Trying Some 1940's Styles // Pattern Drafting Demos

Did you find an pattern/example for the back? If not, I made something similar a few years ago. If you want, I can search for its number

Really enjoyed this, thank you Bianca. It was a complicated pattern but you made it make sense. ❤️ I'm interested in variations of previous styles and trying new styles. Whatever works for you to fit in with your writing schedule. 📚📚 I had a question: I noticed that when you pinned the back princess seams, you didn't have the bottom hem edge meet - there seemed to be a little gap. Is that to accommodate the curve? Am going to be forward here: I really think you should contemplate having sponsorship on your channel. I notice that most youtube creators have sponsorship, with even smaller subscriber numbers than yours. Me thinks if it helps you in saving for your own place, then its a good thing. I'm certain your patreon-family would agree.🥰 Sending best wishes and good vibes from Down Under 💚💚💐🇦🇺😎

I love seeing new designs, particularly the really wacky looking patterns.

Oh wow! I looooove these kind of drafting videos. I would be in interested in the rezmakes of your earlier ones, too. But these experiments are so fascinating!

These would be nice in a jersey fabric. Try Valerian for insomnia.

Woah! They sure liked to complicate patterns! I liked the front of the 2nd one better their way but the back was a bit bunchy at the armpit? Wouldn't it look fabulous in something floopy though? I don't need to see the finished garment all the time and am very happy with the toile. Also, very happy to see you work with the same pattern/garment again in different fabrics with maybe trim or styling tweaks? My mind always comes back to your phenomenal grey colour block dress. I have a photo of a blouse pattern from the 40s/50s that uses 3 colours very similar to your dress bodice that is definitely going to get made sometime.

On the first pattern, I liked the second attempt better. The first one looked poofy just above the bustline and it seemed from the pattern that the poofy part was supposed to encase the bustline, with the ruching holding it in the middle of the bustline. I need to say that my eyesight is not the best, so I could easily have not seen the pattern well. Anyway...I really liked the styles and how quickly you can adapt a pattern for your own body. Does your bodice block have seam allowances included? Thanks for sharing these designs with us. I learn something new each time. No, I don't mind seeing a review video of something done previously. The not sleeping issue could be, unfortunately, a sign of pre-menopause combined with the PMDD. I went through that starting in my early 40s and have known some women to begin in their early 30s. There is a test that can be done to see where your hormone levels are. This can be done a couple of months apart to see what is happening. Not being able to sleep is a symptom of so many things, but hormone levels seem to play a big part for some reason. Just make sure to have the tests done a couple of months apart. I still have times where I can't sleep, usually when I am really excited about something or very worried. The frustration is awful and I can truly empathize with you. I hope this improves for you. Hugs.

I couldn’t agree with you more! Crafting and collecting crafting supplies are two hobbies that I have, much to my SO’s dismay. I realized how much crafty stuff I had when I started packing up my craft room last month. How did this happen?!

Fascinating, as always 😊

I love your pattern drafting videos. They teach me so much! I agree that the version on the left looks better. Like another commenter, I wonder if you might get closer to the book image if you don't cut away anything, or only cut a little, from the back neckline. That book looks like quite the find, though!

I like them both. Two different looks. By the way the scissors you use for paper drafting....are they available still?

Love both mock-ups but the second one was my favourite. I am really enjoying and learning a lot about pattern drafting from you, thank you so much. Love from Australia. ❤️

The second mock-up is the most flattering, it hugs your shoulders nicely. I read that Proust used to look at old train schedules to help fall asleep. Also, I liked your little wave at the beginning!

LOL, That eyeshadow is amazing! I wish I learned to put on makeup when I was young, but I didn't. I love it today though because makeup is an artistic tool, not something you use to try to make yourself look more beautiful with while not trying to cross the line into gaudy. Your make up is always magnificent art, I love it! Please let us know where you got the eyeshadow, I might want to get some for my youngest who has been doing similar stuff with make up :) And thanks for the video, I was amazed at how those shapes could be achieved from a bodice block!

The first mock up is a keeper and made with floopy fabric it will drape beautifully ! I am so envious of your ability to draft patterns so easily, I am actually scared of trying to draft my own patterns also I have lost a significant amount of weight and am unsure of how to downsize a pattern once drafting an initial block.

