These sloper patterns are the foundation upon which the patterns I create are drafted and the sizing I use here will be used consistently as a baseline throughout my pattern line. I offer these with the hope that it will make fitting the process of fitting patterns much easier and help sewers attain more consistent, satisfying results with any commercial patterns. Sloper patterns can also be used as a starting point for drafting your own designs as well. For more about what a sloper is and how to use them, see my tutorial here.
If you prefer a multisize pattern, this is also available as for purchase as a nested, 12 size version (here).
This sloper pattern is for woven fabrics without stretch. A sloper or fitting shell is not a typical sewing pattern, but a basic shell that contains very little ease, intended to aid in finding your necessary pattern adjustments for adapting other patterns, or for use as a basis for pattern drafting.
This sloper is a basic bodice that extends to the hip. The front bodice has a waist dart and a bust dart for shaping. The back bodice has a shoulder and a waist dart. The sleeve has an elbow dart. It includes only enough wearing ease for movement, and is intended to closely skim the body. The wearing ease included in the pattern is approximately 1.5″ at the full bust, .5″ at the waist, and .5″, 1.5″, and 2.5″ for B, C, and D cup variations respectively. A chart with approximate completed measurements for all sizes is available as a pdf or a jpg. It includes no seam or hem allowances.
Please note that these files are PDFs that were created with Adobe. They display and print best in Adobe’s PDF reader available for free here. In browser viewers and other applications, the display is incorrect because other applications display the wrong layers.
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PATTERN SIZE
Start with your high bust body measurement. This may not be the same as your bra band size, which is taken around the rib cage below the bust, and that’s fine. The idea is to take the measure of your upper chest, which indicates the actual size of your frame, instead of your full bust, which doesn’t really depend on your actual bone structure.) The idea is to match as closely as possible the size of your bone structure in your shoulders, neck, and upper chest, where these parts of the body intersect and all affect one another.
Then choose the cup size variation that is closest to the bra size you normally wear. So if you usually wear an A or B cup, choose the B cup size as a starting point. If your bra size is usually a C cup, start with the C cup variation. If your cup size is a D cup or larger, start with the D cup variation. You may require some adjustment to increase or decrease bust fullness, but it’s usually much easier to start with as close a fit on the shoulders, neck, and upper chest and then adjust the bust and waist areas of the body than it is to choose a pattern size based on bust fullness.
Another way you can choose your size is to measure your high bust measurement and your full bust measurement. Ideally your finished sloper will include approximately 1.5″ of ease at the bust, so you can add 1.5″ to your body measurements and then compare to the finished sloper measurement chart to find the sloper that will best match those measurements, giving priority to the high bust measurement, since you can adjust the full bust as needed.
NOTE: Please use Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader to view and print these, otherwise they display incorrectly. Available free here.
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