Lesson Guide Flare Draping: Beginner Module 1 – Lesson Prep

Step 1 Measure down 7” from the middle of the waist tape of the dress form and place your style tape at that level from center front to center back. You can measure the distance using a ruler and the tabletop.

1 Module 1 – Lesson Prep

Step 2 Establish the desired length of your flared skirt, beginning from the middle of the waist tape.

2 Lesson Guide Flare Skirt Draping: Beginner Module 2 – Muslin Preparation & Marking Guidelines

Step 1 On your muslin, measure down the desired length of the skirt plus 5” and tear across the full width of the muslin. My fabric is Step 50” wide. Create another piece the same as the first.

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Step 2 Clip and tear to remove the selvage edges from both pieces.

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Step 3 Fold the fabric in half to check the corners to make sure that your corner are at right angles.

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Step 4 Come in” from the of the right side of one of the pieces and drag a guideline down, this represents the center front.

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Step 5 Measure down 5” from the top of the muslin and place a dash mark, this represents the waistline.

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Step 6 From the waistline measure down 7” and drag a line cross. This is your front hipline.

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Step 7 On your back muslin block, drag a grainline across at the same level as the front, this is your back hipline.

9 Lesson Guide Flare Skirt Draping: Beginner Module 3 – Draping the Front

Step 1 Fingerpress the center front allowance in preparation for draping.

10 Module 3 – Draping the Front

Step 2 Place pins at the desired flare points on your waistline. For this lesson will plan for 2 flare points on the front and 2 on the back. Divide the front waist measure by 3 and place your first pin that distance away from center front. Your second pin will be in the middle be- tween the first pin and the side . Do the same for the back. 11 Module 3 – Draping the Front

Step 3 Line up the muslin’s waistline marking to the waistline/centerfront intersection of the dress form.

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Step 4 Place a temporary pin at the side seam to hold the muslin while you pin along the center front between the hipline and the waistline and to the bottom of the dress form’s torso.

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Step 5 Smooth the muslin over to the first flare point at the waistline and place a pin at the hipline. Place another pin at the torso in line with the waistline pin.

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Step 6 Now you are ready to slash into the first flare point to the center of the waist tape. Trim the excess muslin within one inch of the waistline.

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Step 7A Release your holding pin at the side seam and drop a flare from the waistline mea- suring 2 1/2” deep at the end of the torso.

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Step 7B Measure a 2 1/2” deep flare at the end of the torso.

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Step 7C Lock your flare in place with another pin at the torso.

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Step 8 Smooth the muslin across the hip to the 2nd flare point at the waistline and place a pin. Slash into the waistline at this flare point and between the first flare and second flare point. Then trim the waist excess to within an inch of the waistline.

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Step 9A Place a pin at the hip directly below the 2nd flare point.

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Step 9B Add another pin in line at the torso.

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Step 10 Drop a second flare measuring 2 1/2”, the same as the first, at end of the torso and secure it with a pin on both sides.

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Step 11 Smooth the muslin up to the waistline/side seam intersection, pin and then slash to release the waist. Trim the waist excess.

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Step 12 Place pins along the side seam to the end of the torso.

24 Lesson Guide Flare Skirt Draping: Beginner Module 4 – Marking the Front

Step 1 Working in a counter clockwise direction, place dots along the middle of the waist tape and crossmark both flare points until you reach the side seam. Place a crossmark at the side seam/waistline intersection.

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Step 2 Dot along the side seam from the waistline to the end of the torso. Place a crossmark at the hip level.

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Step 3 Place a crossmark at the side seam/torso intersection.

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Step 4 Mark both sides of your flares at the end of the torso.

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Step 5 Place a dash at the centerfront/bottom torso.

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Step 6 Before removing the skirt front from the dress form be sure that you have made all of the necessary markings.

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Step 7 Then remove your front drape from the form.

31 Lesson Guide Flare Skirt Draping: Beginner Module 5 – Trueing the Front

Step 1 Square a line off center front for about 1” or to your first waist dot marking.

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Step 2 Use your French curve to connect the rest of your waist dots.

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Step 3 Add 1/2” seam allowance to the waistline.

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Step 4 Connect your side seam dots using a combination of your hip curve and straight ruler, extending the side seam to the edge of the muslin.

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Step 5 To create a side seam flare, come out the same flare amount, 2 1/2”, from the bottom of the torso marking and with your yardstick, connect a new side seam.

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Step 6 Add 1” seam allowance to the new side seam and then trim the excess muslin at the side seam and at the waistline.

37 Lesson Guide Flare Skirt Draping: Beginner Module 6 – Draping the Back

Step 1 Trace your hip guideline onto the other side of the back skirt piece.

