This is going to be the first of two posts about the Creative Pattern Cutting course I did at Morley College last weekend. This was the second course I have done on both this subject and at the College - and so far I can readily recommend it.

The course is based on Tomoko Nakamichi's Pattern Magic 2 - the previous course was on the first book. 

Over the two days I managed to make up four of the patterns with varying results. I attempted the "Like a jungle", "Fundamentals", "Vanishing Pocket" and the Cowl neck. As before the course is really about drafting up patterns using the books as guidance - so the aim of the weekend was not to have wearable garments at the end. That said, this time I did make up muslins of each item.

Like a jungle

The aim of this exercise is to create a multi-stranded bodice which removes the need for any darts. 

So the basic bodice is split into sections - each of which the will make up a strand. One thing to remember is that no matter how spaced the strands get in the centre, they have to match at the edges where they will be reattached to each other to make up the bodice shape. 

I used a bodice front to make up the sections and it does give an interesting - if slightly drafty - effect.

You'd have to be fairly brave to wear it in this manifestation!

One of the other women on the course had a much better idea - do the same thing to the back of a top:

As you can see, it becomes instantly more wearable. I can imagine this as both the back of an elaborate gown (think Oscar night) - but it could also be the back of a casual summer tunic.

Cowl neck

Another lovely feature for the back was the cowl.  To be honest this wasn't the most arduous of exercises but I want to draft one as they are just so useful.  I'm a sucker for anything with a cowl so I knew it was a pattern I would reuse.

For this style the original back bodice is simply elongated across the centre and then the top is chopped off.

This is my version in calico - not the drapiest of fabrics so it looks little more like a gnomes hood than an elegant evening dress. But then again I'm probably more closely related to a gnome than to a film star!