How To Draft Yourself A Dress Block

Learn how to drafting a custom dress block with your own measurements.

Often, people learn to draft a dress block for themselves because they are fed up with sewing patterns that don’t account for their body shape.

They are fed up of clothes almost fitting.

Wasting fabric on 'failed' makes.

Only stitching jersey because its forgiving (IYKYK)

Whether you’re a avid home sewist, or a beginner pattern cutter looking to level up your skills, this course is the perfect introduction to the world of pattern cutting and dressmaking.

Over one weekend, you'll learn how to draft a custom sleevless dress block while improving your understanding of garment construction and fit.

🌟 What You'll Gain From This Course:

• A Tailored Dress Block: Learn to draft a dress block based on your own measurements, ensuring a perfect fit every time. Say goodbye to off-the-rack clothing and embrace garments made specifically for you!

• Build Confidence: Master the fundamentals of pattern cutting in a relaxed and supportive environment. By the end of the course, you'll have the confidence to continue your dressmaking journey, whether it's for yourself, your business, family, or your friends.

• Master Fit: know how to troubleshoot fitting issues and how to relate these back to your block accuratly.

• A Fun and Productive Outlet: This course offers a fulfilling and enjoyable way to spend your time. It's a great opportunity to learn a valuable skill, meet like-minded people, and create something beautiful together :)

Why start with a dress block?

Learning to draft a dress block is an essential starting point because it builds solid technical foundations for understanding the body and garment construction.

The key reasons why are 👇🏻

One - Core Structure: The dress block forms the basis for most garments, including dresses, tops, and jackets. Mastering this gives you a strong understanding of garment structure and fit.

Two - Problem Solving: Understanding how the dress block is constructed helps you troubleshoot fit issues, such as adjusting darts, necklines, or armholes.

Three - Versatility: Once you know how to draft a dress bodice block, you can easily modify it into various styles, giving you creative flexibility.

Four - Skill Development: It enhances your overall pattern-making skills, helping you grasp key concepts like balance, proportion, and seam placement, which can be applied to more complex designs later.

Five - Custom Fit: Drafting your own dress block allows you to create patterns tailored to specific measurements, ensuring better fit and comfort.

✂️What to Bring

Essential:

• Pencil (preferably mechanical)

• Rubber

• Tape measure

• Scissors (paper & fabric)

• Notebook

• Pattern cutting ruler/ curve

• Tracing wheel

• 2 meters of lightweight calico

• Pins

• Sewing machine (if you'd rather sew your toile than pin it together)

Optional (if you have):

• Notcher

• Awl

About Your Host, Teacher & Mentor

Geri is a creative senior pattern cutter with 12+ years experience working in luxury fashion for brands such as The OWN Studio, The Vampires Wife, Victoria Beckham and Halpern . She is passionate about teaching & mentoring as loves being able to pass her knowledge on and empower others in making their own clothes and advancing their skills whether they be hobbyist or professional within the industry. She created Pattern Wiz to focus on nurturing creativity, self-expression, and slow fashion in a way that supports well-being, sustainability, and personal growth.

Her approach to teaching is explaining pattern cutting in a simple way making you feel safe and at ease in the process by reminding you nothing you do is ever 'wrong', it is all learning and part of the process!