Pattern Cutting for Beginners

We have now started to manufacture our first garment - hurrah!  

  Before this we had completed several samples to make sure we were ready to create the garment. We learnt how to manufacture an open seam, a closed seam and an invisible zip. I created eight samples of each process, because apparently, eight is the number of repetitions it takes to make sure the technique is firmly in your brain!  

The garment we're manufacturing is a 1960's design with short sleeves and pockets. I have found this image of Mary Quant wearing one of her designs. Although the finished neckline and sleeves will be different, I am manufacturing a pleated frill on the hipline, as shown in the image below.
                                                  





I decided to use calico for my first attempt at manufacture as I thought that it would be familiar to me as this is what I had used for my samples. For my next project I intend to purchase a different type of fabric, maybe a polyester cotton mix. 

The first part of the manufacturing process involved using the cardboard dress block I had created earlier. From this I created a first draft, a second draft and then a final pattern. This whole process involved taking the shape out of the side seams to create a shift dress, removing the front and back waist darts and altering the position of the bust darts. I altered the bust darts by using the "slash and spread" method, where I marked where I wanted the new bust dart to be, cut into that dart on the draft pattern and then closed the old dart. I then created patterns for two pockets and short sleeves. 



My cardboard dress block:  

Altering the dart :

Laying the Pattern pieces on the fabric paying attention to grain lines and placing on the folds:

Making the pockets :

Thanks for reading!