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M/M
The purpose of this book is t0 explain in dctail lhe principles of draping
Iabric on the dress form, thc principlcs o! Hat paucrn from masler
dcsignilng an
paucrn blocks, and the dcpendencc of successlul flat paltern makmg on
linder-
slanding of draping. We havc devote-d thc enlirc book to the presentanon of
thesc l w u systems in ordcr to show that a lacility in bolh frees the designer lo
carry oul any original costumc with ease and confidence.
Although drapiixg is the (iltlesl method ol‘ pattcrn designing, we have no—
whcre been ablc l0 lind a text lor our own collegc classes (hat shows in detail
how t0 drape Hat labric l0 fit the curves ol the body. Texts thal deal adequately
with the Hat pauern syslem mcrely mcmion draping as a possible method but
make no altempt 1o explain i1. We have therefore tricd to present draping as
adequately and logically as the block system.
From long experiencc in teaching both syslems of pattern making, we have
also bccome convinced that one can work with greater
underslanding, efliciency.
and skill if able l0 use both. We should thereforc not want t0
present one system
without the other. Each has many advantages, and only when one is able to use
the system which beuer suits a particular situation, or even to use a combination
of the (wo. can one derive the utmost satislaction and
pleasure from Original
costume designing. An understanding of each method
helps to explain the other.
For example, flat pattern designs devclopcd from drafted
patterns will be utterly
cold, set, and lifeless unless one has had experience in working with fabric on the
form. Such designs may be accurate, but they will lack the finer line
placement
gained through draping experience. We have, therefore, attempted to show the
improvement in design quality (hat comes when blocking is founded on an
understanding of draping.
lt is too widely assumed that in order to
profit from draping one must
have a mysterious Iceling for fabric or a gift for line, and that
is a kind of vague hin or miss procedure, too draping at best
impractical 1o be generally used.
This false assumption is undoubtedly due to the fact (hat
draping has not pre-
viously been analyzed and systematizcd and that procedures easy to lollow have
not bcen established. We are not
attempting to prove that merely by leaming to
drape, any one can bccome a professional designer. lndeed, we wish to make
clear our conviction that a succcsslul
professional dress designer must be born
not
nnly with an innate feeling [ u r line and tcxture, an intcrest in and an ap-
of all the ans, but with a keen busincss
precialtion sense as well (hat enables her
to design the right clothes a1 the
right time. Bul we do maintain that any student
or homemaker Wllh
elcmentarydressmakingakills at her
command can learn
1o. (lrape deftly anld accurately, and (hat lhls abilily will help her to dcsign
Original and beauuful costumes. A1 the
very least, she will Iearn through ex-