Draping is an important aspect of the fashion design process. It is one way by which you, the fashion designer, can create patterns to use as guidelines for creating trending styles and designs to suit their clients’ needs. For new fashion designers, however, the concept of draping can prove tricky.
This week, we reviewed a video by Adunni of Sew Unique by Adunni on how to use draping tape. In it, she gives an introduction to draping for new fashion entrepreneurs. She also gives a practical example of how to drape a basic bodice. The video aims to introduce new fashion entrepreneurs to the concept of draping to make it easier for them to sew trending styles for their clients as they grow.
This video review will cover;
- useful points fashion designers can learn from,
- the relevance of the information provided to fashion designers,
- important points missed out.
Introduction To Draping Review: How to drape
To start the draping process, you need a standard dress form and some draping tape. Draping tapes are sticky tapes or adhesive that you use to put draping lines on your dress form. It is most useful when you have a dress form that doesn’t come with the draping lines.
Draping tapes have 2 major uses:
- To create guidelines on the dress form to guide designers with the draping process, and
- To create style lines to use to inspire the style you want to create.
How to Use Your Draping Tape
It is quite useful to use two different colours of draping tape when creating your draping lines on a dress form. You can use the first, say black, to create draping lines and the second, say red, to create style lines on the same dress form. This way, you see clearly the difference between your guidelines and your style lines.
How to Create Draping Lines
The first thing to do when using the draping tape is to mark your important points of measurement. This includes the bust point or apex, waistline, neckline, shoulder lines, armholes, and centre line of your dress form.
Just by looking at and studying your dress form, you will have a good idea of where to place the tape. Once that is done, you can use these tapes as your guidelines when creating various styles for your clients.
How to Create Style Lines
With style lines, you do not have to use paper patterns or flat patterns to create various styles. You can just trace the style lines onto your muslin straight from your body form. This eliminates a lot of the extra work that comes with pattern drafting.
As seen above, style lines can be useful for several varying designs. For example, the first image depicts styles lines used to create a bodice with a plunging v-neckline and a cut-out detail at the side. To make this style easier to trace out on muslin, you can add a princess dart to the design. The right side of the second image shows style lines used to create a bodice with a 4-panel corset and sleeveless strap.
Important Points Missed Out
To create an outfit using the style lines on your dress form, place your muslin on the dress form and pin it down. Once that is done, trace out the styles lines onto the muslin fabric. Wherever you have a dart, leave extra fabric out and pin it so you have enough material to create your dart allowance.
Next, take the muslin and cut out the various pieces of your design from it. This includes your sleeves, bust cup, and all other pieces.
Following this, pin the muslin pieces on your main fabric and cut out your patterns. With these patterns, you should be able to pin your outfit back together using the main fabric and test it on your form before sewing it.
It is important to note that you can create your style lines on just one side of your dress form and fold your fabric in two when cutting it out do you get the same shape on both sides.
The Usefulness of the Information to Fashion Designers
This video helps to introduce fashion designers to the basic concept behind draping for outfit creation. It provides easy-to-follow points that show how to use the tapes optimally and eliminate some of the stress that comes with pattern drafting.
Overall, the information provided in this video proves useful for new fashion entrepreneurs looking to be introduced to the how-to of draping. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily change your dress form from plain to marked with draping lines.
