LIST OF EXPERIMENTS

Sl.NO. Experiment Page no.

Introduction to Draping 2

1 Draping of Bodice, Collar, skirt and sleeve 5

2 Draping Bustier design with princess line 11

3 Draping Halter neck style with Cowls 14

4 Draping asymmetric gown

5 Draping peplum skirt

INTRODUCTION TO DRAPING
Fashion draping is an important part of fashion design. Draping for fashion design is the
process of positioning and pinning fabric on a dress form to develop the structure of a
garment design.

Fashion draping is the oldest method used since the 18th century. Currently, it is considered to
be an important part in fashion designing. Many types and sizes of dress forms for women,
men and children are made to fulfill the requirement.

A dress can be draped using a design sketch as a basis, or a fashion designer can play with the
way fabric falls to create new designs at the start of the dress design process. After draping,
the toile fabric is removed from the dress form which was used to create the sewing draped
pattern for making fashionable dress to suit an individual. In U.S.A. designers use very light
weight fabrics, which is called as 'toile', and U.K. designers call it as 'muslin' cloth.

The techniques for draping fabric require the knowledge of the fabric's characteristics.
Designers/drapers must have the knowledge to distinguish among different fabrics which will
enable them to select the most appropriate fabric for flow and line of each design.
Designers must devote time to collect swatches while shopping and catalogue them by width
content. In this way a personal reference library can also be created and developed.

Fashion draping and fitting are usually done with muslin inexpensive, unbleached, loosely
woven cotton) to resolve any design and fitting issues of a garment before cutting the pattern
in real fabric. However, it is important to drape using a fabric that has similar drape
characteristics (the way it falls and folds) as the real fabric of the finished garment. Muslin
comes in a variety of weights, and inexpensive synthetic fabrics can also be used in fitting
and draping for apparel design. Fashion designers drape garments in sections i.e.: front
bodice, back bodice, front skirt, back skirt etc. and only the right side of the garment (when
worn) is draped, unless the apparel design is asymmetrical.

Fabrics used for draping:

Fabrics and clothes must relate to our lifestyles and our active lifestyles are made of many
different fabrics such as stretchy knitted fabrics, chiffon, georgette, organza, sheer cottons,
voile, and light weight silk fabrics are most suitable for fashion draping purpose. Drape
ability plays an important role in making sophisticated draped garments. Mostly, very light
weight to medium weight fabric is suitable for draped garments.

Garments made of woven goods are usually draped in muslin or an inexpensive fabric where
the grain and cross grain are quite visible. The quality and hand of the muslin should
represent the texture and characteristics of the actual fabric used for the garment design. Soft
muslin will simulate the draping quality of natural or synthetic silk, and knitted cloth.

Medium-weight muslin will simulate the draping quality of wool and medium-weight
cottons. Coarse muslin will simulate the draping quality of heavy weight wool and cottons.
Also, canvas muslin will simulate the draping qualities of heavy weight fabrics such as
denim or imitation fur. Consider the large collection of fabrics available before beginning
any draping steps. The fabric selected for a garment drape greatly influences the finished
look. Analyse and understand the structure and characteristics of the fabric to create the
proper ease, hand feel and balance of the garment or pattern drape. Approach each design
with a positive attitude and a clear fashion sense. Garments made of knitted fabrics should be
draped in less expensive knit fabric. However, the sample knit should have the same stretch
value as in the fabric selected for the finished garment. The right side of the front dress form
is used to drape the front basic pattern or garment. This procedure may vary, however, this is
the standard rule when fitting and draping any type of garment. In simple words, draping
technique means the way a fabric hangs in a dress form as well as on the human body.

