This will help you develop your idea fully before you start actually making any alterations.
You can find black tape or ribbon at a craft store, sewing store, or online.
For example, you may be using a rectangle yard of fabric for the bodice of a dress. You would pin the entire yard of fabric to the dress form. When using muslin, you will use a pencil to mark the measurements so that you can create a final pattern for a garment. When using other fabrics, you can sculpt the actual garment itself. [5] X Research source
If you’d like, you can leave the garment billowy around the bust, rather than molding the garment around the bust. If you’re designing a garment for a man, you do not need to mark the bust of your design.
For example, if the bodice of your dress is 17-inches (43-cm) long, then your fabric should be 25-inches (64-cm) long to allow an extra four inches on each side. [8] X Research source Your base does not need to be creative. You can go back and trim it once you’ve sculpted the actual garment.
How you drape the fabric will depend on the part of the garment you’re working on. For example, you might want to wrap fabric tightly around the bodice, then create a billowing skirt. Try different arrangements to create a fun, unique look.
If you’re making a pattern, mark your design with a pencil or fabric pencil. [9] X Research source
You can also vary the type of fabric that you use. [10] X Research source
You may want to start simple and work up to creating unique designs. However, being a fashion designer does require you to tap into your creativity.
You may not want to mark on your fabric if it’s the fabric you’re using for a final garment, except for where you need to sew or add design elements.
For example, you can see if the straps start to fall down or if the skirt hangs flatter than expected. [14] X Research source
How much extra room you allow will depend on your wearer and how tightly they like to wear their clothing. A good estimate is to add 2- to 4-inches (5- to 10-cm) to the bust area, . 5- to 1. 5-inches (1. 25- to 3. 75-cm) to the waist, and 2- to 4-inches (5- to 10-cm) to the hips. If the person has a larger body size than average, then you may need to add more fabric. [15] X Research source If you’re making a dress, you can also create a corset that fits your wearer to use as a base, ensuring that your garment will not be too tight. [16] X Research source
Leave part of the garment un-sewn, such as where you will add the fastenings. This will allow you to remove the garment from the dress form. You do not need to baste your garment if you are using muslin to mark a pattern.
If you are creating a pattern, then you can just unpin the pins holding the fabric to the dress form. [19] X Research source
If you don’t have a sewing machine, you can sew your garment by hand. It will take longer, and you’ll need to make tight stitches.
One option is to make sketches of designs that you like so that you can add onto them in different ways to create various looks.
Making a pattern is optional if you are trying to design one-of-a-kind pieces.