My favorite was the last one I think, maybe just cause it seems more doable for me. I personally would love to see some really 30s Art Deco looks, but otherwise I feel like you have anticipated the looks I’m putting on my sewing goals list! I was just trying to figure out what I want to use my orange lightweight chambray on (definitely 40s) and I think something like this… I’ll see how it gathers. I know what you mean about plugs, but please don’t plug a space heater into an extension or surge protector! It can be a fire hazard as the connections cause resistance and therefore points of intense heat. An electrician can add a higher voltage outlet or like a triple plug or whatever you need to your sewing area. It’d be worth getting estimates from to add outlets with higher load capacity. Sorry to be pedantic but it’s safety!

Instead of a vote, I have a question 😂 What is the “rule of thumb” when it comes to the order of operations for dart manipulation? I haven’t really thought about it before in my pattern drafting- I just “do” what works- but I’d really like to know. In other words, if I’m wanting to alter my basic, two-dart (mine has a side and waist dart to spread the fullness of my FBA) bodice block to mimic something I only have a single photo of, what’s the rule of thumb on where to begin? If an example helps, say I want to take my block and alterations to make a wrap top with a shoulder yoke and a single side dart (just spit-balling here). How do I explain to someone that you need to move dart #1 to area A first, then move or split dart #2 to area B second, and so forth? Do I just keep saying “because the sewing gods demand it”? Or is there a formula that I’m totally ignorant of… Thanks!

I vote for the left version too. <3

I also liked the left one better for the second style. I liked both styles about equal. And variations on a theme can be a good thing! Watching your process still feels like watching a wizard cast a spell but it’s awesome to learn new ways to manipulate the same/similar design to see what those variations could be.

Love this video! Don't think it is weird at all :D I never would have figured out how to make this I think. Also I don't mind variations of a theme. You can't always make a brand new thing!

If you're looking for some drafting inspiration Pattern Drafting And Grading By Michael Rohr is on archive.org. There are some nice-looking designs with good instructions included.

I honestly loved both of them and will probably be playing around with these styles in my sketch book later. If you need ideas for a video, I would love one with various collars for dresses (on both back and front opening bodices). I am still learning how to modify my patterns and focus my ideas (I have issues separating “I love that design” from “I love and will actually wear this design” sometimes). But sewing starts soon. I need a wearable business casual wardrobe by the summer.

Is the neckline/neck opening big enough that you could put your zip in upside down so it closes downwards towards the waist? (I hope that makes sense 🤣)

Add new videos: Variation on a theme is cool, as long as it contains one new element. I think maybe if the gathered collar would be looser (a tiny bit longer, more ease added) then it might work better. Thank you for adding the extra part based on the slip, I am just attempting to make a shirt that has this gathering in the bust and it is great to see my mind was on the right track. Would you maybe be willing to make some kind of mentions to sleeves? I have huge problems drafting and understanding sleeveheads, what does a too high or too low sleevehead do in the sense of fit and how to adjust. Whenever I do draft a sleeve, the head is too long in relationship to the armhole and not sure what I do wrong. Also, that cute roll of the top of the sleeve where the sleeve meets the armhole on the top - how to achieve that? You do have it in the sleeves for the summer top(sack?) made in blue and black.

I would be happy to see variations on a theme once in a while. Seeing different ways to do similar things expands my repertoire of design techniques, and that’s always a bonus. I agree that the first cap sleeve version looks better than the all-in-one sleeve version. I think the extra gathering from the collar extension is part of why the overall look works better. I also think that the back of the extension is supposed to go up your neck like a collar, so maybe try another mockup without cutting any of the back neck away (or less than you already did). That might also lead to more of a ridged effect in the front like the picture in the book. I think this would look great in a floral print, so I would love to see the dress if you decide to make it.

The second draft was WACKY! I could definitely watch you make similar things more than once. Draft away freely!

Fascinating watching your processes here. Would love to see a final version of it, agree the all in one is a bit much around the shoulders. In the interests of encouraging you to meet your 2022 resolution of more time for yourself, I honestly would have been happy seeing this in three parts. Which could give you extra days!