An Ode to Bust Cup Adjustments

Our new 4th Ed. Irish dance solo dress pattern is coming out soon with a Bust Cup Adjustment add-on!  Our fashion line also includes these options, but we’re thrilled to be able to offer this feature in our Irish dance patterns too!  I thought this was a great time to talk about why cup adjustments are amazing, how different cup sizes influence the fit of the pattern, and how to determine your own bust cup size.

 

What are Pattern Bust Cups?

While pattern cup sizes use the same A, B, C, D, DD, etc classifications as bras, they are based upon different measurements.  Bra cups are measured as the difference between the circumference of the full bust and the circumference of the ribcage right below the breasts.  This makes sense, because we want a good-fitting anchor around our ribcage, and cups that will extend the proper distance out from that to perfectly hug our boobs.  Pattern cup sizes on the other hand, are based on the difference between the full bust and the ribcage ABOVE it.  It’s common for your bra cup and pattern cup to be different.

 

How do they influence the fit of the garment?

Most commercial patterns are drafted with a pattern B-cup, which assumes a 2-inch difference between those measurements.  If the company doesn’t give any information on this in their sizing, you can usually assume it’s a B.  When using a pattern, we choose our size based on our full bust measurement, but flat- or full-chested folks will tell you that this doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a good fit.

Imagine you get a breast-reduction or -addition procedure.  Your full bust measurement will change, but your ribcage and skeleton will remain the same.  This is what we are changing when we adjust the bust cup size of our pattern.  In the image to the left, we see four patterns, all size 6, with A- (pink), B- (orange), C- (green), and D- (blue) cups.  As the cup increases, we see the bust widen, but the shoulders and waist remain the same width.  We also see the pattern lengthen, since it will be a slightly longer distance over a large bust than a small one.

Let’s compare that to two patterns that have the same full bust measurement.  To the right, we have a size 6 with a D cup (blue, 37 inch bust), and a size 10 with an A cup (pink, also 37 inch bust).  In the A-cup (pink), the bust width is pretty evenly split between the back and front, but in the D-cup (blue), more if it has been shifted towards the front.  The D-cup also has a smaller shoulder.  If we picture the wearers of these two patterns, the A-cup wearer will have a bigger frame (skeleton, shoulders, ribcage, etc) than the D-cup wearer.  If both were to wear regular B-cup garments based off their bust measurement, the A-cup’s dress would be tight in the shoulders and armhole.  The D-cup’s dress on the other hand would have a lot of excess in the shoulder with gaping armholes.

 

How to determine your own cup size

Wear thin clothing, and a normal, lightly padded bra (or the type of bra you expect to wear with the garment you’re measuring for). Stand up straight with ears, shoulders, hips, and feet in alignment. Always have a second person do the measuring, as this will yield much more accurate results than attempting to take your own measurements.

Full Bust: wrap the tape measure around the largest part of the bust, level with the floor. Don’t pull the tape measure too snugly, or you will underestimate the measurement.

High Chest: wrap the tape measure around the upper chest; under the arms but above the main part of the breast. Pull the tape measure snugly. It may not be parallel with the floor.

A 2-inch difference in the High Chest and Full Bust measurements is considered a “pattern B-cup” (a difference of 1″ = A-cup, 3″ = C-cup, 4″ = D-cup, 5”=DD-cup, etc). Round to the closest whole number, or round up if exactly half-way in-between.

Choose your bust size based on the High Chest measurement, and your cup based off your Full Bust measurement.

 

Adjust existing patterns using a Full Bust or Small Bust Adjustment

Using a pattern with cup adjustments is all fine and good, but what about if you need to change the cup size of an existing pattern?  The Full Bust Adjustment (to increase the cup size) is fairly well known, but as a flat-chested person I’d like to give a shout-out to the Small Bust Adjustment (to decrease cup size) too!  Both alterations change the width of the bust without changing the shoulders, armhole, or waist.  We offer guidance on these alterations and much more in our guide “Pattern Alterations for Better Fit”, which can be found here.