The general process for how to drape for fashion is as follows:

● Pieces of muslin are cut and prepared. This includes measuring, tearing, blocking,
pressing, and marking grain lines and other important reference lines.
● Now the actual “draping” begins. The fabric is pinned to the dress form and
positioned to form various darts, tucks, gathers, etc., which give shape and fit to the
garment
● Once the desired design is achieved, the muslin is marked while still on the dress form
to indicate where the seam lines, darts, etc. are located on the fabric.
● When marking is finished, the muslin is removed from the dress form and laid flat on
a table for “truing”. Truing is the process of using rulers and design curves to
connect, smooth out and finalize the markings.
● Once truing is complete, seam lines are added and excess material is cut away.
● The muslin is then pinned together (with all darts pinned) and placed back onto the
dress form to check for fit accuracy and to drape any additional parts of the garment.
● When the apparel designer is satisfied with the look and fit of the pinned garment, the
muslin is removed from the dress form, pressed flat, and all seam lines, grain lines,
markings, notches, etc. are transferred to paper, creating the sewing pattern for the
garment.

Advantages:

1. Varies styles can be tried over the model.

2. Very simple to work once when the techniques is learnt.

Disadvantages:

1. Required skill to drape

2. It requires a model
3. It requires lot of fabric
4. Laborious process
5. Not economical as fabric consumption is more.

Requirements:
1. A dress form
2. Pins, pin cushion
3. Fabric, style tape, masking tape, invisible marker
4. Scissors, measuring tape
5. A tracing wheel
6. A pen
7. Paper
Fabric preparation

Pre-shrink, dry, steam iron. Measure, snip, tear, block and steam iron.

Snip- to make a small slit.

Tear- to tear the fabric so that the warp and the weft yarn align itself in place.
Block- to pull on diagonal directions, to the yarns are parallel.
Steam iron- to remove wrinkles and stress in the fabric.

Fabric grain- Always use straight grain lines for draping. Avoid or tear the selvedge area.

Measurement points in a dress form

HPS, Centre front, bust line, bust span, waistline, arm scye, shoulder, across shoulder, across
back, center back.

EXPERIMENT NO-1

DRAPING BODICE
 Date:

Aim:

Requirements:
1. A dress form
2. Pins, pin cushion
3. Fabric, style tape, masking tape, invisible marker
4. Scissors
5. A tracing wheel
6. A pen
7. Paper
PROCEDURE
Draping basic bodice
1. Apply style tape in the bust level from the center front to side seam
2. Paste style tape at waist level from center front to side seam
3. At the bust level, measure center front to side seam, add 4 inches- width measurement
4. For the length, measurement -measure from the HPS to waist through the bust and add 4
inches
5. Snip tear block and press
6. Fold 1 inch at the lengthwise grain
7. Locate the apex point and pin
8. Pin at the bust level in the center front
9. Smoothen the fabric and pin at the armhole-side seam intersection
10. Let the fabric hang and then pin at the side seam waist line inter section
11. Also pin at the center front-waistline intersection
12. Add pin in the center front to avoid loose fabric
13. Pull the excess fabric at waist level, add a dart
14. Make sure it is aligned at the princess line
15. Smooth all the fabric towards the neck and pin at the neckline-center front intersection
16. Smoothen the fabric and pin at the neckline-shoulder line intersection
17. Smoothen from the armhole and pin at the armscye-shoulder line intersection
18. If there is excess fabric near armscye pick a dart.
19. Trace the neckline and mark at the neckline with dotted line
20. Trace the armscye and mark
21. Trace the side seam and mark at the side seam
22. Trace the waist line and mark at the waist
23. After marking, remove the fabric from the dress form
24. Truing the dotted lines
25. Leave seam allowance and trim all the excess fabric
Back bodice

1. Paste style tape across back from center back

2. Paste style tape from centerback to side in the waistline
3. Across back – center back to armscye -width measurement +4inches
4. Length measurement is HPS to waist +4 inches
5. Snip, tear, block, press
6. Mark and fold 1 inch at center back
7. Pin at the centerback and armscye at across back level.
8. Pin at the center back from neckline to waist
9. Trace armscye, side seam, intersection and pin
10. Smoothen and pin at the side seam intersection. Continue pinning along the side seam
11. Pull the excess fabric and pin the back dart
12. Mark the dart legs an the vanishing point
13. Smoothen the fabric and pin at the armscye shoulderline intersection
14. Trace the neckline and mark dotted lines
15. Trace the side seam and waist line with dotted lines
16. True the dotted line and add seam allowance
17. Trim the excess fabric
 EXPERIMENT NO-2

