Pattern drafting tutorial. Asymmetrical jacket.

Author — tutor, fashion designer Svetlana Samovarova.

Today we are continuing our pattern cutting lessons. For this analysis we choose Monse AW 2018-2019 jacket with asymmetrical bodice.

If you are a beginner sewer and pattern cutter, you may find complex and asymmetrical garments diffi-cult to attempt by yourself. By looking at detailed photos in look books and high-street shops you can understand the pattern drafting process more easily. The more photos you can see, the easier it will be to understand the nuances and details of the pattern.

Start by making a detailed description and technical drawing.

Pattern drafting for any garment consists of a few steps:

1. Pattern analysis

2. Technical drawing

3. Choosing a basic bodice

4. Creating a silhouette

5. Drafting

6. Drafting of additional details

Pattern description

I’ve chosen a fitted jacket with bare shoulders. On the back there are side back seams, and a vent at the bottom of the central seam. The right half of the front has two waist darts which meet the welt pocket with a flap, which has a reinforced boarder along the edge. The left front is comprised of two layers, the upper part is much longer, with an asymmetrical hem, an imitation of a pocket is located below the waist. As an embellishment, the front of the garment has loops, buttons and button holes that are not a functional, and an asymmetrical breast line. At the waist, a belt with a buckle adjuster is stitched into the side which connects to the back princess seam. The sleeves are set-in and two seamed, with vents along the elbow seams. Theres also a stand-up collar with one-piece stand.

To create a pattern for this particular garment we selected a basic bodice pattern with a similar silhou-ette and a two-seam set-in sleeve.

Method.

1. Adjust the length of the pattern. The hem is asymmetrical — the back is shorter than the front.

2. At the back, draw the lines of side seams, move the waist dart into it. Finish the central back seam with the slit.

3. At the bottom of the elbow seam of the sleeve add the vent on the bottom.

4. Add a welt pocket to the bottom of the chest darts. Move the waist dart closer to the side seam. The position of the top of the undercut and the waist dart affects the formation of volume on the rounding of the chest. The tops cannot be located far from the centre of the chest

5. Copy the details of the front, back and sleeves. In this style of jacket there is only one pair of symmet-rical parts - the lower part of the sleeve.

6. Draw the center line of the jacket, down the front of the garment.

7. Draw the neckline. Measure its length in order to make a collar.

8. Copy the left half of the front to make the lower asymmetric part. Move the waist and chest darts into a bottom flare. Draw a new line for the side seam, side and bottom.

9. Build additional dеtails — a pocket flap, a frame, pocket pads, a belt, a collar.

There are different ways of drafting this jacket from a basic bodice pattern, I’ve shown you just one way of doing it. Why not try another one and find your own unique solution?

I highly recommend making a calico to check your pattern fit before cutting into your chosen fabric.