Welcome to Earnest Threads!

Hello!  We’re so glad you’re here.

We’re currently working on a pattern sloper and will soon be looking for testers for our first two women’s fashion patterns.  We’re excited to begin offering a variety of sewing patterns including wardrobe staples, artful accents, and practical accessories.

We began developing patterns for Irish dancing costumes under the name Gúna Rince in 2016.  We will be continuing those patterns in what will be known as our Gúna Rince line (they’ll move from our old website this spring).  We’ve also moved all those old blog posts here so everything stays together.

Apart from sewing patterns, we also make and sell a variety of eco-printed textile goods and accessories.  Check our Etsy store to see what we’ve been working on.

Stay tuned for further updates by subscribing to our email list at the bottom of the website.

Constructing Skirt Pieces

Hello! I’ve got a photo tutorial for you today. I’ll go through the steps to construct lined skirt pieces, such as those used in Skirts II, IV, V, VI, and VII in the 3rd Edition of the pattern.

Each piece of the skirt is made of 3 layers:
1. Fashion fabric – Our top layer, the main visible fabric of the dress.
2. Skirt base or stiffener – Stiff panels would have a layer of stiffener such as (Pellon 70 or Vilene S80). Soft panels still need some support; I like Pellon 40 Mid-weight Sew-in (Vilene M12/312 is supposed to be similar).
3. Lining fabric – Usually satin, often in a contrasting color.

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1.  The first photo (left) is my fashion fabric.  It’s a black microvelvet, and it was very flimsy, so I fused it with Pellon Shape-Flex.  This isn’t necessary for most fabrics, so you’d just have the fabric.  For all intents and purposes, this Velvet/Shapeflex combo is 1 layer.

2.  In the second photo (right), I’ve added the Base layer, which in this case is Pellon 70.  The piece I am photographing is skirt front piece C from the 3-panel skirt.  If you are creating a soft skirt panel, you’d use a softer base material, as I stated above.  I’ll note that the 3 dots near the center of the base layer are only references for embroidery placement.  Baste the two layers (fabric and base) together around the edges.  You can see this done in the next photo.

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3.  The next step is to do your decoration, whether it be embroidery, topstitching on appliqués, pre-made trim, or any number of things.  You can see I’ve added some machine embroidery here (left photo).

4. Trim the seam allowance off of the bottom edge of the Base layer. As you can see from the photo (right), I’m doing a shaped hemline so I trimmed to that shape. If you’re keeping it straight, you would just trim straight across. For soft panels, this isn’t necessary. You can leave it in, as you’ll see in the next photos.

***This tutorial will use a seamed edge sewn with right sides together. Another option, as stated in the Pattern Instructions, is to stack fabric, base, and lining, trim away bottom seam allowance from all, and satin stitch the edge. If you do that, you can skip to step 7***

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5. Pin the lining fabric to the fashion fabric with right sides together. Stitch together along the hemline.

The left photo shows the piece I have been working with in the previous steps. The right photo is a soft panel from the back of the skirt. You can see that on that one, I didn’t trim the base layer out of the seam first.

6. If you have a shaped edge like me, trim the seam allowance to 1/4″ and clip curves as necessary. If your hem is straight/normal, this is not necessary.

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7. For a straight hemline, you want to under-stitch by pressing the seam allowance towards the lining, and stitching it down 1/16″ from the seam (top photo). To clarify, the stitching will go through the lining fabric plus the seam allowance of all 3 layers, but not the base or fashion fabric. This does two things. It keeps the shape of the hem edge smooth by reinforcing it with a second line of stitching. Secondly and most importantly, it keeps the lining fabric from scootching around to the outside of the dress, which would look horrible.

