LESSON THE PRINCESS JACKET

LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of the lesson, you must have:

1. Identified the points in draping the basic princess jacket.
2. Understand how to create the basic princess jacket;
3. Acquired knowledge and skill in draping the basic princess jacket.

LEARNING CONTENT

The Princess Jacket

Draping the basic princess jacket, the designer can achieve the silhouette
that is desired.
Princess seams permit the shaping and molding the jacket with exact
amount of ease or fit demanded by current fashion styling. Princess seams also
help to achieve perfectly straight and balance grain. Princess seam can be serve
as the foundation pattern for other tailored jackets.
The princess seams can be shifted, or they can be manipulated into darts.
Various collars or pockets can be developed and incorporated into the design, and
the jacket can be shortened or lengthened to the correct proportion required by the
total ensemble

A. Preparation of the muslin

1. Tear the muslin:
a. Length – distance from the top of the neckband to the hipline plus
6 inches.
b. Width – divide a full width (approximately 45 inches wide) of the
muslin into four equal pieces.
2. Draw the grain lines:
a. Lengthwise grain 1 inch from the torn edge for the center front
and center back.
b. Side panels- lengthwise grain in the center of each panel
 c. All panels –
crosswise
grain for the
hipline 4
inches up from
the lower
edge.
Crosswise
grain for the
bustline;
measure the
distance from
the hip to the
bust level.

3. Turn under 1 inch seam allowance at the center front and center back.

B. Draping Steps
1. Pin the center front panel to the apex.
2. Keeping the cross grain straight throughout
the panel, smooth up toward to the
shoulder. Pin the center front at the
neckline, the chest, below the breast, and
the hip line.
3. Pin at the hipline and princess seam,
leaving approximately ½ inch ease in the
panel.
4. Drape the neckline, slashing the muslin
and leaving enough ease for a pinch
approximately 1/8 inch.
5. Leaving approximately 2 inches beyond
the projected princess seam, trim away
any excess muslin.
6. Slash into the 2 inch extension at the
princess seam above and below the bust
level grain line and at the waistline. Mark
the shoulder seam and neckline.
7. Place the side front panel onto the dress Steps 1 - 6
form so that the cross grain lines are
aligned with the cross grain lines on the center front panel and the
straight grain line is centered on the princess panel of the dress form. At
the hip level, pin at the princess line and side seam, leaving
approximately ½ inch ease. Above the bust level, smooth the muslin up
to the shoulder, leaving a small amount of ease in the armhole area.
8. Along the princess line, pin the side front Steps 7-9
panel over the center front panel slashing
the muslin above and below the bust line and
at the waistline.
9. Leaving about 2 inches beyond the projected
princess seam and along the shoulder, trim
away any excess muslin. Mark the position of
the shoulder seam
10. Position the center back panel onto the dress
form, aligning cross grain lines at the hipline
and bust level with the tapes on the dress
form. Pin into place.
11. Drape the back neckline, slashing the muslin
as necessary. To eliminate the neckline dart,
let the muslin shift ¼ inch into the center back
seam at the neckline. Leave enough ease for
a pinch – the same as for the front neckline.
12. Smooth the center back panel up over the
shoulder pad, with 1/8 inch ease on the shoulder
seam.
13. Pin at the hipline and princess seam, leaving
approximately ½ inch ease at the hip level.
14. Leaving approximately 2 inches beyond the
projected princess seam, trim away the excess
muslin. Clip into the seam allowance from the
bust level grain line to the hipline.
15. Place the side back panel onto the dress form,
with the crosswise grain lines aligned with the
center back and side front panels and the
Steps 10 - 14
lengthwise grain line at the center.
16. Pin into place, overlapping the center back panel;
allow 1/8 inch ease at the shoulder and ½ inch
ease at the hip level. Maintain the ease on the
cross grain throughout the panel. Pin the side
seam together with the grain balanced.
17. Pin the shoulder seam together, making sure that
the back shoulder is ¼ inch longer than the front
shoulder.
18. At the shoulder and side seams, trim away the
excess muslin, leaving approximately 1 ½ inches
19. Shape the front and back of the jacket at the side
seam and the princess seam overlap as desired.
Slash the muslin where necessary, and carefully
maintain the balanced cross grain while shaping
the jacket. The center back seam may also be Steps 15 - 18
slightly shaped in at the waistline. Remember that
 most jackets must fit without strain over the blouse or sweater and skirt;
therefore, maintaining adequate ease is essential. At least ½ inch of
ease should be allowed in each panel at the
lower edge of the jacket. The side seam
should extend 1 inch beyond the dress form
at the armhole.
20. Using style tape over the muslin, determine
the placement of the princess seam from the
shoulder, 1incg to the side of the apex and
down to the lower edge of the jacket. The
princess seam of the jacket will not follow
the princess seam of the dress form.
21. Mark the neckline.
22. Leaving all the seams pinned together and
the princess seam style tape in place,
carefully remove the muslin from the dress
form.
23. Trim away any excess muslin at the
princess seams and side seam to 1 inch, so
that the silhouette can more easily be
evaluated.
24. To make any necessary adjustments, Steps 19 - 25
replace the jacket on the dress form before
marking the seams.
25. Determine a temporary armhole with style tape ½ inch back from the
edge of the shoulder pad at the top of the shoulder, ½ inch beyond the
armplate at the shoulder blade level in the back, and 1 ¼ inches down
from the armplate at the side seam. Mark lightly.
26. Mark all the seams. Mark the overlapped princess seams by marking
at the edge of the style tape and turning back the upper layer in order
to mark the lower layer.
27. Cross mark the seams:
a. Center back – three notches in the center of the seam.
b. Back princess seam – two notches, 3 inches apart, just below the
shoulder blade level.
c. All seams – one notch at the waistline
d. Front princess seam – one notch at the bust line, one notch 2 ½
inches above, and one notch 2 ½ inches below the bust line
28. Remove the jacket from the dress form, and true all seams.
29. True the neckline, lowering it ¼ inch at the center back, ¼ inch at the
shoulder seam and 1 inch at the center front.
30. True the armhole, leaving the underarm extension at the side seam on
the grain for approximately ¾ inch. Use the fairgate wary form curve to
shape the armhole.
31. See the finished pattern.
 32. Prepare the muslin for fitting the same as for the basic jacket. The front
and back princess seams should be pinned together above the apex
before cutting the interfacing.
33. Replace the jacket on the dress form. Check the fit and make any
necessary adjustments before drafting the sleeve.

REFERENCES

Draping for Fashion Design. Retrieved from

https://www.pdfdrive.com/draping-for-fashion-design-e187301311.html
February 10, 2021
Draping the Complete Course. Retrieved from
https://www.pdfdrive.com/draping-the-complete-course-
e157984926.html February 10, 2021
Dress Design, Draping and Flat Pattern Making.
https://www.pdfdrive.com/dress-design-draping-and-flat-pattern-making-
e186946068.html February 10, 2021