TheSloperLady
By Lauraline Grosenick, CADTERNS Custom Clothing Inc.
http://www.cadterns.com

How can we make new patterns from our fitted slopers? This is the real payoff for spending the time and effort needed to get the best sloper you can, the recreational patternmaker |"candy". Once your sloper gets past the intentional criticism required, you can start transforming this boring basic garment into something sensational, unlike anything you can find or just like something you have seen.

Where do you begin? You start of course with your fitted sloper. If you can find a picture or draw a sketch of what you have in mind, this is a good start. Don't worry if you're not an artist, because it's not for display (unless you ARE artistic that is). Think of sketching as being graphical shorthand, simply to help you to recall the style lines and details that you most want to recall.

A tried and true sequence of steps to follow in modifying your sloper is as follows:

1) Rearrange darts to originate from whichever seamlines you want then draw the dart legs in the direction of the dart point. This can include one or more of the following:

a) Rotate darts around their respective dart points at the apex (the highest point) of the curve being covered;
b) Combine several darts into fewer; or
c) Divide one dart into two or more.

2) Convert darts into

a) Tucks
b) Gathers
c) Seamlines
d) Flare or
e) Fullness.

3) Adjust fullness, adding either

a) Squared or
b) Flared fullness,

4) Apply finish

a) Functional finishes and
b) Decorative finishes.

I do regret having to leave dart discussions at this point, but on-line classes on Dart Art, Part 1 have begun and our CSOL (CyberSchool of Online Learning) beckons. News of things happening at our Website are available at www.cadterns.com where you will find many links including one to the Cyber School.

To leave you a souvenir from TheSloperLady, feel free to request the Anatomy of a Dart slide show from info@cadterns.com. This self-activated viewlet will help to understand the last article on Making New Patterns (with your personal sloper).

Remember
If it's worth sewing, it's worth sewing well;
and if it's worth sewing well, it's worth FITTING FIRST!

'Til next time then,
TSL (TheSloperLady)

Definitions:
Glossary of Terms

Articles:
Sloper Talk - Preamble
Slopers 101: "What is a sloper?"
Slopers 102: "Why would I want one?"
"Where can I get a sloper that will fit me?"
"How many measurements does it take to get a perfect sloper?"
"How CAN you tell when you’re done?"
"How can you use your fitted sloper to fit other patterns?"
"How can we make new patterns from our fitted slopers?"

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