Now for a shaped hemline like mine (middle photo), it’s difficult to under-stitch because of the angles and corners (OK mine’s pretty mild so I probably could have, but I wanted to show you this other option). Instead, turn the skirt piece right side out and pin the hem edge flat, as I’ve done in the right-hand photo. Be sure the fashion fabric is showing just a tad on the edge, as my black velvet is doing. You don’t want that lining making an appearance! Finish the edge with a line of top-stitching 1/4″ away from the hem (bottom photo). It doesn’t have to be exactly 1/4″, and if you have embroidery right near the edge, it’s best to run it along the edge of the embroidery, which will disguise it. Now this velvet of mine pretty much hides anything (evidence by how much I had to over-expose this photo to even show it), but if you’re worried about how it looks you can always use clear quilting thread.

8. Whichever method you used, give your hem edge (now turned right-side out) a nice press! If you used the under-stitching method, make sure your fashion fabric is rolling around the edge, like in the middle photo. You don’t want the lining peaking around to the outside.

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9. Get your lining fabric laying all flat and nice, and baste around the side and top edges of the piece (left photo).

10. Usually my lining ends up with some extra at the edges. If this happened to you, trim it off now, so the edges are clean and even.

That’s it! After constructing all your panels, consider checking out this post on stitching them to the under-skirts and sewing the side-pleat. Coming soon, a tutorial for constructing the 3-panel skirt.

Happy sewing!

Modifying the Skirt Shape (changing the angle or hem)

In this post I’ll go over some pattern drafting techniques you can use to modify the shape of the skirt.  These all involve cutting, splicing, or trimming the pattern piece.  I’d recommend tracing a copy to use, so you don’t destroy the original.

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1.  Changing the hemline

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2.  Changing the angle of the sides.

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1 – Changing the Hemline

1 – Start with the Skirt Block Front (10) and Back (11).  Draw the desired new hemline on the bottom of the skirt blocks.  If you’re going for a longer hemline, you’ll have to tape some excess paper to the bottom, so you have somewhere to draw.

2 – Fold the side pleat over to check the hem length on it.  It should be about 1/2″ or more above the skirt hemline.  You don’t want to risk it sticking out.  Redraw the hemline on the side pleat as I have done, if needed to maintain that 1/2″ difference.  Since you just drew on the back of the pattern, be sure to transfer it to the front so you don’t forget about it : )

3 – I just showed the front, but don’t forget the back too!  If you are making Skirt View VI or VII (single-panel), you’re now done.  Enjoy!

For Skirt Views I, II, III, and IV:

4 – Divide the hem edge into 4.  Ignore the side pleat, so you’re just dividing between the center-front (or -back) and the side pleat fold line.  If you want to be more precise, you can divide into 6 or 8 instead.  I’ve shown it with 4 here just to make a simpler visual.

5 – Measure the distance from the old hem to the new hem at each of the divisions.  I’ve written my distances on my pattern piece below.

6 – On your skirt front and back (16-17, or 18-19), divide the hem edge into 4 (or 6 or 8), the same way you did in step 4.  Mark your distances up or down from the hem and connect the dots with a smooth line.  The new line should make a 90º angle with the center-front and center-back.

For Skirt V or Seven Panel Skirts Add-on:

7 – Fold Pieces (20) and (22) along the fold lines and match up notches with piece (21) to simulate how the pieces will fit when assembled.  They will be the same shape as the Skirt Block Front.  Lay the Skirt Block Front overtop and trace the new hemline onto pieces 20-22.  Do the same thing with pieces 23-24 and the Skirt Block Back.

8.  Previously in step 2 we adjusted the side pleat so that it was 1/2″ above the new hemline.  We’ll need to do the same thing to the pleats in the 3-panel skirt.  To clarify, these are the pleats where the edges of 20 and 21 meet, 21 and 22 meet, and 23 and 24 meet.  Measure up that 1/2″ to see if you need to shave a little off the inside of the pleats.

2 – Changing the Angle of the Sides

1 – Draw the new desired angle on the Skirt Block Front (10) first.  Trace it onto the Skirt Block Back (11), Under-skirt Back (15), and Under-skirt Front (14) if using. On the Skirt Back (11), the angle will start from the top edge.  From all other pieces, it will start from the Dropped Waist Seam Line.

