Deconstructing DDM: Turning a Complex Drape into a Workable Pattern

Today, we dove back into our DDM (Direct Design Method) projects by focusing on turning the complex-looking pink twist-front draped gown into a workable pattern. The session was a deep dive into the technical side of marking, truing, and understanding the pattern pieces of a creatively draped garment before finalizing it on paper.

From 3D Drape to 2D Pattern: Mastering Our Asymmetrical Jersey Knot Dress

In this week's Live Session, we focused on the technical process of turning our creative 3D drape for the asymmetrical jersey knot dress into a functional 2D paper pattern. I walked you through the entire workflow, from laying out the draped muslin to tracing it, and most importantly, testing and refining the paper pattern back on the dress form to solve the puzzle.

Draping a Versatile Front-Twist Jersey Dress

In this week's session, we dove into a new gathered front-twist dress. I started by explaining the critical role fabric choice plays in this design, emphasizing why a lightweight, drapey jersey is essential for achieving a beautiful, non-bulky result. I took a single piece of prepared jersey and, from one simple twist, created two completely different design options right on the mannequin.

The Harper Tunic & Lydia Dress, Plus a Gored Skirt Deep Dive

In this week's session, I focus on providing more detailed explanations and measurements for the DDM projects we explored last week, specifically the "Harper" tunic/jacket and the "Lydia" one-shoulder dress. I also address some excellent student questions, including a deep dive into my approach for creating a multi-panel "gored" skirt, offering an alternative to standard textbook methods that can sometimes be confusing.

DDM Deconstructed: Understanding the Harper Tunic/Jacket & More

In today's live session, I took a closer look at the DDM (Direct Design Method) demonstrations from last week, providing detailed measurements and explanations for the "Harper" tunic/jacket and the "Lydia" one-shoulder dress, as well as the elegant draped gown. I also addressed student questions, particularly focusing on how to approach a multi-panel "gored" skirt using my method, offering an alternative to potentially confusing textbook instructions.