Sloper Back Draft 103-B1

Bodice Back Sample Garment (1/2 scale)

Category: Sloper

Sizing: Standard or Custom

Adaptation: Modern Pattern Design and Patternmaking: A Comprehensive Reference for Fashion Design

Companion Patterns: 103-F1 Bodice Front, 103-S1 Bodice Sleeve

Measurements Used

• Across Back
• Armhole Drop
• Blade Apex Back
• Blade Height Back
• Bust Back
• Bust Ease
• Center Length Back
• Full Length Back
• Neck Back
• Shoulder Across Back
• Shoulder Height Back
• Shoulder Length
• Shoulder Slope Back
• Side Length
• Waist Back
• Waist Ease

If you would like to see detailed images of each of these measurements demonstrated on a model and on a sample pattern, please visit the PatternMaker Pro Measurement Definitions page.

New to these instructions? Practice Basics explains point movement, how to read each step and contains other helpful tips.

Companion Patterns

This pattern goes along with the Bodice Front 103-F1 draft. I recommend that you open that draft and add this back pattern to the same file. This allows you to make pattern modifications later that require both the front and back patterns together. Also, this will allow you to true the armhole curves.

Shoulder Dart

A shoulder dart may not be required. If the Neck Point extends beyond the Side Neck Point relative to the Center Neck, discard the Neck Point. Draft the neckline curve through the Side Neck Point and omit the shoulder dart.

Layers > Add Layer

1Back Draft

Parent: PMP

Name: Back Draft

Save & Switch

Points > Add Free Point

2Center Neck

This pattern drafts from the left towards the right. Place this point to the right of the front draft.

Points > Add Point from Point

3Center Waist

Base: ²Center Neck

Y: {Center Length Back}

Points > Add Point from Point

4Full Length Ref Pt

Base: ³Center Waist

Y: - {Full Length Back}

Points > Add Point from Point

5Across Ref Pt

Base: ⁴Full Length Ref Pt

X: {Across Back} / 2

Points > Add Point from Point

6Shoulder Ref Pt

Base: ⁴Full Length Ref Pt

X: {Shoulder Across Back} / 2

Points > Add Point from Point

7Bust Ref Pt

Base: ⁴Full Length Ref Pt

X: ({Bust Back} / 2) + ({Bust Ease} / 4)

Lines > Add Reference Line

8Across Ref Line

Start: ⁵Across Ref Pt

Direction: Vertical

Length: Set distance {Full Length Back}

Lines > Add Reference Line

9Shoulder Ref Line

Start: ⁶Shoulder Ref Pt

Direction: Vertical

Length: Set distance {Full Length Back}

Lines > Add Reference Line

10Bust Ref Line

Start: ⁷Bust Ref Pt

Direction: Vertical

Length: One direction (down)

Points > Point on Line at Distance

11Shoulder

From: ³Center Waist

Distance: {Shoulder Slope Back}

Line: ⁹Shoulder Ref Line

Lines > Add Line

12Shldr Length Ref Line

From: ⁴Full Length Ref Pt to ⁶Shoulder Ref Pt

Points > Point on Line at Distance

13Side Neck

From: ¹¹Shoulder

Distance: {Shoulder Length}

Line: ¹²Shldr Length Ref Line

Points > Point on Line at Distance

14Neck Pt

From: ²Center Neck

Distance: ({Neck Back} / 2) - 0.125" or 3 mm

Line: ¹²Shldr Length Ref Line

Points > Point on Line at Distance

15Mid-Arm

From: ¹¹Shoulder

Distance: 4" or 100 mm

Line: ⁸Across Ref Line

Points > Point on Line at Distance

16Side Ref Pt

From: ¹⁵Mid-Arm

Distance: {Shoulder Height Back} - 4" or 100 mm

Line: ¹⁰Bust Ref Line

Points > Add Point from Point

17Armpit

Base: ¹⁶Side Ref Pt

Y: - ({Side Length} - {Armhole Drop})

Points > Add Point from 2 Points

18Armpit CP Ref

¹⁷Armpit, ⁶Shoulder Ref Pt

X: ⁶Shoulder Ref Pt

Y: ¹⁷Armpit

Points > Bisect Points

19Bisect Armhole

Select: ¹⁷Armpit, ⁶Shoulder Ref Pt

Extend: ¹⁸Armpit CP Ref

Distance: 1" or 25 mm

Points > Add Point from Point

20Blade Ht

Base: ³Center Waist

Y: - {Blade Height Back}

Points > Add Point from Point

21Blade Apex

Base: ²⁰Blade Ht

X: {Blade Apex Back} / 2

Points > Add Point from Point

22Dart P1

Base: ³Center Waist

X: [Measure ²⁰Blade Ht to ²¹Blade Apex] - 0.5" or 13 mm

Points > Add Point on Vector

23Side Waist Pre

Start: ¹⁶Side Ref Pt

Vector: ²²Dart P1

Distance: ([Measure ³Center Waist to ²²Dart P1 to ¹⁶Side Ref Pt] - (({Waist Back} / 2) + ({Waist Ease} / 4))) * .25

This measures the waist width on the draft and subtracts the actual waist width to determine the difference. 25% is applied at the side waist and 75% is dart intake.