**Make sure they are all the same angle, this is very important!**

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Decreasing Angle

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Increasing Angle

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2 – Cut the pattern piece along the side-pleat line.  Angle it in or out so that the cut edge lines up with the new drawn line.  See the graphics below.  Redraw the edge of the pieces along the joins as needed to create a smooth shape.

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Decreasing Angle

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Increasing Angle

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3 – Depending on how much the angle was changed, it’s possible the side pleat may now poke out the bottom, which is not desirable!  Scroll up to step 2 of the 1st tutorial (way at the top) for directions on how to modify the hemline of the side pleat if necessary.

Lining and the Center-Back Skirt Seam

The center-back seam allowance of the skirt is never pretty.  The skirt gets lined, usually in beautiful contrasting fabric that flashes when the dancer kicks, but the bulky seam allowance always stands out, looking gross and un-finished.  Due to the way the skirt is constructed, and the fact that the center-back is an alteration point, there is really no way to hide the seam allowance completely, so I like to bind the center-back seam allowance in lining fabric.  You can do it two ways:

1. Leave extra seam allowance on that edge when cutting the lining fabric.  To figure out how much lining seam allowance to cut, double the seam allowance of your other fabrics on that edge and add 1/8″.  So instead of 1″ you’d cut 2 1/8″, or instead of 1 1/2″ you’d cut 3 1/8″.

Press over 1/4″ of the lining and fold it up and around the edge of the skirt panel to the top.  It should end up about 1/4″ away from the center-back seam line.  Don’t let it sit closer than 1/4″, as you don’t want it to interfere with the seam.  Pin the edge down as shown below and stitch along the edge.

2.  If you’ve already cut out the lining and weren’t able to add an extra inch or two, you can also just cut a strip of lining fabric and bind the edge in the standard way, like you would with bias tape…really really wide bias tape!  Except it doesn’t need to be cut on the bias, since you’re binding a straight edge.  Just like in the previous description, don’t let it sit within 1/4″ of the seam line.

If you ever need to let the center-back seam out, the wrapped fabric can just be folded back or removed completely.

Here are a few photos of a dress from a couple years ago.  This one was done with the second method of using a separate piece.

Choosing the Right Fabric

[two_third]There are many types of fabrics commonly used for Irish Dance costumes.  These are a few of the most popular.

Satin
Satin is probably the most common fabric used currently, and also can be the easiest to work with.  Satin is the glossiest option, though you’ll find quite a bit of variety in the amount of shine between different types. Use a thicker “duchess satin” that has some structure, rather than a thin “satin charmeuse”, which is widgy and frustrating to work with.  Charmeuse can work as a skirt lining, but not for anything structural.

Dupioni Silk
Dupioni silk used to be very popular, and still is for some dressmakers.  It has a beautiful sheen, which is different from glossy satin, and is easy to use.  Some varieties are more textured than others, so pick according to what fits your design.  That being said, silk doesn’t always hold up as well over a long period of time, and tends to show scarring from alterations.

Gabardine
Gabardine is also a popular option, but it has more of a matte look.  Most gabardines are fairly sturdy, making it a great option for team costumes as well as solo dresses.  It doesn’t scar as easy as other dress fabrics, so it will last longer and look better after multiple alterations.  Gabardine doesn’t have as “fancy” of a look, which may be a pro or con depending on the dancer and the dress design.

Velvet
Velvet is another popular choice.  It has a great richness and depth of color under stage lights.  Velvet will give you the deepest stage black (I never use anything else for black).  That being said, velvet is going to be a bit trickier to work with.  Its bulk can quickly add up, so I’d look for a micro-velvet that is more lightweight.  Velvet can be found made from a variety of fibers.  In my experience, cotton velvet is easiest to work with, but polyester velvet has the best sheen.  Unfortunately, velvet does show alterations annoyingly well, as the pile gets crushed where seams have previously been.  Apply some heavy steam and ‘brush’ the fabric along the grain with a scrap of velvet to help smooth the pile and reduce the visual evidence of scarring.

