14. Basic Shorts Dress or Playsuit Draft

One-piece Shorts Dress

The one-piece shorts dress is cut by adding the shorts outline pattern to a suitable bodice pattern outline, a seam being placed through the back waist. The fronts of the bodice may be cut in one piece with the topsides of the shorts and reduced to the waist by darts or manipulation as described in the chapter on Dress Cutting.

In view of the fact that the garment is stepped into, it is advisable not to cut the waist to fit the figure tightly as for shorts; in any case, a "sporty" garment of this character needs ease for freedom of movement. The waist measurement of the bodice governs the reduction by darts and suppression of the waist of the shorts section.

If the bodice waist is cut easier, the effect will be that the seat angle will become less acute as the proportion of the waist size increases over the normal hip measurement. This becomes automatically adjusted as the seat angle is governed by the waist circumference in its definition.

Measurements for the draft are as follows—

• Bust = 36 inches.

• Waist = 28 inches, increased to 30 inches for the draft.

• Hips = 40 inches.

• Natural waist length = 15 inches.

• Length of side-seam from the waist level to the full length of the leg = 20½ inches.

• Body rise = 11½ inches.

• Leg length, calculated by subtracting the body-rise length from the side-seam length = 9 inches.

• Half-back width = 6½ inches.

• Working scale = half the bust girth for the bodice and half the hip girth for the shorts section.

To draft—

Commence by drawing a construction line from X.

• 1 from X = the back depth = one-third of the scale plus 1½ inches.

• 2 from X = the natural waist length = 15 inches.

• 3 from 2 = the hip level = 8 inches below the waist line.

• 4 from 2 = the body-rise length = 11½ inches.

• 5 from 4 = the leg length = 9 inches.

• Square out from the above points.

• 6 from X = the back neck width = one-sixth of the scale less ¼ inch.

• 7 from 6 = the height of the back neck curve = ¾ inch.

• Shape the back neck curve from 7 to X.

• 8 from 1 = the half-back width = 6½ inches.

• Square up from 8 to 9 on the line squared out from X.

• Square out from 3 to 10 the half-hip measure plus ½ inch for ease.

• This allowance of ½ inch for ease on the direct line from 3 to 10 equals 1 inch when measured in a diagonal manner as is usual in taking measures for shorts or trousers.

• Square down from 10 to 11 and 12 and up to 13 and 14 on the lines squared from the back construction line from X to 5.

• 15 from 14 = the back depth from X to 1.

• 16 from 15 = one-twelfth of the scale.

• Square back from 16 to 17 one-sixth of the scale.

• 18 from 14 = one-fourth of the scale less 1 inch.

• Square up from 18 to the line squared out from X for the front of the scye line.

• 19 from 18 = one-sixth of the scale less ¼ inch.

• Square up from 19 to 20.

• 20 from 19 = the distance from 14 to 16 less ½ inch.

• 21 from 9 = 1 inch on the line from 9 to 8.

• 22 from 21 = ¼ inch. Shape the back shoulder seam from 22 to 7.

• Join 20 to 22.

• 23 from 20 = the front shoulder seam width equal to the width of the back shoulder seam from 22 to 7 less ½ inch.

• 24 from 23 = 1 inch. Shape the front shoulder seam from 24 to 20 as shown.

• Shape the scye from 24 to 22, hollowing ¼ inch in front of the scye line squared up from 18.

• Measure from 14 to 25 half the bust measure plus 1 inch.

• 26 is half the distance from 3 to 10.

• Square up from 26 to 28 and 29 and down to 27.

• 30 from 29 = half the distance from 1 to 25.

• 31 from 29 = half the distance from 1 to 25.

• Square down from 30 and 31 to 33 and 32 on the waist line.

• 34 from 32 = ½ inch.

• 35 from 33 = ½ inch.

• Shape the side-seams from 31 to 34 and 26 and from 30 to 35 and 26.

• A from 27 = 1½ inches.

• B from 27 = 1½ inches.

• Shape the side-seams from 26 to A and B.

• Measure from 2 to 36 half the waist measure (30 inches) plus the distance from 34 to 35.

• The back waist suppression is indicated by two-thirds of the surplus from 36 to 13.

• The front waist suppression is indicated by the remaining one-third from 37 to 13.

• Reduce the back suppression by two darts at 38 and 39 equal in quantity to the distance from 36 to 37.

