Gown Draping Workshop Notes

The following notes are intended to serve as an additional resource for past workshop participants.
Step-by-step photographs will be added as time allows.

To inquire about attending or scheduling a workshop, please email milliner@cherrydawson.com

 
 

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Gown Draping Technique One – Draping on the Figure

Each of the various gown draping methods demonstrated will create a gown en foureau. The first method of gown draping to be demonstrated is draping on the figure or body. For the purposes of the workshop, the demonstration will be done on a dressmaker’s form with the addition of a shift, a pair of stays and two petticoats. Whenever draping a gown, or even a lining, it’s a good idea to wear at least two petticoats as they will help define the waistline and ensure that the bodice is cut neither too short or too long. A gown draped on the figure can be done one of two ways – gown fabric draped first and a lining cut to fit or gown fabric draped over a pre-sewn lining. Evidence from extant garments seems to indicate that most gowns en foureau were draped to a pre-sewn lining but this demonstration will focus solely on the draping without the aid of a lining. However, creating a fitted lining pattern will also be demonstrated during the course of the workshop.

The basic steps are outlined as follows:

Determine if there is a right side and/or a pattern direction for your fabric. Keep this in mind while cutting and sewing your gown.

Cut a length of gown fabric that will reach from nape of neck to the floor. This will become the back panel of the gown. Mark the upper end (closest to the neck) of the fabric, if needed.

Fold back gown panel in half lengthwise and stitch 2" away from the fold line, from the upper end of the fabric for a length of 20".

Press this pleat flat, creating an inverted back pleat on the right side of the fabric.

Place the back gown panel against the stays, keeping the pleat as centered as possible on the back. The upper end of the back gown panel should be at the nape of the neck, and the pleat should end several inches below the waist. Pin the gown panel to the stays just below the top of the stays and along back lacing edges.

(Note: The following steps will vary depending on dress size and desired stylistic details.)

Starting to the right side of the center back (CB), create a pleat at the waist, approximately ½" – 1" deep, placed approximately 1½" away from the center back. Continue pleat up from the waist, moving further away from the CB as you work towards the neck and shoulders. At the top of the gown, the pleat should be at least 3" from the CB. This pleat can curve slightly as it reaches the top, or it can form a relatively straight line. Pleats can be folded towards the CB or towards the front. Extend the pleat for approximately 3" below the waist. Use lots of pins to hold pleat in place! The pleat can be placed further from the CB as it moves lower – this will help create the illusion of a very small waist.

Repeat the process, creating a pleat to the right of the first pleat. This pleat should be nearly parallel to the first pleat, approximately ½" away. The spacing between the pleats can widen as it nears the shoulder – again, this helps with illusion of a narrow back and small waist.

Repeat the process for two pleats on the left side of the back panel. The pleats should be similar in size and spacing on either side of the CB.

Straighten back panel so that the hem is perpendicular to the CB or even with the floor. Starting from the selvedge cut a straight line just above waist level, curving down to approach the lowest point of the pleats as you reach the CB. This cut will separate the skirts from the bodice. This is one of the trickiest steps to making the gown and is best seen demonstrated to be fully understood.

Measure the skirt length as it extends from the back panel – this should be measured along the selvedge. Cut a length of gown fabric to this measurement. Cut this length of fabric in half along the fold line to create two skirt panels. (For very full skirts, two lengths of gown fabric may be cut and used at full width for skirt panels – this is best suited for silk or lightweight cottons.)

Keeping right sides & selvedges together, sew one skirt panel to each side of the back skirt. You can leave the top 10" open to form a pocket opening, if desired.

Pleat skirts to waist, pinning to hold pleats in place. The skirts should cover approximately ¾ of the waist, so for a 30" waist, the skirts would be 23.5" with a 7.5" opening at the CF. Pin the skirts to the stays in several places to help bear the weight of the skirts

Cut a length of fabric that is long enough to reach from the belly to several inches past the shoulders. Cut this length of fabric in half along the fold line – these two pieces will form the gown bodice fronts.

Using on the gown bodice front pieces, place selvedge at center front, keeping a 2" seam allowance, pin gown fabric to stays along center front. The gown bodice should extend below the waist by several inches. Smooth fabric over stays and pin bodice to stays along upper edge. Cut neckline approximately 1" above stays (or higher if wearing a higher cut shift), following the shift or stays straps over the shoulders. Pin the gown bodice to the back as it reaches over the shoulder.

Smooth bodice around body towards back. Starting several inches below the waist, cut center front bodice at lower edge with point, rounded edge, or squared edge and gradually curve cut towards waist line. Try to keep the cut approximately ½" below waistline. As this is cut, continue smoothing fabric towards back.

