Fit & patternmaking

Excess fabric that collects and folds in a concentrated area of a garment, such as below the seat or at the small of the back, rather than lying smooth.

Garment modification, such as side-seam openings or drain access points, designed to be worn comfortably over dressings or medical equipment during recovery.

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.

The distance from the waistband to the crotch seam of a garment or body, measured front and back, determining how high or low trousers sit on the body.

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 pattern alteration that adds length and width across the upper back of a bodice pattern to accommodate increased curvature of the upper spine.

A posture with increased forward curvature of the upper spine, causing the back of a garment to pull tight and ride up, with drag lines below the neckline.

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.

A dart originating at the shoulder seam and pointing toward the bust apex, used in bodice drafting as an alternative location to shape fabric over the bust.

The angle of the shoulder measured from a horizontal reference line, used to identify square or sloping shoulders and to adjust the shoulder seam of a pattern.

A basic sloper covering the body from waist to hip level, fitted with darts to the waist, used as the foundation for drafting skirt designs.

The process of constructing a skirt pattern from waist and hip measurements, typically starting from a basic skirt block and shaping it into a chosen silhouette.

A basic sloper for a set-in sleeve, drafted to match the armhole of a corresponding bodice block, used as the foundation for drafting sleeve designs.

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.

A modification made to an existing sleeve pattern, such as adding a flounce, changing the length, or converting a set-in sleeve into a different sleeve style.

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.

A pattern alteration that lowers the shoulder point of a bodice pattern to fit shoulders more angled downward than the standard block assumes.

A shoulder shape more angled downward than the standard pattern block assumes, causing diagonal drag lines from the neckline to the shoulder point and a gaping armhole.

A pattern alteration that removes width and length from the bust area of a bodice, typically by overlapping the pattern, to fit a bust smaller than the block assumes.

A pattern alteration that raises and extends the shoulder line of a bodice pattern outward to fit shoulders flatter than the standard block assumes.

A shoulder shape flatter and less sloped than the standard pattern block assumes, causing wrinkles to radiate from the neck and excess fabric to pool near the shoulder tip.

A skirt draft that follows the basic skirt block closely, producing a fitted silhouette that falls straight from the hip to the hem with minimal added flare.

A posture characterized by an exaggerated inward curve of the lower spine, causing horizontal folds of excess fabric to form across the back of a garment at the waist.

A pattern alteration that removes excess length and width from the center back of a bodice or dress pattern to eliminate horizontal folds caused by a swayed back posture.

A set of proportional alterations, usually lengthening the torso, sleeves, and rise, that adapt a standard pattern to fit a taller-than-average body.

An armhole cut too small or positioned too high for the wearer, restricting arm movement and often pulling the underarm seam of the bodice or sleeve.

A trial garment made from inexpensive fabric to test and refine the fit and construction of a pattern before cutting the intended fashion fabric.

The process of copying a pattern piece, whether from a commercial pattern, a garment, or another pattern, onto new paper so the original can be preserved and the copy altered.

A basic sloper shaped to the lower body from waist to ankle, incorporating the crotch curve, used as the foundation for drafting trouser and pants designs.

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.

The process of separating a back-waist design line from a trouser block to create a yoke pattern piece, often absorbing the waist dart into its seam.

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.

A bust dart originating from the side seam near the underarm and pointing toward the bust apex, one of the most common dart placements in bodice drafting.

A dart originating at the waist edge of a bodice or skirt pattern and tapering toward the bust or hip, used to shape flat fabric to the body's curve.

The horizontal circumference taken around the narrowest part of the torso, typically above the navel, used to size skirts, trousers, and fitted bodices.

The process of drafting a straight or shaped band attached to the top edge of a skirt or trouser pattern to finish and support the waistline.