Introduction

Required Tools
Lesson 1
Required Tools
I explain the essential tools needed for draping and pattern making the cowl neck bias draped dress. I cover everything from sewing machines and dress forms to various marking tools like pencils, tracing wheels, and tapes.
Muslin Preparation
Lesson 2
Muslin Preparation
I demonstrate how to measure and cut the muslin pieces needed for the bodice and skirt draping. For the bodice, a bias cut piece is required, while the skirt uses straight grain fabric prepared with a special stitching technique to create the draped look.

Draping

Draping the Skirt
Lesson 3
Draping the Skirt
In this session, I taught how to drape the skirt portion of the cowl neck bias draped dress. I placed the decorative drape piece on the princess line, smoothed it out, and pinned it in place, creating a draped effect on the front of the skirt.
Draping the Bodice - Front
Lesson 4
Draping the Bodice - Front
I demonstrate how to drape the front bodice of the cowl neck bias draped dress on the dress form. I start by aligning the bias line along the center front, deciding the width and depth of the cowl neckline, and pinning the shoulder points.
Draping the Bodice - Back
Lesson 5
Draping the Bodice - Back
I show the process of draping the back bodice, creating darts, and marking important points like the bust line, waistline, and armhole. I also discuss design decisions for the back neckline, opting for a classic boat neck style.

Patternmaking

Preparing Bodice for Pattern Transfer
Lesson 6
Preparing Bodice for Pattern Transfer
This crucial step involves removing the draped fabric from the dress form, laying it flat without stretching, and tracing the key lines and markings to create a pattern for cutting the final fabric pieces.
Transferring Bodice to Pattern
Lesson 7
Transferring Bodice to Pattern
In this session, I demonstrate how to transfer the draped cowl neck bodice onto paper patterns. I prefer pinning the fabric to paper rather than taping to avoid stretching the bias fabric. Tracing the draped lines carefully, I create the front bodice pattern piece, marking important points like the apex, shoulders, armholes and waistline.
Preparing Skirt for Pattern Transfer
Lesson 8
Preparing Skirt for Pattern Transfer
How to transfer the draped skirt onto a pattern paper. I mark all the important points like center front, center back, side seams, and fold lines on the draped fabric before transferring it to the pattern paper.
Transferring Skirt to Pattern
Lesson 9
Transferring Skirt to Pattern
How to transfer the draped skirt muslin piece onto a dotted pattern paper. The skirt is made from a single piece of fabric with just one seam at the center back, requiring a wide width of around 55 inches.

Sewing

Cutting the Silk Fabric & Lining
Lesson 10
Cutting the Silk Fabric & Lining
How to cut the silk fabric and lining for the cowl neck bias draped dress project. I chose a satin charmeuse fabric, which can be slippery and challenging to work with for beginners.
Sewing the Bodice
Lesson 11
Sewing the Bodice
In this session, I teach how to sew the bodice of the cowl neck bias draped dress. I demonstrate sewing the back darts, attaching the front and back bodice pieces at the neckline and armholes, and finally closing the side seams.
Sewing the Skirt
Lesson 12
Sewing the Skirt
How to sew the skirt portion of the cowl neck bias draped dress. I first sew the skirt pieces together separately for the outer fabric and lining, then attach the skirt to the bodice. After that, I work on attaching the lining, securing it at the waist before adding the skirt lining.

Final Overview

Project Overview
Lesson 13
Project Overview
I demonstrate the final steps of assembling the cowl neck bias draped dress, including attaching the lining to the outer shell and finishing the bottom hem. The end result is a flowy, flirty dress with a draped cowl neckline and bias-cut skirt.