Shoulder straps should be cut approximately 3" wide, starting from the back, as the armscye is approached, make small clips, keeping the armsyce as small as possible. Continue all the way around armsyce to the back.

As the bodice front continues to wrap around the body, create a curved back seam, nearly parallel to the back pleats. Cut the bodice along this curve, remembering to include a seam allowance. Fold seam allowance under and pin in place.

Fold under lower edge of bodice and pin in place over skirt pleats

And the gown is draped!


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Gown Draping Technique Two – Draping on the Flat

One of the drawbacks of draping on the figure is that one can’t drape a gown for oneself – at least not without a perfect copy of one’s body in stays and petticoats. A duct-tape double or other custom made dress form can make this possible but even these fitting aids don’t guarantee a perfectly draped gown. What’s more often needed is a second person – and that person must know what they are doing if they will be cutting into your fine fabrics! In addition, that person must be available when you wish to start a new gown… and how often does that happen in the wee hours when you decide you simply must have a new gown for the next event?

In the second gown draping technique, the demonstration will use many of the same techniques as the first gown draping method. When draping on the flat, it’s easiest to work with individual lining pieces, one for the back bodice (cut on the fold) and two front bodice pieces. The steps for draping are as follows:

PREPARATION FOR DRAPING

Determine if there is a right side and/or a pattern direction for your fabric. Keep this in mind while cutting and sewing your gown.

Cut a length of gown fabric that will reach from nape of neck to the floor. This will become the back panel of the gown. Mark the upper end (closest to the neck) of the fabric, if needed. Using the front bodice lining pattern, cut two gown bodice front pieces, adding a 2" seam allowance at the CF.

Fold back gown panel in half lengthwise and stitch 2" away from the fold line, from the upper end of the fabric for a length of 20".

Press this pleat flat, creating an inverted back pleat on the right side of the fabric.

Working on a large flat surface, place the back gown panel against the back lining, centering the pleat over the fold line of the back lining. The upper end of the back gown panel should extend approximately 4" higher than the top edge of the back lining. Pin the gown panel to the lining through the pleat in several places to keep the pieces from shifting as you work.

BACK PLEATING

Starting to the right side of the center back (CB), create a pleat at the waist level (narrowest point of back lining), approximately ½" – 1" deep, placed approximately 1 ½" away from the center back. Continue pleat up from the waist, moving further away from the CB as you work towards the neck and shoulders. At the top of the gown, the pleat should be at least 3" from the CB. This pleat can curve slightly as it reaches the top, or it can form a relatively straight line. Pleats can be folded towards the CB or towards the front. Extend the pleat for approximately 3" below the waist level. Use lots of pins to hold pleat in place! The pleat can be placed further from the CB as it moves lower – this will help create the illusion of a very small waist.

Repeat the process, creating a pleat to the right of the first pleat. This pleat should be nearly parallel to the first pleat, approximately ½" away. The spacing between the pleats can widen as it nears the shoulder – again, this helps with illusion of a narrow back and small waist.

Repeat the process for two pleats on the left side of the back panel. The pleats should be similar in size and spacing on either side of the CB. Use lots of pins to hold pleats in place.

Smooth back panel so that the hem is perpendicular to the CB or even with the floor. Draw a straight line from the CB at waist level to each selvedge edge. Starting from the selvedge cut ½" above this line, curving down to approach the lowest point of the pleats as you reach the CB. This cut will separate the skirts from the bodice. This is one of the trickiest steps to making the gown and is best seen demonstrated to be understood.

ATTACHING FRONT BODICE & SKIRTS

Sew front bodice lining to back bodice lining with right sides together. Press seams.

Working with the right front gown bodice, pin gown bodice to lining, wrong sides together and matching edges. The CF of the gown bodice will extend 2" from the CF of the lining. Keeping pieces as smooth as possible, turn under the curved side seam of the gown bodice and pin in place.

Measure the skirt length as it extends from the back panel – this should be measured along the selvedge. Cut a length of gown fabric to this measurement. Cut this length of fabric in half along the fold line to create two skirt panels. (For very full skirts, two lengths of gown fabric may be cut and used at full width for skirt panels – this is best suited for silk or lightweight cottons.)

Keeping right sides & selvedges together, sew one skirt panel to each side of the back skirt. You can leave the top 10" open to form a pocket opening, if desired.

Form knife pleats with the top edge of the skirts, using pins to hold in place. Keep top edges of skirt as level and even as possible.

Fold lower edge of bodice under ½" and place over skirt pleats. Pleats should remain perpendicular to the hem, and more or less will be hidden by the bodice as it is attached. As the front of the bodice dips down in front, be sure to keep pleats level, even if this means quite a bit of the pleats will be hidden. Secure pins and get ready to start sewing.

The main body of the gown is now draped!


