Has anyone ever made this with success? I'm trying to draft one w/my measurements and the bodice & midriff panel do not have a smooth side seam from underarm to waist. I printed it at 25% and played paper dolls putting it together. I just don't know where to begin truing that seam. So I tried the standard size 12 (just for comparison) and even though it's better it still will need truing of side seams. BTW my bodice sloper fits like a glove so I know the measurements are correct.

I had the same type of problem when I tried to draft an empire dress for my daughter before throwing up my hands and taking her to the store to buy a dress, more than once in different versions of the program. The RTW empires fit her beautifully--so I know her body shape is compatible with this silhouette. I just can't draft a pattern for one.

I'm not sure of my fabric yet (will draft the pattern first), but am pretty sure it will be a solid or a very faint print. What I want to do is create a dress for myself to wear as a guest to an outdoor summer wedding in August, 4:30 ceremony. The reception then will be inside an air-conditioned hall.

I'm a A-shape who would like to be an hourglass. So I thought to have the bodice with no special treatment (other than a flattering neckline), rows of horizontal topstitching (in matching thread) on the midriff panel about the width of the presser foot apart, and then a flared skirt that starts at the waistline with possibly a center front seam. The dress would be sleeveless but have some type of jacket or wrap to wear at the reception.

Here are three similar dresses from the Barrie Pace catalog. Their waist details are pleats but I thought the midriff might approximate the look.

http://www.barriepace.com/bp/product.asp?catalog%5Fname...uick%5Fproduct=t1630

http://www.barriepace.com/bp/LargeImage.asp?ImageName=SU05_T1562_F_39A.jpg

http://www.barriepace.com/bp/LargeImage.asp?ImageName=SU04_R1537_F_05B.jpg

I like the yellow one the best. Would it work to print a 2-piece bodice dress and then cut the pattern apart for say a 4-inch band to create my own midriff piece the way you would create your own yoke? Of course, I would add seam allowances to where I cut but what do I do with the bottom of the waist darts? Fold them out before creating the pattern piece for the band?

I have until Aug 20 but don't want to be sewing it still on Aug 19 so figure I'd better get started.

Thanks,

These are all lovely dresses,but the purple one is really eye catching. Not something my o shape figure could wear, but they are very nice.

Wanda Eikmam

>>Would it work to print a 2-piece bodice dress and then cut the pattern apart for say a 4-inch band to create my own midriff piece the way you would create your own yoke? Of course, I would add seam allowances to where I cut but what do I do with the bottom of the waist darts? Fold them out before creating the pattern piece for the band?

I think this would work. Try it in some test fabric first.

I love the dresses, even though they are not a good style for this body.

Carolyn

Hi Gayle,
I tried drafting this silhouette for DD, too, with the same results. Have you tried sending Bob a problem report? There may simply be some code that got skewed with all of the recent changes. It's not a style I'd wear but lookes good on DD.

This is a very old silhouette that hasnt been changed in dawg's years...looks like it needs to be reviewed!
send a problem report someone please.

it wont be answered till after Monday.but will be answered!

Kaaren

ok, I've filed a problem report -- I think

Got a "page cannot be displayed" message but hopefully the report made it in

Those dresses are lovely,I had a thought about the midriff section,what about making a sort of cumberband instead of cutting the pattern apart etc!pleat the band and attach it in place.

what a good idea of a cumberbund!

and that would add more , ehh support, to the midsection

definitely will think about this

Gayle

Gayle, I have nothing to add as far as help. But I wanted to say those dresses are lovely. Please share what works for you. I've not seen anything like these before, in modern dresses. But after seeing them, I would love to have a dress like that. I think the cumberband was popular in the 1940's swing dress era. Or at least a repo pattern I have has something like this, but not pleated.

Thanks so much. Good luck!

Hi Gayle,
I checked this on my program and the midriff section does draft at an angle.

