Draping My Mad Men Dress: Draping Tips

I decide it's high time I made myself a bombshell dress!

It's been awhile since I've made one of these little numbers, and with the approaching season of Mad Men,  I decided to design my own by draping it on my dress form. No flat pattern making.

I like draping much more than flat pattern making. Draping feels like sculpture, while flat pattern making feels boring, mathematical, and tedious to me.

Although Mad Men is now firmly ensconced in the late sixties, like Joan Holloway, I can't leave the early sixties behind and want to make a tight, floral sheath dress like Miss Joan wears. 

If it's not broken don't fix it and Joan Holloway can work a tight sheath like nobody's business. 

Below are some elements from dresses from the show that are inspiring me:

A tight floral dress with no waist seam.

A rounded neckline with elbow length sleeves

Again, bold floral!

This is my fabric. A large floral  stretch woven cotton I bought at Mood Fabrics in Hollywood.

I so love this.

When draping make sure you mark your crossgrain line and length grain line on each piece of fabric you are draping.

I followed my taped style lines and pinned the dart.

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I trimmed off all of the seam allowance. I will add it back later on my fashion fabric. For now, it's in the way for me.

When draping a design it's crucial that your cross grain lines and lengthwise grain lines remain straight on the form. Otherwise the dress will twist and be contorted, especially after you wash it.

But if you are draping a design on the bias grain that doesn't apply.

Draping the inset waistband which I later decided to incorporate into my skirt design.

I am eliminating the waist seam above on my final design. It will be a high waisted skirt.

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