Sheer Sleeves
The new trend towards slimmer and sheer sleeves brings new fabrics into the ID world.  Organza is sometimes used, though depending on the slimness of the sleeve, a gusset may need to be added so that arm movement isn’t impeded.  Organza is a delicate fabric that scars easily and won’t hold up well to heavy embroidery.
Many dressmakers are opting for stretchy fabrics such as laces or power nets.  These allow for more movement in a tight-fitting sleeve.  Every fabric will have a different amount of stretch, so do your research and leave extra seam allowance until you know the sleeve fits well.

Bodice Base (and Skirt Base)
It is important to pick a good base fabric for your dress.  This is a fabric that sits underneath the dress fabric to provide structure and stability.  Together, the two layers are treated as one as the dress is constructed.  For most thin fabrics like satin or silk, you’ll want something fairly sturdy like a light-weight twill.  For bulkier fabrics like velvet, you may be fine with a Kona cotton or similar.  Mid-weight non-fusible interfacings work great as a skirt base fabric, but I would not recommend them for the bodice.  Twill/thick cotton/etc also work in the skirt.

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Two satins (plus sequin appliqué). Notice that the gold satin has a slightly higher sheen than the white.

Cotton velvet (black) and dupioni silk (green). Note that this velvet has less gloss than the next two photos, which are polyester.

Polyester micro-velvet (black), polyester gabardine (red), and gold satin at bottom of sleeves.

Polyester velvet (blue) and satin (turquoise).

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Drafting a Slimmer Sleeve

*Update!*  Try our Slim Sleeve Add-on!

Styles change quickly and many people have asked me about drafting a slimmer sleeve as sheer and even skin-tight sleeves come into greater popularity (first photo below).  The sleeve in the Gúna Rince pattern has a slight puff at the shoulder, as you can see in the second photo.

©2018 Rising Star Designs

This post will show how to cut down the sleeve pattern to get a standard dressmaking sleeve fit.

This isn’t meant to be a definitive formula, but merely a starting point.  You will want to mock up your new sleeve to make sure it fits well and make changes if necessary.  For drafting purposes, trace a copy of the sleeve so you are not cutting the original.

1. You’ll need a flexible ruler or tape measure to measure the armscye edges of the front and back bodice. (I’ll do the Ladies 10.  Back=8.8″ Front=8.5″ so 17.3″ total).

Your end goal is to make the armscye edge of the sleeve about 1.5″ bigger than the bodice (you can go as low as 1″ for small child sizes).  This 1.5″ is not extra to be gathered, it’s simply how sleeves are drafted; they need a little ease to perform properly.

2. Draw a vertical line downwards from the top notch and cut along that line so your pattern piece is now in two halves.

3. Shift the left piece to the right 1/4″ and the right piece to the left 1/4″.  They are now overlapping by 1/2″ total.
•For small sizes you can overlap less… 1/4″ or 3/8″ total.
••If the circumference of the sleeve at the bicep/armpit is already fairly tight on the dancer, you may want to skip this step.

4. From the center-top, mark 1/2″ and redraw your sleeve cap so that it hits that 1/2″ mark.
•Small sizes can start with moving only 3/8″ down.
••If you skipped step 3, move 5/8″ down instead. 

Re-mark the top notch by centering it on the overlap at the top of the sleeve.

5. Measure your armscye edge.  Mine was 18.9″
18.9 – 17.3 = 1.6 inch difference
That’s pretty close to 1.5 so I’m going to call it good.  If yours is not as close, repeat step 4, going up or down by 1/8″, rather than 1/2″, as needed until you have that 1.5″ difference.

At this point you should cut one sleeve out of a spare fabric and fit it to make adjustments if necessary.