• 38 from 2 = one-sixth of the scale.

• 39 from 38 = 2 inches.

• Shape out the darts to 5 inches in length from 38 and 39.

• 40 from 13 = one-sixth of the scale.

• 41 from 40 = the front waist suppression quantity indicated by the distance from 37 to 13.

• Shape out the front dart to 4 inches in length from 40 and 41 in the bodice.

• 42 from 11 = ¾ inch.

• Join 42 to 13.

• 43 from 11 = one-sixth of the scale plus ½ inch.

• Join 43 to 13 for the fork run as indicated.

• Square down from 43 to 44 on the line from 5 to 12.

• Shape the inside leg seam from 43 to 44 and from 44 to 12.

• 45 from 4 at the back fork section = the distance from 11 to 43.

• 46 is half the distance from 4 to 45.

• 47 from 4 = seat-angle location = one-fourth of the waist measure (30 inches).

• Line through from 46 to 47 and 48.

• 48 is located by squaring back from 35 to the seat-angle line and is 1 inch above the waist line.

• 49 from 48 = one-sixth of the scale plus ½ inch for the position of the back knife pleat.

• Square down from 49 to 50 and 51 at the bottom edge.

• 50 from 49 = 6 inches for the length of the back waist dart.

• The quantity reduced from the back waist dart is calculated by measuring the waist seam of the bodice from 2 to 35 less the quantity taken out by the two darts. This leaves ¾ inch to be reduced from the back waist dart at 49.

• Shape the front dart from 40 and 41 down to 52, - 6 inches below.

• Square down from 52 to 53 for the front knife-pleat line.

• 54 from 41 = 1½ inches for the position of the second knife pleat. Square down from 54 to 55.

• 56 from 45 = 2½ inches.

• Square down from 56 to 57 the leg length of 9 inches.

• Shape from 57 to 5.

• Shape the seat seam from 48 to 47 and 56.

• Add 1 inch from 14 to 58 and down the front for the button fastening terminating at 59, - 4½ inches below the waist line.

• Shape up from 59 to 60 1 inch.

• 61 from 16 = 2½ inches. Shape the neck curve from 61 to 17.

• 62 from 17 = ¾ inch. Shape the crease line from 62 to 58 and complete the shape of the lapel to 63 and 58, making 63 from 61 equal to 1½ inches.

Complete the draft by marking out two darts in the shoulder equal in total width to the distance from 20 to 17.

These darts should be sewn out to form a small pleat at the end and not tapered off.

Allowance for Pleats (Fig. 207)

Cut through the manipulation lines from 41 and 40 to 53 and from 54 to 55.

Cut through from 12 to 59 for allowing a quantity of extra fullness at the front fork.

Wedge 1½ inches of extra width from 12 to 12A, pivoting from 59.

53A from 53 and 52 from 52A equal 3 inches for the pleat allowance.

Mark the pleat as indicated, making 40A from 40 and 41A from 41 equal to the width of the pleat from 52 to 52A so that from 40A from 41A equals the original width of the front waist dart.

Mark the centre of the pleat from E to D.

Open out the construction line from 55 and 54 to 55A and 54A by a quantity of 3 inches for the second pleat allowance. Mark the centre of this pleat from B to C to complete the reconstruction of the front section for pleats.

The second diagram in Fig. 207 shows the back section with pleats added.

Cut through the pleat line from 49 to 50 and 51 and insert 3 inches for the knife pleat as indicated by 50A from 50 and 51A from 51.

At the waist seam, shape the back waist dart from the pleat allowance to agree with the quantity taken from the original dart.

Mark the centre of the pleat from E to F.

Cut through the line from 47 to 5 and open out 1½ to 2 inches for extra width to disguise the break of the legs.

The draft is without seam allowance for the convenience of allying the bodice of a dress with the shorts system. Therefore, when cutting from the material, provision must be made for all seam allowances, except in the matter of darts, which, as usual, are sewn out in the marks.

The collar for this garment is drafted in a similar manner to the single-breasted collar for jackets, with the exception of a narrower stand.

Very often one-piece shorts dresses are cut away at the front and back shoulders in a similar manner to a backless tennis dress.

The same system is used, but care must be taken to ensure the top edge of the bodice at the back being a close fit to the figure, and, to that end, the usual suppression lines from the back waist are tapered out to the blade as described for close-fitting dress cutting.