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Member since 7/23/07
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Posted on: 4/16/17 10:58 PM ET
Hi. I wonder if anyone has had experience with drafting a dolman sleeve pattern. I have a base pattern whose shape I'm very pleased with and to this I have added a dolman sleeve. My base pattern suits me well because the back is a couple of centimetres less in width than the front. However, I remember reading somewhere that if you are using a dolman sleeve both the back and front bodice should be equal widths. Any thoughts about this?
  
Member since 3/24/04
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Posted on: 4/16/17 11:06 PM ET
In reply to xtreme1
That would be news to me. I just align the shoulder/neckline "corners" and work from there. Seems to work fine to me.
  
Member since 2/12/06
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Posted on: 4/16/17 11:16 PM ET
I agree w/kayl. I used my own knit top pattern to draft a dolman and my front was also wider.

One thing you do want with a dolman is more length through the upper back, usually 1/2" maybe more. Maybe that's what you're remembering?

Debbie
  
Member since 10/6/11
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Posted on: 4/16/17 11:23 PM ET
In reply to xtreme1
Quote:
My base pattern suits me well because the back is a couple of centimetres less in width than the front.


Question: when you say your back is less in width than the front, do you mean at the bust/waist/hip or do you mean something else... like if the back neck width is more narrow than the front neck width and it makes your back shoulder more narrow. I ask so I can understand what areas you are trying to have "wider" in your dolman version.
------
-Catina
PaTTernHack.com
  
Member since 7/23/07
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Posted on: 4/16/17 11:36 PM ET
Thanks for your responses.

Catina, the front pattern is a little narrower than the back in width at the bust, waist and hip. It is not narrower above the bust.

I can't remember where I saw it but I definitely saw that the advice was to even out the back and front widths at the side seams. Thinking about it, that may have applied to a kimono sleeve instead actually. The dolman sleeve I'm using curves back to the bodice not that far down from the armhole and is not particularly wide in itself.
-- Edited on 4/16/17 at 11:38 PM --
  
Member since 7/23/07
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Posted on: 4/17/17 8:11 PM ET
The reason I asked this question is that I have seen some dolman sleeve garments which have an awkward pull where the sleeve joins the bodice and I wondered if that had anything to do with uneven back and front bodice widths. It may have more to do with a dolman sleeve that is placed more towards the waist than the armhole base perhaps.
  
Member since 7/23/07
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Posted on: 4/18/17 8:07 PM ET
I have just checked the kimono torso/sleeve instructions (from which a dolman sleeve can be drafted) in the book Patternmaking for Fashion Design, Fifth Edition. For the bodices, a mid way mark is made between the difference in width of the front and back bodice and this becomes the new side seam for both the front and back. There must be a reason this step is taken but it is not given. Hope that helps someone else.
  
Member since 3/24/04
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Posted on: 4/18/17 8:24 PM ET
FWIW, I spotted a comment in Natalie Bray's More Dress Pattern Designing that if you add more design ease to a kimono block (from which she derives her dolmans), the side seams may become mismatched, and they can be corrected on the front, back or half and half.
  
Member since 7/23/07
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Posted on: 4/19/17 7:18 PM ET
In reply to kayl
Thanks for that Kayl. I found comprehensive information about kimono/dolman sleeve drafting in that book.
  
Member since 7/25/08
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Posted on: 4/20/17 9:41 AM ET
Timely info, I have a pattern but didn't think to check differences front/back. Trying on RTW, some dolmans pull up too much when you raise your arms, others not--why? I have taken in the underarm curve on some RTW and it helps this.
  
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