If you are making a sleeve that is almost skin-tight, you may want to add a gusset under the arm to add to the dancer’s range of motion.  Drafting a gusset is simple.

1. Measure the armscye edge of the sleeve from bottom to notch on each side.  Mine were 3.1″ in the back and 2.9″ in the front.

2.  Draw a horizontal line (6-8″ long).  Bisect that with a line that is the width of your gusset.  Gussets can be anywhere from 1.5-3″ wide, depending on the range of motion you need to add, and the size of the dress.

I’m going to make mine 2″ wide, so that line is 1″ long on each side, making for 2″ total.

3.  With a curved ruler or tape measure, draw a curved line from the top point arcing left and down to the horizontal line.  This curve is the length of our back sleeve measurement (mine was 3.1″).  Draw a second curve to the right of the top point that is the length of your front measurement (mine was 2.9).  Remember to measure the curve, and not the horizontal line.

4.  Mirror the curves underneath the horizontal line.

5.  Mark the vertical line with two notches as shown.  These notches will line up with the underarm seam of the sleeve and the side seam of the bodice.

Add a grainline on a 45º angle.  This gusset is cut on the bias.  I also like to add a reminder of which side is the front and back…let’s be honest they look about the same!

Cut the gusset with the same amount of seam allowance as you are using in the armscye seam.  If your sleeve and bodice are of different fabric, make the gusset from the sleeve fabric.

After sewing the sleeve underarm seam, sew gusset to underarm of sleeve with right sides together.  Corners of gusset will match sleeve notches and the notch of the gusset lines up with the under-arm seam.  From here you can put the sleeve in pretty much like normal.

Skirt Side-Pleat (and Under-Skirt) Construction

Many folks find the skirt’s side-pleats the hardest part of construction to wrap their head around.  It’s probably the part that’s farthest from typical fashion construction, so this is understandable.  I’ve been wanting to make a photo tutorial of these steps for a while, and have finally been able to take some photos while working on a dress this month.

I’m starting at the point after the skirt front and back have been finished separately (see photo of backs below).  In the 3rd Ed. patterns, this is step 37.  For reference, the skirt I photographed is a stiff single-panel (View VI in 3rd Ed.).  For a better fit on this specific dancer, I’ve added a couple small pleats in the back.  You’ll also notice that I’ve bound the center-back seam allowance in lining fabric.  This is because I hate seeing the contrasting seam allowance underneath when the dancer kicks.  In this case the seam would have been black on gold…so noticeable!  I believe these are the only two ways in which the photos differ from the original pattern.

1. Basting to the Under-skirt
Baste a skirt back to the under-skirt back.  Stitch along the dropped waist seam line using a machine baste.  I didn’t in the photo, but I’d advise continuing the stitching down the side edge as well.

Since I have a stiff front skirt, I’m not using a front under-skirt.  I just basted along the dropped waist seam line to make sure it’s visible.  If you’re making a soft front, you would baste the skirt front to the front under-skirt, in the same way as the back.

2. Stitching Front and Backs Together
Now we have 3 pieces, one front and two backs, with under-skirts attached.  With right sides together, pin the backs to the front at the sides (I threw my ruler in to show that the front is underneath…it’s hard to tell with the black velvet.  The ruler is not related to the task at hand). The order of layers here is, bottom to top:
1. Front Under-skirt (if using.  I’m not.)
2. Front Skirt
3. Back Skirt
4. Back Under-skirt
Of course with the under-skirts basted to the skirts, it’s only two functional layers; the front and back.

For best results, I’d recommend lining up the side-pleat line first, then pinning the seam based on that.  Because I did some alterations to the shape after constructing my backs, the shape changed a bit and the edges of my pieces don’t line up exactly.  The side pleat is pretty deep, so it’s not the end of the world if I lose a 1/4″ at the edge.  It’s much more important that the pleat-folds line up with each other.  In an ideal world both your pleat-folds and your seam edge will line up, but it doesn’t hurt to check just in case.

