Fit & patternmaking

The curved seam line of a trouser pattern that shapes the crotch area between the front and back leg pieces, critical to comfort and the elimination of crotch wrinkles.

A manual grading method in which a pattern is sliced along designated lines and spread apart or overlapped by fixed increments to create a larger or smaller size.

A dart whose shape and placement are determined by pinning fabric directly on a dress form rather than by drafting formulas, allowing organic, sculptural shaping.

A patternmaking method in which fabric is pinned and shaped directly on a dress form or body to develop a pattern, as an alternative to flat drafting from measurements.

A pattern alteration that reshapes the lower portion of a sleeve to accommodate a forearm that is bent, muscular, or otherwise shaped differently from the standard block.

A pattern alteration that rotates the shoulder seam of a bodice pattern forward to match shoulders that sit ahead of the torso's standard balance line.

A pattern alteration that removes excess fabric from the upper front of a bodice to fit a chest less full than the standard block assumes.

A pattern alteration technique in which a section of a pattern is pivoted around a fixed point and slid to add or remove width or length without cutting the pattern apart.

A bodice draft in which the bust and waist darts are converted into a continuous curved seam running from the shoulder or armhole to the hem, replacing separate darts.

A fit alteration made along a princess seam, reshaping the curve between the panels to add or remove fullness at the bust, waist, or hip without adding a separate dart.

A back shape in which the shoulder blades project more than the standard pattern block assumes, causing tightness and horizontal drag lines across the upper back.

A sleeve draft that extends the sleeve pattern up to the neckline in a diagonal seam, combining part of the shoulder with the sleeve rather than using a separate armhole seam.

A dart manipulation technique in which a pattern section is rotated about a pivot point to close one dart while opening another, then the resulting cutting lines are redrawn smooth.

A sleeve draft producing a sleeve attached to the bodice along a separate armhole seam encircling the shoulder, the most common sleeve construction in tailored and woven garments.

The process of constructing a sleeve pattern to fit a corresponding armhole, calculating the sleeve cap height and width so that its ease matches the armhole's circumference.

The forward or backward tilt of a sleeve pattern relative to the bodice side seam, affecting whether the sleeve hangs naturally in line with the wearer's arm.

The process of constructing a trouser pattern from waist, hip, crotch, and leg measurements, shaping the crotch curve, inseam, and outseam of the front and back leg pieces.

The pattern pieces and construction lines for a trouser's front closure, including the fly extension, fly shield, and zipper placement, added to the basic trouser front.

A draping technique in which fabric is positioned at a forty-five degree angle to the grainline before pinning, exploiting bias stretch to create soft, body-skimming folds.

Diagonal creases that fan out from the crotch area of close-fitting trousers, most visible in denim, indicating tightness or an insufficient crotch curve at that point.