DRAPING SKIRT

Date

Aim
Material Required
Procedure
Prepare the muslin for the skirt front- When you prepare muslin fabric for draping, it is
important to cut the fabric straight on the lengthwise grain and keep the waist and hem edges
square. Press and align the fabric. Then use your measurements described below to figure out
the size to cut your muslin.
● Place a pin or otherwise mark a side seam position on your clothes or body so you’re
sure to measure to the same side seam location.
● Measure across your fullest horizontal circumference-either the hip or tummy-from
center front to side seam. Add 2 to 3 inches to this measurement for ease and seam
allowances. Multiply the total by two to establish the width to cut your muslin fabric
skirt front.
● Cut the muslin piece 5 to 6 inches longer than your desired skirt length. Along the
lengthwise grain of the fabric, identify and mark the center grainline with a felt pen.
Prepare the muslin for the skirt back
The skirt will have a center-back seam, so plan to cut two pieces of fabric after taking and
adjusting these measurements:
● Measure across the fullest part of your hip from center back to side seam just as you
did for the skirt front. Add 3 to 4 inches to this measurement for ease, plus 1 inch for
the center-back seam allowance.
● Cut two pieces of fabric for the back, with each the width calculated above and the
same length as the front piece you cut earlier.
Baste seams and try on the skirt
Used a plus-size dress form because it has more curves that serve as a better model for
forming darts.
1. Arrange the fabric with the center-front and center-back lines aligned on your body.
Throughout the draping, keep the center lines positioned properly on the body and
perpendicular to the floor.
2. Pin at the centre front hip line intersection.
3. Pin at the side seam hip line intersection.
4. Once all vertical lines are hanging correctly, make sure the hem is parallel to the floor.
Adjust as necessary.
5. Smoothen and pin from hip level side seam intersection towards waist level.
 6. Smooth the fabric across the tummy and hip level. Typically, position one dart below
the bust point on the front or shoulder blade on the back, then another halfway
between the side seam and the first dart. Allow the figure to direct where and how
many darts to use. Curvaceous figures need more darts than straighter figures. Normal
figures need only one dart in the front.
7. Keep the dart points above the fullest part of the tummy or hip.
8. Continue pinning the darts all the way around the skirt. As you work, make sure the
skirt remains straight and smooth with side seams perpendicular and the hem parallel
to the floor.
9. Shape the side and back seams- Along the side seam, outline the hip curve with
pins, leaving 1/2 to 1 inch of ease on each side. The ease amount is a personal
preference and also determined by body type. A fuller hip and tummy needs more
ease. Remember that you must have enough room to sit without straining seams or
creating tight stretch lines.
10. If there is a dip in the back at the center-back seam, you can pin that in as well to
shape the seam to an accurate contour of your body.
11. Shape the side seams - Mark seams and darts on your muslin If you have an
asymmetrical figure, creating a separate pattern for the right and left sides of the body
can be a benefit. However, if your figure is reasonably symmetrical, one side of the
muslin is all you need to make a conventional pattern that is cut on the fold of a
double layer of fabric.
12. Remove the muslin. Double-check that all pins have been marked using a felt pen.
Remove the pins.
13. True the dotted lines.

Result
 EXPERIMENT NO-3

DRAPING SLEEVE

Date

Aim
Material Required
Procedure
1. Measure and mark 30*17 inches of fabric (straight grain)

2. Snip, tear, block, press

3. From a crease vertically at the center
4. Leave an inch in the edges and pin them together vertically
5. The fabric is tubular now
6. Align the center fold line with the center of the arm
7. Pin at the center fold line at sleeve cap, elbow and wrist – to define the grain
8. Locate the side seam from underarm, and start pinning after smoothening
9. Pin only in the fabric
10. Trace the armscye curve and mark
11. Mark the side seam with dotted lines
12. Mark the wrist line
13. Remove pins from the center fold line
14. Remove the sleeve from the dress form
15. True, add seam allowance and cut
Draping Collar