Once you have stitched the seam, trim seam allowance to about 3/8″.

3. Binding the Side-Pleat Seam
Bind the seams sewn in the last step either with bias tape, or a strip of your lining fabric (strip can be cut on the bias, but on grain will work too).  Be sure to use thread that matches the lining fabric…this will be seen!  Once you’ve finished with this step, keep the seams flat as they have been since step 2.

4. Tacking the Side-Pleat
The skirt is now all in one piece, but we haven’t yet made the pleats defined.  On each side of the skirt, double check that the side-pleat fold-lines are lined up with each other.  Draw them in, if you haven’t already (mine is that shadowy brown line…my disappearing marker is starting to die).  Pin through the top few inches of the fold line to keep it from shifting.  1/16″ away, stitch parallel to the line starting 1/2″ above the seam line and ending 1/2″ below.  You can do this either by hand or machine.

5. Pressing the Side-Pleat
The skirt is now complete, but the most important step still remains.  We need to press the pleats into the skirt, so that it gets its distinctive shape.  If you skip this step, the skirt will look weird and bulbous, even if it was constructed correctly.  Fold both front and backs along the side-pleat fold lines and press well.  Use caution with velvet; you don’t want to crush the pile.

The skirt is now complete and ready to be sewn to the bodice. Remember to fold the bulk of the pleat towards the front before stitching to the bodice, as shown below.

If you have a lightweight machine that has trouble with bulk, try our alternative method for stitching the dropped waist seam.  I’ll leave you with a couple photos of the completed side pleat.

Happy sewing!

Drafting a Rounded Collar

**Update!**  The Rounded Collar is now available as an add-on to the solo dress pattern.  Buy it here!

 

Here you’ll find drafting instructions for a mandarin color that works on a round neckline, rather than a pointed one, like what is included in the pattern.  This has become a bit of a fad lately, and I’ve had a couple people ask how to do it.

©Elevation Designs

You will need:

Bodice mock-up (or real bodice pieces)
#4 Collar pattern piece
Paper (or sturdy fabric)
A pen
Tape
 
1.  Measure the neckline of the front bodice from center-front to the shoulder seam.  For the size I am using, it is 4 5/16″.
Measure the height of the collar pattern piece at the notch.  Mine is 1 1/8″.
 
[I use paper to draft this pattern piece.  I also pin it to a dress form.  If you are going to be drafting this on a live human, you may want to make this piece out of some stiff/sturdy fabric because it will be easier to pin onto the fabric bodice.  You could even baste it on.]
 
2.  Draw a rectangle that is twice the length of the neckline and exactly the height of the collar (mine is 8 5/8″ x 1 1/8″).  Mark the mid-point of this rectangle as center-front.  Trace the back half of the collar (from the notch to center-back) onto each side of the rectangle.  It should look something like this.
 
 3.  Cut the strip out and clip the front rectangle section about every 1/2″ starting at the top of the strip and going almost all the way to the bottom edge.  Make sure not to cut all the way through; the middle of your strip should look sort of like fringe.  There is no need to  clip the back half; it does not need to change.
 
4.  Starting at center-front, pin the collar onto the neck edge.  It will really help to have the neck edge drawn or shown with stitching.
 
 5.  Carefully tape the fringes into your desired shape.  You will notice that in some places (like the front) the fringe wants to overlap, but at others (like the sides) it angles away from itself.  Let the front overlap enough that the collar isn’t gaping forward, but not so much that it will choke your dancer.  Try to keep it as symmetrical as possible.
 
 6.  Once all the fringes have been taped together, remove the collar piece.  It should look something like this.
 
7.  Fold the collar draft in half and lay it on a fresh piece of paper.
 
8.  The two halves probably won’t be exactly the same.  We do the best we can, but we are human after all.  Trace both halves onto the fresh paper so that they overlap.   Mine were very close to being identical, but you can see a bit of variation in the middle of the bottom line.
 
