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Adapting the Błock for long skirts, Fig 27

27. Adapting the Błock for long skirts

Many garments for both men and women have long skirts. Ensure you have enough room and pattern paper!

Mark waist level on the bodice pattern, and check the required length of the garment from waist to hem. Mark the centre of the waist linę on Front and Back and rule a construction linę (on SG) through this point, extending it to the required garment length.

At hem level measure and mark the hem width of the pattern piece. This may be centered on the construction linę, or placed off centre to move fullness from CF to side or, as here, from side to CB. Back and Front side seams should be planned the same distance from the construction linę, so they flarę at the same angle. Using a tape measure, mark the skirt length at regular intervals to form a curved hem linę.

Hem widths for different garments are covered in their captions. The side seams may reach to the waist, or may join the curve of the hips. Add balance marks at waist and hip level, and on skirt seam lines.

This method for planning skirts is used for the woman's cotehardie, kirtle, overkirtle and late medieval gown.

To make the working pattern for a garment Identify the garment and style reąuired (e.g. Doublets, Figs 4, 6), and read the instructions. Tracę off your Błock onto clean paper leaving plenty of space around. Draw in the reąuired alterations lightly at first. Check that the seams match each other: two edges to be sewn together are normally the same length, though a sleeve head should always be slightly larger than the armhole. Where a seam meets an edge, both sides of the seam should meet the edge at right angles.

Mark the start of any seam openings, e.g. for a sleeve or the front of a kirtle. Add reference points, such as waist level and balance marks, as an aid to matching seams. Mark BP on the back armhole, and SP on the sleeve head, ensuring that SP is correctly positioned if the sleeve Błock has been altered (Fig 25). Mark the Straight Grain on every piece.

Always label each pattern piece with its name, the number to cut out, and whether seam allowances are included. Keep pattern pieces in a transparent pocket with a sketch of the design; they can be stored in a ring binder.

You may prefer to try the pattern in a cheaper fabric before cutting a morę expensive materiał.

Linings

No separate patterns are given for linings: they are almost always the same as the outer pattern pieces and are cut on the same grain. Where parts of a garment have been cut without a paper pattern, use these to cut the lining. It doesn't matter if the lining is pieced to fit (see below).

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