1. Mark the collar design with style tape.

2. Measure the length from center back till center front neck line plus 2 inches
3. Width is 6 inches.
4. Take the fabric in cross grain.
5. Snip, tear, block, and press.
6. Mark a straight line width-wise one inch away from the fabric edge
7. Align this line with the center back neck line.
8. Start tracing the bottom of the neck line and mould fabric accordingly.
9. Slash fabric at the bottom of the neckline while moulding.
10. Mould upto centre front neckline. Shape the front neck line as per style tape.
11. Mark dotted line s along neck line.
12. Measure one and half inch above neck line, this is the height of the collar.
13. Remove the fabric from the dress form and true the lines.
14. When working on 2 pieces of fabric for front and back of the collar, it is advisable to
take 2 piecs of fabric and consider them as single layer of fabric and drape them
around the neck together.
First method output
Second Method output
 EXPERIMENT NO-4

DRAPING BUSTIER DESIGN

Date:

Aim:

Material required:

1. A dress form
2. Pins
3. Fabric
4. Scissors
5. A tracing wheel
6. A pen
7. Paper
Step by step Procedure:

Draping procedure:

1. Apply style tape in the bust level from the center front to side seam in sweet heart shape or
desired shape.
2. Paste style tape at waist level from center front to side seam
3. At the bust level, measure center front to princess line and the next from princess line to side
seam, add 4 inches to each panel- width measurement
4. For the length, measurement -measure from the desired neck depth to waist through the
bust and add 4 inches
5. Snip tear block and press
6. Fold 1 inch at the lengthwise grain
7. Locate the apex point and pin
8. Pin at the bust level in the center front
9. Pin in the center front till the waist level smoothen towards the side and pin in the princess
line.
10. Cut in the sides to release tension.
11. Start draping the side panel by pinning at princess line and smoothen towards side seam.
12. And continue to drape the center back panel in the similar manner.
13. Now drape the back side panels
14. True the lines and hand sew.
15. Skirt part is draped in an asymmetric manner.
16. Now remove the garment from the dressform and start sewing

Sewing procedure:

Results:
 Experiment 5

DRAPING HALTER NECK WITH COWL STYLE

Date:

Aim

Material Required:

Draping procedure:

1. Take a piece of fabric and tear off a square that is big enough to fit you when
measured across the bias grain. We seemed to do fine with just the biggest square our
fabric allowed.
2. Block your fabric until you are confident the grain in lined up correctly. Press the
fabric with a dry iron
3. Fold in a triangle, matching two of the torn edges.
4. Mark the true bias with a metre rule either by placing a row of dots, or by a straight
pencil line
5. On the stand line up the bias with the CF
6. Take the two opposing corners and pin to the stand at either side of the neck. If you
want your cowl to be symmetrical be accurate about where you place the first pin
7. Allow a drape to be formed across the chest. You have lots of options in terms of
where this first drape sits – very high up the neck (as I did) or relatively low down
towards the apex of the bust.
8. To a large extent the fabric will “tell” you where it wants to go.
9. Now take up more fabric at the shoulders – creating one or more folds, pleats
or gathers, and as you do so you will be able to add further layers of cowl in the front
if you want a more dramatic look.
10. Once you are satisfied with the design of the cowl smooth out the fabric across the
lower part of the torso. When working with the bias smooth out along the straight and
cross grain so as not to stretch the bias. Take up the fullness by creating darts, side
seams or any other style preferences
11. Mark the pleat (s) etc with the dots and cross marks. Mark the arm holes, side seam
and hem. It is only necessary to do this on one half of the calico assuming you are
creating a symmetrical pattern
12. Check you have marked everything. Remove the calico from the stand and true all the
marks you have made with pencil. Add seam allowance.
13. Drape the back as desired, or match the cowl front up with your back torso block,
14. Depending on the depth of the neckline you may or may not need an
opening/fastening.
 15. If you are making a sleeveless top you may need facings for the armholes (or bias
binding). It is likely that due to the design you will be able to self-face the neck

opening.

Cowl is any part of the garment that is draped in horizontal loosely draped bias folds.
High cowl at the neckline, low cowl, Mid cowl, at the front, at the back bodice, at the sleeves,
At the side seam, Skirt, Set in cowl etc.

A soft fabric like satin, chiffon, crepe is used.

Step 1

STEP 2
STEP 3

STEP4
HIGH COWL, MID COWL

LOW COWL
SIDE SEAM COWL
SET IN COWL