Getting The Master Pattern Blocks Complete

Going through the master slopers again like this is proving very useful.   Pattern blocks have to be perfect,  as a matter of fact,  if you haven't been called a perfectionist more than once in your life,  than you may want to pick a different form of work.   You kind of want to be the sort of person that feels perection is a kind of beauty in itself. 

I'm doing the sleeve patterns again right now.   and I want to get them right.   Because I didn't have the dressform when I first started studying patternmaking,  I didn't actually take too many precaustions toward accuracy since there was no way for them to turn out right.   Now,  however,  I'm paying attention.

There are varying amounts of fullness that's drafted into the top of the sleeve cap to create that "cap" effect when the sleeve is sewn into the armhole.  However,  once I 'walk' the sleeve into the front and back armscye slopers,  I'll have to make sure the 'center line' on the sleeve to be sure there's 1/4 or so more for back portion of the sleeve as compared to the front.   And that's fine,  but there's no ease in the wrist area and I don't like that so I think I'll add some to the master pattern,  think I'll make that an 1" or 1 1/2".   Then I'll be doing the shirt sleeve and then the raglan pattern blocks.   (sweater dress patterns,  here I come :).

Now when I have to draft another pattern block from the basic bodice blocks I don't have any pattern weights to keep it in place,  I've thought of a neat idea though,  I just take the square off sleeve curve ruler and lay it on top of the pattern to hold it in place.

If I have something larger to deal with though,  I just use my little square books "Arts and Crafts" and "Art Nouveau" from Flame Tree Publishing.   Nice as that may sound though,  I'm thinking about getting some real pattern weights along with a flexi-curve ruler,  a replacement sleeve and neck line curve ruler because the fairgate sleeve curve ruller I have right now is too narrow,  and the one shown above (it's actually cracked in two places) I can't find any where.  I'll keep looking though.  It's too good not to have.

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