Just a thought and I don't know if this is why. But could it be that it is drafting an angle on the side to get from a narrow under bust measurement at the top to a wider waist measurement at the bottom. I am no longer going to post measurements like the old board, but there is a 3" difference between my underbust and waist and when I look at the midriff piece it is drafting to that difference.
But in comparison to the photos you included and this pattern I have noticed tht the top pattern piece is drafted to my bust radius number, so it hugs tight under the bust. The midriff pattern is about roughly 7" long, so probably drafts to the waist number. That is very long compared to your photos.

You have a lovely concept that you could probably make work, but would require some pencil work to lengthen the top and shorten the midriff.
OR, if this has not been looked at in some time, maybe this could be one of those things in the future where we can adjust that length somehow in the program.
HTH,
Linda Flint

quote:

it is drafting an angle on the side to get from a narrow under bust measurement at the top to a wider waist measurement at the bottom.

I agree, Linda. Hmmm, my measurements give me a 4" difference between bust front and the under bust. But my underbust and waist are the same with the "high waist" 1/2" smaller. Maybe that measurement is off ... or maybe it is right and the waist has some fluff (maybe??? yeah, it does).

In at least the qtr scale it seems that the bottom of the midriff panel is 1/8" narrower than the top of the skirt after darts are sewn.

So 1/8" x 4 (because of qtr scale) means that half the midriff panel will be 1/2" narrower than half the skirt. So the full front midriff panel is coming up 1" narrower than the full front skirt.

It also appears that the midriff panel is drafting to exact measurement of either under bust or waist w/no ease. (Not sure since those two are the same in my measurement chart.)

So at least I can get around it by using the regular bodice which is a nice smooth fit over all those areas; and maybe the cumberbund idea would be the best way for me to tackle this dress to get that same look with a good fit.

I think the main problem I am seeing (and maybe this isn't a problem at all) is that the bust dart is skewing the side seam of the top bodice front in both midriff and empire styles. I am not able to sew the front to the back without a bulge under the arm. Maybe it's not a problem and just a situation that I have to resolve with pattern truing -- it's just that I don't have that same situation on a regular bodice pattern.

Gayle

Gayle I would definatly go with a cumberband, until you can sort out what you really want in construction,if your in a hurry that is lol.At least it would give you the idea, of how to go about this.Make it seperate attach at the side seams only, put hook n eyes on the back if thers a back zipper.Just my 2 penneth of course.

Gayle,
I just had a thought. If you are going to make the midriff part the size you want it it to be anyway, why not used the "bodice top" dress under two piece dresses and then manually take off the bodice section the length of the "cumberband" part. It involves folding the dart and other adjustments, but you know how to do all that!
That way if you want say 3" of "cumberband", then you would trim 3" off the bodice top, and then you could take a 9" strip of fabric, pleat it to 3" in length and use that for the missing 3" you took off the bodice and then it should look like theyellow dress, I think, going by memory.
Linda Flint

quote:

Originally posted by Llantrisant:
Gayle I would definatly go with a cumberband, until you can sort out what you really want in construction,if your in a hurry that is lol.At least it would give you the idea, of how to go about this.Make it seperate attach at the side seams only, put hook n eyes on the back if thers a back zipper.Just my 2 penneth of course.

Good tip. Also your idea, Linda. Now I'm even considering using the sheath w/flared skirt. The separate horizontal band would be attached for visual interest only and not have anything to do with construction ... and it might be more comfortable to not have a waist seam.

Hmmm, lots of possibilities here.

Gayle

I haven't actually sewn this up but I looked at this Midriff Top dress and Empire dress intensively a few months back and found some problems. I don't like that there is only one midriff panel for front and back so the side seams won't line up if your front waist is larger than the back.

The height of the empire line (and therefore width of the midriff panel) is set by the bust radius measurement so temporarily alter that if you want a narrow panel.

Like Carolyn said, your best bet is to manually cut a panel from the bodice. Nip in the waist darts at the underbust for a bit more shaping.

Tessa