example below: When creating a
Princess Line design line, the sharp dart points
need to be changed to smooth curves.
12. ⢠The Princess Line (armhole) seam
drawn in red on the Bodice Back block.
13. ⢠The red dotted lines show the blending that is
required to remove the points and create
smooth curves for joining the seams.
⢠Note: The side piece has the red dotted line
extending past the original waistline. This is
because the seams lengths need to match.
You should "walk the seams" after the
blending is done, to check the length.
⢠A small amount needs to be added to the side
pattern piece so that the seam lengths are
equal.
14. Balance
⢠Balance refers to the "hang" of the garment. If
a garment is balanced, it will hang straight,
rather than twisting or having folds.
⢠When creating patterns, one need to do the
following, to make sure your pattern will be
balanced:
⢠correctly mark the pattern grain on the
pattern pieces use notches as balance
points to assist in the construction process,
and ensure that adjoining pattern pieces
match (in length and shape)
15. ⢠Blocking
⢠A technique to shape fabric by
puling and dealing it on grain
while pressing it with steam
ironing process.
⢠A bock is a master pattern.
⢠It is also known as sloper.
16. ⢠Blocks generally have no
design features other than
what is required for fitting.
⢠A Block is usually made
from a thin cardboard, not
paper, so that the
patternmaker can trace
around it to create patterns.
⢠The Basic Block or Sloper Set
consists of seven pieces:
Bodice Front, Bodice Back,
Sleeve, Skirt Front, Skirt
Back, Pants Front and Pants
Back.
17. Empire Line
⢠A dress style where the
bodice ends, and the skirt
begins just under the bust.
18. Princess line
⢠A dress or top with a seamline
that runs from the armhole to
the hem, or the shoulder and
the hem, where the bust and
waist darts are incorporated
into this seam.
19. Truing
⢠Checking that adjoining pattern pieces
match and any curve that continues
from one piece to the next needs to be
a smooth curve.
⢠When making Blocks or Patterns, the
adjoining pieces need to be checked
against each other; lines that are sewn
together need to be the same length,
such as side seams and the shoulder
line. Curves that cross over pattern
pieces, such as the armhole or the
neckline, need to flow smoothly rather
than be angular.
20. Examples
Bodice Block: Truing the Side Seam and
the Armhole
⢠When making a personalized Bodice
Block, you need to check that the
side seams are the same length on
the front and back.
⢠Line the side seams up from the
armhole.
⢠Make a mark on the Bodice Back
Block where it lines up to the Front
Bodice Block side seam dart.
22. ⢠Mannequin marking
terms:
1.SH-shoulder line
2.NB-neck band
3.Armhole/Armscye
4.PL-princess line
5.Apex/BP-bust point
6.BL-bust line
7.CF-center front
8.SS-side seam
9.WL-waistline
10.HBL-Horizontal
balance line
HBL
24. Body forms
⢠Body forms are very useful for draping and patternmaking.
⢠A criterion identical of a human upper and lower torso, set
on a movable, height- adjustable stand.
-To measure and setup the sloper or master pattern.
-To establish an original pattern.
-To form a garment from fabric.
-To fit sample garments as per dress form sizes.
-To alter the garments.
-To establish hemline on garments.
⢠Model form (dress form)is available in a range of standard
sizes, heightand figure types; according to measurements
of a particular size and type of figure.
25.
26. Muslin:
⢠An inexpensive fabric, on which the grain and
cross grain are quite visible.
⢠Used to drape garments made of woven goods.
27. ⢠Pin Cushion or Pin Dispenser: A sewing tool that keeps pins
organized in a convenient place.
⢠Scissors and Shears: Shears are usually four-to eight inches
long and made of steel Bent-handled shears are excellent
for easy and straight cutting.
⢠Straight Pins: dressmaker pins with sharp tapering points
that will not rust are used to anchor muslin or fabric to the
dress form while draping.
28. Style Tape
⢠A narrow, woven tape that is used to
define style lines on the dress form.
29. ⢠Tailorâs Chalk: A small piece of chalk, approximately 1 â/2â
square, with two tapered edges. It is used to mark lines
temporarily on garment hems and other alteration points.
⢠Tape Measure: A flexible, narrow, firmly woven, 60-inch
reversible tape marked with measurements indicating both
inches and metric terms used to take dress form, muslin,
and body measurements.
⢠Tracing Wheel: A sharp, spike edged circular wheel with a
handle that is used to transfer markings from the drape to
the pattern paper.
⢠Yardstick: A wooden or metal ruler one yard in length (36
inches) that is marked in inches or metric terms, An aid for
laying pattern pieces on the straight grain of the fabric or
for measuring hemlines.
30. Pencils and Markers
⢠pencils used in developing muslin patterns.
⢠Used to mark the points
32. ⢠French Curve
⢠A French curve is used to draw
curves at the armhole, neckline,
curved darts, sleeve cap curves,
and hipline curve, etc. They are
transparent and some come with a
straight edge including a Seam
Allowance Guide and Grading
Rules.
⢠French curves come in a variety of
sizes and shapes.
33. Muslin Preparation
⢠The first round of fashion draping is usually done
with muslin, an inexpensive, loosely-woven
cotton fabric that comes in several different
weight varieties.
⢠This allows you to figure out any design or fitting
issues that you might have before you start to cut
the fabric you intend to use.
⢠If you already have a final fabric in mind, do some
research before you begin draping to find a
specific weight of muslin that will fall and fold just
like the fabric that you will use in the finished
garment.
35. ⢠Slashing
⢠The clipping of muslin or fabric towards the pinned
perimeter of the area being draped to relieve fabric
tension and facilitate subsequent draping procedure.
⢠Marking
⢠The recording, while on the model form, of the
perimeter, intersecting lines, and pattern details in
preparation for trueing.
