Vintage Sewing

Grading Pintucks

May 15, 2009



Anyone know if there is a science to grading the pintuck portion of a pattern?  I’m having to grade this pattern up quite a few sizes and have picked a heck of a pattern to practice my grading on.  It is a bust size of 34″, I’m taking it to 43″.  I know I’m gonna have to add a buttonhole or two in the end.  I may even have to add a tuck in there.  Just looking for tips and tricks.

5 Comments

  1. I haven’t ever graded anything with pintucks, but I would suggest grading the bodice part first (without the details) and then trying to figure out if you need to add additional pintucks to the pattern. Personally I would retrace the whole pattern first to preserve it for the details, so that in the end you don’t miss anything and can compare.

    Good luck!

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  2. I’m making a copy now. All I have left to trace is the skirt. I’m gonna grade from that. I was thinking if I just graded the sides and back enough I wouldn’t have to grade the pintucks at all except to lengthen a bit. It would make the pintuck portion appear smaller but I could live with that.

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  3. One way would be to tape the pin tucks closed (essentially remove the pin tucks) like you would to tissue fit the pattern- grade the piece – then add new pin tucks – you could keep the same number or add a few more to compensate for the size increase.

    A beautiful pattern. Wishing you much success.

    Reply

  4. What I would do is
    1. Draft a pattern piece to fit 36″ without the pintucks.
    2.Cut a rectangular piece of fabric big enough to cover the original bodice piece (with the pintucks)

    3. Trace and sew the pintucks first.
    4. Then use or draft a bodice pattern for bust 36″ and trace it on the sewn pintucks piece.
    5. Then cut it out as one piece and use that piece in sewing your dress.
    6. I hope it helps.

    Reply

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