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Instruction< to Create a Fitted Lining Pattern

This technique is best illustrated through demonstration. The process is similar to the steps outlined in draping on the figure, but no excess fabric is pleated at the center back. Instead the fold line is placed at the center back, and a single back bodice lining piece is created. The steps to create the front gown bodice are the same as draping on the figure but eliminates the seam allowance at the center front.


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Instruction< to Complete a Gown

Once the back pleating is pinned in place, and the front bodice pieces are pinned to the back panel, small stitches will be used to hold everything in place. Using a spaced backstitch, keeping stitches 1/8" – 1/4" apart, sew the pleats to the lining through all layers. Stitches can be sewn at the very edge of the pleat or as distant as 1/4" from the pleat edge. Use the same stitching technique to stitch along the seam joining the front bodice to the back.

After the bodice is securely stitched, it is best to attach the skirts as the next step. This will prevent the weight of the skirts from tearing away from the rest of the gown. A spaced backstitch, with stitches 1/8" apart, sewn just at the folded edge of the bodice is recommended. Each stitch should go through the gown bodice and all pleat layers but the lining should be kept free. After skirts have been sewn to the bodice, fold under lower edge of bodice lining ½" and whipstitch to skirts.

Attach front bodice lining to back bodice lining at shoulders. Turn under edges of gown bodice & lining along neckline and lower edge. The lining should not extend past the gown bodice. Use an underhand hemstitch, small whipstitch or running stitch to secure lining to gown along neckline and lower edge. Fold under loose end of gown shoulder strap and pin to back of gown. Whipstitch or backstitch lining in place along folded edge.

Next, cut out 2 sleeves from gown fabric and 2 sleeves from lining fabric. Sew each sleeve lining right sides together along side seam, easing seam to fit if necessary. Sew each gown sleeve right sides together along side seam. If there are any pleats or darts at the elbow, they may be sewn at this time. Press all seams open and as flat as possible, clipping seam allowance if necessary. With right sides together, match each lining to the correct sleeve and sew them together along the lower edge. Clip this seam, turn sleeves right side out and press sleeve hem, making sure that lining is not visible from the outside. If pleats are marked at the top of the sleeve, they can be formed and basted in place

It’s best to try on the gown to determine the final CF location and to find the best fit for the sleeves. Be sure to wear at least two petticoats and any undergarments that may affect the fit, such as panniers or a bum roll. It’s best to lace up your stays a bit looser than normal, or at least not any tighter than usual. Although a small amount of extra room will be built in to the bodice, but if it is fitted while the stays are very tight, the gown will always have to be worn over the stays laced that tightly!

For this step, it can be helpful to have another person to help with fitting but it is possible to do it yourself. Pin the center front together along the line where it just meets. The gown should fit snugly over the stays but should not strain the fabric. Try wearing the gown for a few minutes to make sure there is enough ease in the bodice. Mark a chalk line along the pins at the center front. Put on each sleeve and find the most comfortable placement on the shoulder. Pin the sleeve to the shoulder at this point. Any pleats should fall between the top of the shoulder and the back since this is where the most ease is needed for normal arm movement.

To sew the sleeves, pin right sides together and backstitch through all layers. Make sure there are no small tucks or gathers along the seam – it should be perfect smooth, except for any pleats at the back of the shoulder. Trim seam and overcast edges if your fabric has a tendency to unravel.

To sew the center front, first look at the chalk mark you have made. This line should be as straight as possible – make any adjustments that are needed. Cut gown fabric (not lining) ¾" away from this line. Turn under gown fabric ½" along the CF edge and press. The selvedge of the lining should lie neatly on top of the folded CF gown fabric. Use an underhand hemstitch, small whipstitch or running stitch to join the lining to the gown fabric.

Cut a small strip of fabric 4" wide and the width of the raw edges at CB, plus 2". Sew the strip, right sides together, ½" away from top edge. Neatly fold ends under and fold to the inside. Whip stitch folded edges and any raw edges to the lining. The final thing to do before hemming the lower edge, is to narrow hem the front edges of the skirt. For a narrow hem, turn the raw edges under ¼" twice and whipstitch in place with small stitches. Now the only thing left is the lower hem!

Again, this is easier if you have some one else to mark the hem while you wear it. Be sure to wear your 18th century shoes while the hem is being marked so ensure the hem is marked at the correct length. The good hem length is 6-10" from the floor, depending on intended use for gown and your height. A straight ruler held perpendicular to the floor makes a good marking tool. Use pins to mark the desired hem length. If you will be binding the hem with tape, cut along the line of pins. If you will be narrow hemming your gown, cut ½" below this marked line.

And voila… You now have a fabulous new gown.

Congratulations on all your hard work… now go get started on the next one!


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