A Variation on a Pattern

January 10, 2025

A couple of weeks ago, I had a pic of a dress from a couple of years ago.  It's my perfect example of a poor bra and a good bra.

And I really don't need to add any words cause the expression on my face says everything.  

The request was for the pattern number and availability.  It's still available on the BurdaStyle site.  It's Burda Style 120  from 02/2020.  Here's the tech drawing.

There's a lot you can tell from a tech drawing that won't show in the picture.

But this picture isn't bad.  

What I liked about the pattern is that it had good lines, but to be honest, my woven core pattern has good lines too.  So which to use?

Here's the thing about a core pattern.  You KNOW that it's going to be good cause you have all the lines correct, and that's why the pattern looks so good on your shape (except for the bra issue).  For one thing, it's been through lots of iterations and corrected.  So why not use it?  I think that's because sometimes we think that just because a new pattern comes out, we don't use old patterns to adjust the new pattern.  Instead, we start all over again from scratch to fit the new pattern, only to find a lot of problems along the way.  Problems that have already been solved with the core pattern, that don't need to be re-worked again.  

So, I would have to make no modifications to my core pattern, and I would just have to draw the style parts that I liked from the BurdaStyle pattern. This is part of the reason I don't buy patterns anymore, but I do pour through the patterns online when they come out to see if I like anything in the new designs.  

The designs on this dress were so architectural that I couldn't resist it.  Here's a list of what I did

• There's a back zip - I don't need that nor want it.  
• Because there's no back zip, I have to make sure that the front zip goes all the way to the bottom of the bodice front.  That's how I'll get into it.  
• This dress is listed as being for a jersey fabric which I call in the medium or 45% to 65% range of stretiness.  This is a fairly structured garment, and that didn't sound right to me.  I have pictured this garment as being tailored, not drapey.  But having a little stretch will make that front zip a little easier to get into.  The zip itself won't stretch, but the waist which will have to stretch to get over the shoulders will stretch, but it will be a ponte or stable knit stretch not a lose jersey (with no body) stretch.  Hopefully that makes sense because, this is an important feature.  The dress has to have some stretch to make it easy to get into, but can't have so much that you lose the line and style of the dress.  
• You know me and collars - I love 'em, and this screamed collar to me.  Basically because it's a structured garment this was going to be a classic straight collar - nothing fancy.  Also there is a slight line in the fabric, and I can make use of that line if it's a straight collar, which it is.  
• The darts are fab, I'll keep those
• The position of the waist (raised but not quite Empire-esque).
• The length is super
• Love the back dars
• Love the back seam - remember I'm a little sway back and I can use those darts and back seam to fit my sway back perfectly.
• The ruffles on the sleeves have got to go

So that's it - add collar, draw in a new waistline, use my darts from my core pattern, and since I have a seam in the back of my core pattern I'll use those darts and seam cause I KNOW that fits my sway back.  

The last detail are the welt pockets.  I love pockets and just cause the dress is tailored, it deserves those kind of pockets.  And since I'm making them they are deep and can hold my phone and big stuff.  

Just for fun, here's a list of the things I did NOT have to do:

• I did not have to mess with the hang of the dress - that means I didn't have to work with it shifting to the front or back.  I didn't have to worry if it would bow or splay on the sides (you know, hang out or bow in).
• That means I didn't have to worry about the shoulders not hanging right.
• I didn't have to worry about the sleeves having to be moved up or down on the shoulders.
• I didn't have to worry about whether the sleeves would hang right, crooked, splaying, or bowing.
• I did not have to worry about my sway back fitting.  I didn't have to move, add, remove, or adjust the darts and center-back seams.
• I didn't have to worry about my bust point or where the darts would have to go.
• I didn't have to worry about where the side and front seam would nip in at the waist.
• And most of all, I didn't have to keep trying it on to see if any one of the above was altered correctly or enough or too much.  That in itself is worth so much time. 
   

Here's the takeaway here.  The whole purpose of the core pattern is so that you won't have to hassle with the fit or style or line or cut or shape or how it hangs or how it doesn't hang or any of that stuff.  It's all in the core pattern.  

This is what saved this experimentation. I'm still working on that collar, but the dang thing fits and hangs beautifully. Because of that, I'll keep it. It doesn't even come close to being a wadder, and I haven't wasted a lot of fabric.  

We are all looking for ways to ensure that when we cut something out, especially when working with some expensive fabric or trying something new, which is always risky.  However, using that core pattern is the best way to reduce that risk.  That's why they are so fabulous.  

I'll figure out that collar and make it work, but even if it's a little funky and doesn't quite look right, it will work cause the body of the pattern is so good.  

  

IMAGES OF PATTERN CHANGES

This isn't all that hard.  I cut the center front to add the zipper.  I cut a line for my waist.  Put in a few darts (front and back), added a collar and placket in front (which I interfaced).  And took off that ghastly ruffle, and boom, here I am with a new dress.  

To see more, here's a video showing the dress and how I did everything.  

But the fact that you've done all this work on your core pattern and then don't use it for things like this, is really a waist of the time of the core pattern.  That's what it's there fore.  I know lots of sewists don't think that way.  They think a new pattern is going to be fabulous.  But why not take what you like from the new pattern (pockets, collar, sleeves, dress/top hem), and put it on your core pattern which is already fitted and styled for your size and shape.  

I make two core pattern tops - one for woven, and one for a jersey type knit - that medium stretch knit from about 45% to 65% - not ponte or stable and not swimwear or athletic wear stretchy.  I will often use a very stable ponte (nothing more than 20% stretch) and stretch woven (usually 5% to 10% stretch) for the woven core pattern and then knits for that knit stretch core pattern.  It really takes so much mystery out of sewing and can give you an almost guaranteed success every time, without having to be a designer with a Ph.D. from FIT!

I've said this before, after moving into my one-level dream home with the kitchen right around the corner from my studio, and no stairs, Hello 10 pounds!  On my sort height and small frame, that's a lot.  But the fact that I'm wearing only clothes that look flattering on me helps a lot.  And that's what the core pattern can do for you. People call me thin all the time, and it's that I only wear my core pattern which makes me look really great!  That's what I want for you. To be able to eat, carry a few extra pounds, but no one notices!!!!

The SewingArtistry Resource Library is designed to contain information to not only make your sewing better, but to aid in you fitting and flattering your shape, size and style.  Check it out. 

Look for future classes coming in 2024
The Core Pattern Shirt, (one of my favorites for woven core pattern that you can make into a myriad of different garments), 
Basic Knit Top (core pattern class for knit basic tops, shells, tees, dresses, and tunics)
 

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