How to Draft an Easy Bodice Sloper Tutorial

Friends! Look what I have here!

As part of my pattern drafting for beginners series, I have created a video tutorial on how you can draft your own bodice block/bodice sloper. I’ve tried to keep this tutorial simple, using as little body measurements as possible to create this sloper. The bodice incorporates the necessary wearing ease needed for the bodice to fit.

A bodice block is used as a starting point for designing garments. Once you have a sloper that fits well, you’ll be able to use it to make anything you want. This sloper can be used alongside my other tutorials, where you’ll be able to learn a lot about pattern making. I even used it to create my Christmas neoprene dress, so it’s definitely a functional bodice.

This video does go quite quickly, so I suggest that you pause between each measurement so that you don’t miss a thing. If you do have any questions, do let me know!

As mentioned in my pattern drafting for beginners tools and tips video, you should never measure yourself! A sloper made with the wrong measurements will not come out properly, nor will it fit you! If you don’t have anyone to measure you, measure yourself as best as you can and then make adjustments after you have put your bodice together.

Enjoy! And feel free to comment, share, like and SUBSCRIBE!

Pattern Drafting for Beginners – Easy Basic Bodice Block

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Step by step guide

Front

• AB – Full Front Length
  On the left hand side of your paper, draw a vertical line down equal to the your full front length.

• AC – ½ Across Chest plus ⅜”
  Take ½ of your across chest measurement then add ⅜” to it. From point A, draw a horizontal line equal to this calculated value.

• CD – 1½”
  Square a line down 1½” long from C

• DE – Shoulder Length
  Position your ruler with your shoulder length touching point D. Move your ruler until it reaches line AC, make sure to keep your shoulder measurement on point D as you do this. Draw a diagonal line.

• BF – Center Front Length
  Mark on line AB your center front length, measuring from point B.

• AG – AE plus ⅜”
  At an approximate 45° angle, draw line AG diagonally down from A.

• EF – Neckline Curve
  Square a line at points E and F. Draw your neckline curve, touching at point G.

• BH – ½ AB
  Halve the length of AB (full front length) and mark this measurement on line AB.

• HI – ½ Front Bust plus ½”
  Square across from point H this measurement.

• FJ – ½ FH
  Measure the length of FH then divide it by two. Mark this measurement on line FH.

• JK – ½ Across Chest
  Divide your across chest measurement by 2 then draw a line equal to this measurement from point J, at 90°.

• HL – ½ Across Chest
  Mark this measurement on line HI.

• LM – 1″
  Draw a diagonal 1″ line at approximately 45° from point L.

• DI – Armhole curve
  Draw a smooth armhole curve, passing through points D, K, M and I.

• HN – 2″
  Measure and mark 2″ down from point H.

• NO – HI plus ⅜”
  Measure line HI and add ⅜” to that measurement. Square this line across from point N.

• IP – Side Length
  From point I, draw your side length measurement towards point O.

• BQ – 3″
  Square across from point B a 3″ line.

• Join point P to Point Q

• PR – ½ Front waist plus ¼” minus BQ (3″)
  Mark this measurement on line PQ.

• Find the midpoint of line QR and mark.

• S
  Place your ruler on the midpoint of line QR at a 90° angle to this line. Mark the point where the ruler touches line NO.

• SR and SQ
  Draw dart legs down from point S to point R and from point S to point Q.

Back

• AB – Full Back Length
  On the right hand side of your paper, draw a vertical line down, equal to your full back length measurement.

• AC – ½ Across Back plus ⅜”
  Take ½ of your across back measurement then add ⅜” to it. From point A, draw a horizontal line equal to this calculated value.

• CD – 2″
  Square a line down 2″ long from C
• DE – Shoulder Length plus ½”
  Position your ruler with your shoulder length touching point D. Move your ruler until it reaches line AC, make sure to keep this measurement on point D as you do this. Draw a diagonal line.

• BF – Center Back Length
  Mark on line AB your center back length, measuring up from point B.

• EF – Neckline Curve
  Square a line at point F. Draw your neckline curve from this line to point E

• FG – ½ BF plus 1¼”
  Halve the length of BF then add to it 1¼”. Measure down from point F and mark your calculated value.

• GH –  ½ Back Bust plus ½”
  Divide your back bust measurement by 2 and add ½” to it. From point G, draw a horizontal line equal to this measurement at 90°.

• FI – ½ FG
  Mark this measurement on line FG.

• IJ – ½ Across Back
  Halve your across back measurement then draw a line equal to this measurement from point I, at 90°.

• GK – ½ Across Back
  Mark this measurement on line GH.

• KL – 1″
  Draw a diagonal 1″ line at approximately 45° from point K.

• DH – Armhole curve
  Draw a smooth armhole curve, passing through points D, J, L and H.

• BM – ½ Back Waist plus 1¾”
  Take your back waist measurement and divide it by two. Add 1¾” to it. From point B, draw a perpendicular line equal to this value.

• GN – ½ GK
  Mark the midpoint of line GN.

• BO – GN minus ¾”
  Measure the length of line GN and add ¾” to it. Mark this length on line BM.

• OP – 1½”
  Measure and mark 1½” from point O.

• HQ – Side length
  Draw your side length from point H towards point M

• QP
  If you side length extends past point M, gently curve it upwards from point Q towards point P.

• NP and NO
  Draw dart legs down from point N to point P and from point N to point O.
• DR – ½ DE
  Mark the midpoint of line DE.

• Draw a line down from point R to point N.

• RS – 3″
  On line RN, measure down 3″ from point R and mark.

• On either side of point R, measure and mark ¼” then directly above those points, mark ⅛”. Draw diagonal lines from those points to point S and to points D and E.