Dress Project: Charlie

3 hrs 52 mins

Welcome to the Charlie Dress Project!

A Creatively asymmetrical drape technique that you can apply to:

Skirt
Top
Sleeve

And you’ll Drape, draft, and apply the same technique to develop the Charlie Dress

Charlie Dress Description:

Empire halter top jersey dress attached to asymmetrical draped skirt
Keyhole back design with adjustable back neck ties
Fully lined without visible raw seams
No fastening or zipper, easy to pull on and wear

Technique and Construction

Draping on stand with Jersey for bodice, turn in into a paper pattern
Drafting and applying creative cutting technique to skirt
Drafting and applying creative cutting technique to a top, and sleeve
To sew the dress, I used serger/ Overlock machine

LESSONS

Introduction

Lesson 1

Fabrics & Materials Information PDF

Print this PDF for future reference!

Lesson 2

Design and Fabric Overview

In this session, I provide an overview of the Charlie dress project, which is a cocktail dress made from jersey fabric using creative draping techniques. I discuss the design variations, fabric options, and the amount of fabric needed for the project.

6 mins

Lesson 3

Jersey Fabric Preparation

How to prepare the jersey fabric for draping the Charlie dress. I explain the need to cut two pieces, one for the front and one for the back, of the same size, and lay them on the center front of the fabric. I also demonstrate drawing straight grain lines on the fabric as reference points to maintain the proper grain direction while draping.

2 mins

Draping

Lesson 4

Taping the Dress Form

I demonstrate how to tape the dress form to prepare for draping the Charlie dress design. I show the steps to mark the neckline, underbust seam, and other style lines on the dress form using tape.

4 mins

Lesson 5

Draping the Top of the Dress

I teach how to drape the top portion of the dress on a dress form. I demonstrate the steps for draping the front and back pieces, marking the style lines, and preparing the muslin for transferring to a paper pattern.

15 mins

Patternmaking

Lesson 6

Transferring Draped Top to Pattern

How to transfer the draped top pieces onto paper patterns. I lay the draped pieces flat, pin them without stretching, and trace around them with a tracing wheel to capture all the seamlines and reference points.

20 mins

Lesson 7

Preparation and Measurement for Charlie Skirt

In this session, I taught how to take necessary measurements for draping a skirt using a creative geometric technique. This method allows more control over where the drapes will fall on the form.

5 mins

Lesson 8

Overview of the Method, Measurements, and Small Scale Example

I teach the concept of creative draping and geometric cutting to achieve the draped look for the Charlie cocktail dress. Instead of just showing the steps, I explain the methodology behind this technique, which can be applied to create drapes on any garment like skirts, tops, or sleeves.

16 mins

Lesson 9

Creating the Charlie Skirt Pattern

In this session, I taught how to draft the skirt pattern for the Charlie dress. I demonstrated taking body measurements and using them to create the basic skirt shape with darts/draping at the hips and hemline.

34 mins

Lesson 10

Cutting Muslin Sample to Check Dress Fit

I demonstrate how to cut a muslin sample of a jersey dress to check the fit. I cut the skirt and top pieces one by one using a rotary cutter, which made it easier to cut through the jersey fabric.

3 mins

Lesson 11

Charlie Top Patternmaking, Cutting, and Final Fit

How to create a draped knit top pattern called the Charlie Top. I demonstrate the process of drafting the pattern pieces and adding drape lines to create a stylish, draped silhouette.

20 mins

Lesson 12

Charlie Sleeve Drafting and Cutting

I teach how to draft and cut a draped sleeve for the Charlie dress project, which is made with jersey fabric. The draped sleeve creates a beautiful draping effect in the middle of the sleeve without any gathers at the armhole.

20 mins

Lesson 13

Charlie Skirt More Fitted - Drafting and Cutting

How to draft a more fitted skirt pattern using the draping method, specifically for jersey knit fabrics. I demonstrate taking in the skirt pattern at the waist and hips to create a tighter fit, as well as how to introduce diagonal draping lines for a draped effect across the body.

22 mins

Sewing & Finishing

Lesson 14

Sewing Top Piece of Charlie Dress

How to sew the top piece of the Charlie dress using an overlocker machine. I explain the pattern pieces and demonstrated sewing the straps, gathering the front neckline, attaching the straps, and constructing the top bodice lining and outer fabric.

39 mins

Lesson 15

Fitting and Completing the Top, Sewing the Skirt, Fitting and Finishing Dress

In this session, I showed the fit of the top portion of the Charlie dress and explained how the front pieces overlap at the center. I then sewed the side seams of the skirt pieces and lining, trying it on to check the drape. The skirt had a beautiful flow without needing gathers!

28 mins

Bonus

Lesson 16

How to Add or Reduce Drape for Charlie Dress Pieces

How to modify the Charlie Cocktail Dress pattern to achieve a better fit or desired look. I cover techniques for tightening the top and skirt sections, reducing or increasing the draping effect on the sides, and adjusting the overall fit around the waist, hips, and knees to accommodate different fabric stretches or personal preferences.

18 mins

Dress Project: Charlie

3 hrs 52 mins

LESSONS

Introduction

Draping

Patternmaking

Sewing & Finishing

Bonus

Connect With Neda

Join our family!

More Than Just Courses, We're a Community of Dressmaking Enthusiasts