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Step 2 Flip the back muslin over and place your front drape onto the back muslin block with the front closest to the left side of the back muslin block. Align the front and back hip and secure with pins. Pin the pieces along the side seam from waistline to the bottom of the muslin. 39 Module 6 – Draping the Back

Step 3 Slip your tracing paper face-up underneath the back block and trace the original front side seam and the new flared side seam on to the back. Crossmark the end of torso and the waistline. Turn the drape over to check that all of your markings transferred properly.

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Step 4 Trim the excess muslin from the side seam and check that you have captured all of the tracings before you unpin and separate the front from the back.

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Step 5 Bend the back seam allowance over the front and pin along the side seam from the waist to the bottom of the muslin. Match up the waist and the torso markings. Be careful not to stretch the side seam since the side seam is bias.

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Step 6 Pin your front muslin back on to the dress form the way you draped it matching center front, the flare points, and the waistline side seam. Temporarily pin the muslin excess to the back to keep it out of the way while you continue to pin along centerfront.

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Step 7 Line up the side seam marking to the side seam of the dress form and lock the front flares in place at the end of the torso.

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Step 8 Pin the back side seam marking to the dress form trapping the flare at the end of the torso and at the hip.

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Step 9A Smooth the muslin up and over the hip placing a pin at the first flare point on the waistline. Place a corresponding pin at the hipline.

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Step 9B Add another at the end of the torso in line with the waistline pin.

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Step 10 Slash into the waistline pin to release the first flare.

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Step 11 Trim the excess muslin at the waistline within 1” away from the waist tape.

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Step 12A Release the temporary holding pin on the back and, drop the first flare at 2 1/2” at the bottom torso and secure it with a pin.

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Step 12B Confirm the measurement with your ruler then place a pin at the hipline.

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Step 13A Smooth the muslin up and over the back in the direction of the waistline and place a pin at the 2nd flare point on the waistline.

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Step 13B Then pin at the hipline and at the end of the torso in line with the waist pin.

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Step 14 Slash into the waist at the 2nd flare point and in between the first flare pin to release the muslin. Trim the excess to within 1” of the waistline.

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Step 15 Drop a second 2 1/2” flare at the end of the torso. Place a holding pin at the back while you measure with your ruler. Trap the flare with a pin at the torso.

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Step 16 Smooth the muslin up and over the back placing a pin at the center back waistline intersection.

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Step 17 Your center back muslin at this point will be on straight grain and will align with the hipline of the dress form. lace a pin at the hipline and at the center back/torso intersection.

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Step 18 Slash to release the muslin at the waistline and trim the excess.

58 Lesson Guide Flare Skirt Draping: Beginner Module 7 – Marking the Back

Steps 1&2A Working in a counter clockwise direction, place dots along the middle of the waist tape. Crossmark the flare points until you reach the center back/waistline intersection.

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Step 2B Place a crossmark the center back/torso intersection.

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Step 3A Mark both sides of your back flares at the bottom torso.

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Step 3B Mark the back side seam at the torso.

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Step 4 Check all of your markings before removing the skirt from the dress form.

63 Lesson Guide Flare Skirt Draping: Beginner Module 8 – Trueing the Back

Step 1 Square a line off the center back hipline connecting the waistline and the edge of the muslin. You may miss the torso marking but that is ok. It is more important to make an adjust- ment so that the center back can be on straight grain. Place 2 notches on center back one at the hipline and another 1/4” below for the . 64 Module 8 – Trueing the Back

Step 2 Add 1” seam allowance to the center back.

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Step 3 Square a line off center back at the waistline connecting the dots.

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Step 4 Use your French curve to connect the rest of your waist dots. Add 1/2” seam allow- ance to the waistline.

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Step 5 Trim the excess muslin on center back and at the waistline.

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Step 6 Fingerpress the center back seam allowance.

69 Lesson Guide Flare Skirt Draping: Beginner Module Step – 9 Final Steps

Steps 1&2A Put the skirt back on the dress form the way you draped it. Place pins along the waist flare points, the side seam, the back waistline flare points and along center back. Form your flares both front and back.

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Step 2B Pin along the center front.

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Step 3A Measure the desired skirt length of your skirt from the middle of the waist tape on center front

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Step 3B Place a mark at the desired length.

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Step 4 Measure up from either the floor or against the table top to mark the skirt length. Turn the dress form as you mark all the way around until you reach the center back.

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Step 5 Remove the muslin from the dress form in preparation for trueing the hem.

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Step 6 Square a line off center front and center back to the first hem marking.

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Step 7 Using your hip curve, flip the curve to connect the hem markings.

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Step 8A Add 1/2” hem allowance

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Step 8B Trim hem excess.

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Step 9A Put the skirt drape back on the dress form and check for fit.

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Step 9B This is the finished flare skirt.

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