Points > Add Point from Point

24Dart P2

Start: ²²Dart P1

X: ([Measure ³Center Waist to ²²Dart P1 to ¹⁶Side Ref Pt] - (({Waist Back} / 2) + ({Waist Ease} / 4))) * .75

Make sure you select ¹⁶Side Ref Pt and not the ²³Side Waist Pre point. This is the same measurement as the prior step with 75% for dart intake.

Points > Add Point on Vector

25Side Waist

Start: ¹⁷Armpit

Vector: ²³Side Waist Pre,

Distance: {Side Length} - {Armhole Drop}

Points > Add Point from Point

26Shoulder Apex

Base: ¹⁴Neck Pt

Y: 3.5" or 90 mm

Lines > Add Reference Line

27Neckline Ref

Start: ²Center Neck

Direction: Horizontal

Length: One direction (right)

Layers > Add Layer

28Outline Back

Parent: PMP

Name: Outline Back

Save & Switch

Curves > Add Curve

29Neckline

From: ²Center Neck to ¹⁴Neck Pt

Curve Points: 1

Drag the point down towards the ²⁷Neckline Ref, but don't drop below it.

(See the note on page 2. This curve may be from ²Center Neck to ¹³Side Neck)

Curves > Add Curve

30Armhole

From: ¹¹Shoulder to ¹⁷Armpit

Curve Points: 2

Drag the top curve point so it goes through the ¹⁵Mid-Arm. Drag the lower curve point down to the ¹⁹Bisect Armhole and reshape from there.

Lines > Add Line

31Shoulder Line

From: ¹³Side Neck to ¹¹Shoulder

Lines > Add Line

32Side Line

From: ¹⁷Armpit to ²⁵Side Waist

Lines > Add Line

33Waist Line

From: ²⁵Side Waist to ²⁴Dart P2

Lines > Add Line

34Waist Line

From: ²²Dart P1 to ³Center Waist

Lines > Add Line

35Center Back

From: ³Center Waist to ²Center Neck

Darts > Register Dart

36Blade Dart

Apex: ²¹Blade Apex

Dart Leg Stay: ²²Dart P1

Dart Leg Fold: ²⁴Dart P2

Direction: ³Center Waist

Name: BladeDart

Darts > Register Dart

37Shoulder Dart

Apex: ²⁶Shoulder Apex

Dart Leg Stay: ¹⁴Neck Pt

Dart Leg Fold: ¹³Side Neck

Direction: ²Center Neck

Name: ShoulderDart

Finish > Change Line/Curve Seam Allowance

38Center Back SA

*If you are going to cut the back on the fold:

Select: ³⁵Center Back

Value: Custom Value

0 (zero)

Finish > Curve Truing

39True Neckline

First: ²⁹Neckline

Seam: ³⁵Center Back

Second: ²⁹Neckline

Seam: ³⁵Center Back

Move the green curve point to create a smooth curve. Update to view changes.

Finish > Add Text at Point

40Label Pattern

Select a location for the pattern label. Note the name of the pattern, measurement set used, date and cutting instructions

Layers > Layer Visibility

41Hide Drafting

Hide the Back Draft layer.

Finish > Add Measurement Text

42Measurement Notes

You may choose to add the ²⁹Neckline and ³⁰Armhole curve measurements individually for later reference after printing.

Finish > Add Grainline

43Grainline

*If you are not going to cut the back on the fold:

Vertical

Click to locate the top/left of the line near ³⁵Center Back

Length: {Center Length Back} * 0.75

Finish > Add Cut on Fold

44Center Back Fold

*If you are going to cut the front on the fold:

Select: ³⁵Center Back

Other Side if outside pattern.

Finish > Hide Points

45Hide Points

Hide the points that remain.

Finish > Add Seam Allowance to Pattern

46Seam Allowance

Select: ³¹Shoulder Line, ³⁰Armhole, ³²Side Line, ³³Waist Line, ³⁶Blade Dart Ext Line 1, ³⁶Blade Dart Ext Line 2, ³⁴Waist Line, ³⁵Center Back, ²⁹Neckline, ³⁷Shoulder Dart Ext Line 1, ³⁷Shoulder Dart Ext Line 2

Other Side if inside pattern.

If you have a shoulder dart, you will need to zoom way in to select the dart extension lines. If you miss them, the seam allowance will fail.

Finish > Add Notch

47Armhole Notch

Select: ³⁰Armhole

Distance: 3" or 76 mm

From: ¹⁷Armpit

Type: Double

Notch should point to selected line.

48Print

File > Export PDF

Choose the appropriate page size and print your final pattern.