 9.  True up your pattern, splitting the difference where the two halves disagreed.  Mark your center-back, center-front, and shoulder notch (the shoulder notch goes where the front and back sections meet).
Ready to sew it on?  Check out this post!

Collars – Two Ways

Here are two ways of putting the collar on.
 
The first method is from the Second and Third Edition pattern instructions.  It is the easiest way, especially if you are shortening or shaping the collar (like I have below with the scalloped edge).  The downside to this method is that you do get some seam allowance tickling the dancers’ neck, but if you are planning to put a lining in your dress, it’s no big deal.
 
The second method is from the First Edition pattern instructions.  I replaced it because it is a bit more complicated.  However, it creates a nice clean seam by pushing the neck-edge seam allowance up into the collar itself and is great if you want your collar to really stand up straight and tall and bold.  Since I wasn’t working on another dress while taking these pictures, I’ve done it in muslin with just a lazy zig zag instead of a full satin stitch.
 

First Method

1.  After your shoulder seams are sewn, start by trimming away your neck-edge seam allowance and finishing the edge with a satin stitch.
 
2.  To make up your collar pieces, flat all three layers together and satin stitch the top edge (no seam allowance).  Serge or zig-zag the bottom edge to keep the layers together.
 
3.  Mark the seam line on the front of the collar pieces with thread or disappearing marker.  Clip the seam allowance along the length of the collar, not clipping closer than 1/8″ to the seam line.

Back side (left) and front side (right)

4.  Pin your collars to your bodice, matching the notch with the shoulder seam.

 

5.  Using a thin satin stitch (and I say thin here in referring to the density, not the width), sew over the neck edge stitching to attach the collar. 

You can instead do a straight stitch-in-the-ditch along the left edge of the satin stitching.  I think this is what I put in the 3rd Ed. instructions, and makes it easy to alter later…less seam ripping!

 

6.  Viola!  Collar on!  View from the inside:

View from the outside.  I used too thin of a satin stitch in step 5, so the stitching of my neck edge isn’t as smooth as it could be.  I might redo it later, but you get the idea.

 

Second Method

1. Start by basting the stiffener to the front layer of fabric.  Baste 1/16″ inside of the stitching line along the bottom edge.  Then, trim the seam allowance away (on the bottom edge only) and satin stitch the edge to finish it.
 
2.  Add the second layer of fabric to the back side, so the stiffener is sandwiched.  When you line them up at the top edge, the second layer (which will be our lining) will be longer since its seam allowance has not been trimmed away.  Along the top edge this time, baste 1/16″ inside the stitching line catching all 3 layers.  Stop (this is important) 1 inch away from the center-front point.  Trim the seam allowance away again (all the way down to the point), then satin stitch the edge to finish it, stopping 1″ above the point.
 
3.  Press the lining seam allowance to the inside, clipping if necessary.  It should look like this:
 
 4.  Draw the stitching line around your neck edge with a disappearing marker, or mark it with a basting thread.  Clip the curve of the seam allowance liberally.
 
 5.  Pin the stiff collar outer layer to the neck edge, matching the notch with the shoulder seam and the point with center-front.
 
 6.  Do the same on the underside.  The priority here is that the collar lining is laying flat.  If the folded edge is a bit off from the stitching line, don’t worry.  So long as it’s not more than an 1/8″ too high, it will get caught by the stitching.
 
Once this step is done, the neck edge seam allowance should be sandwiched between the two collar layers.
 
 7.  Using a thin satin stitch (and I say thin here in referring to the density, not the width), sew over the satin stitching on the bottom of the collar.  This step is similar to step 5 in the first method, except for that the stitching you’re going over is on the collar, instead of on the bodice.
 
8.  Now that the collar is attached, go back to your front point and satin stitch those last 1″ segments.
 
 Ta-da!  Your collar is now complete and ever-so-distinguished (or it will be if you used lovely dress fabrics, rather than muslin).