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Sorry it’s taken a while to get these sorted out, but here’s some help to get your pattern for Cami Knickers drafted.

For this pattern we will be using the Haslam pattern previously posted. If you made your French knickers from this pattern, it won’t be too far out from what you will be doing here.

You will need: your measurements
large sheets of pattern paper/ drafting paper/ flipchart paper (which is what I use as I have a lot of it!)
Pencil
Scissors for paper cutting (don’t PLEASE use the scissors you usually use for fabric – you have been warned!)
Fabric for practicing on – maybe some poly cotton/ sheeting or whatever you have lying around that is a similar weight to the fabric you will use for the finished item (i.e. heavy weight furnighing fabric probably isn’t the best idea….) – I would allow 2 metres as you need to cut the pattern on the bias for “give”
Pins
Dressmaking scissors

For your pattern, it may help to print it out from the Flickr pool so you can see what you’re doing.

The simplest way of starting off is to use the straight edge of one of your pieces of paper.  Join paper if necessary to have  2 pieces at least 30 inches long (sorry guys, I work in Imperial measurements, not metric!) – one for the front, and one for the back.

To draft the back:

Starting with the straight edge on your left, divide the paper from the top into 3 sections.  The first line, as you will see in the drawing, is 5 1/2 inches from the top.  The second line is 11 inches below this one – meaning it’s 16 1/2 inches from the top.  Mark the lines across the paper in pencil.  This breaks it down into the bust part (top), underbust (middle) and bottom, is well, bottom.

Next you will need to mark the width of the pattern.  The top line is for 1/4 bust measurement less 1 inch.  So if your bust is 20 inches, it will be 4 inches (make sense – 20 divided by 4 =5 inches minus 1 = 4).  Remember your bust measurement is the one taken at the fullest point of your chest, not underneath.

At the second line down, that marks the underbust from the bottom, it states it needs to be 1/4 hip measurement less 1 inch, so if you have 30 inch hips, it would be 6 1/2 inches.  Mark this point on the pattern.

At the bottom of the pattern it says 3/12 inches wider than the hip line we have just marked.  So in this case the measurements would be 10 inches.  As with the French knicker pattern, reduce the amount to, for example 2 inches if you want less flare  to the hip.  Mark this point at the bottom of your pattern paper.  Working from this we are going to put some shaping in.  To get the pretty “tulip” hem we need to put a curve in the middle (which is what we will attach the gusset part to.  To do this, mark 3 inches up on the straight edge, and 5 inches across, as in the pattern.  Draw a curve.

At the outside edge (the right hand side), mark 1/2 inch up from the bottom edge, and curve the line upwards, as in the picture.

Now we need to work on the top part of your Camiknickers -  if you look in the pattern, you will see the top part is drawn in dotted lines – this shows a rectangle we originally marked to get the measurement.  if it helps, draw this in now to help mark the points.  From the top left side of the pattern (what will be near the top middle of your back when it’s on) you need to mark 1/2 inch down horizontally. Using the pattern as a guide curve the line towards the top right hand side of your pattern.  This gives you the top edge of your garment.

Next, mark 3/4 inch in from the outside of your rectangle vertically.  This is on the 1st line you drew, which is 5 1/2 inches from the top edge.  From this you will need to mark 1/2 up, and this will form the curve you see in the picture.  This, when you cut it out will make the bust piece separate from the bottom piece.

Whilst we are discussing this section, it is worth noting the darts – the pattern shows you where darts are to be placed if they are required.  Darts help fit a garment, allowing the fabric to sit better against the body, although you may not need to do this.  This is why it’s a good idea to have some fabric you aren’t too fussed about to practice on.  I know from my own body shape and years of making my own clothes that I will need to lengthen the back slightly to allow for my generous backside, but place dart in the back (the joys of being a typcal English pear shape!).

Now you have drafted the back, let’s do the front.

As with the back we are using the straight edge of the paper as a guide, only this time the straight edge will be on the right hand side.

2 inches from the top of your paper mark a horizontal line across.  This line needs to be 1/4 bust measurement plus 1 inch.  So using the same example as before it would be 6 inches (20 inches divided by 4 =5 plus 1=6).

6 inches below this line, so 8 inches from the top of the paper, draw another horizontal line.  11 1/2  inches below this draw another horizontal line, which is 1/4 hip measurement plus 1 inch ( so 8.5 to continue with the example measurements).  You will notice that these lines are the same as the ones we drew for the back.

At the bottom of the paper you need to mark 4 inches bigger than the hip line – to use the sample measurements 12 1/2 inches.

Add the curve as we did at the back, on the bottom right hand edge, 3 inches up and 6 inches across, and mark 1/2 inch up on the outside edge, using the picture as a guide.

Moving up, mark 1 inch in from outside edge to mark the waist, referring to the picture as a guide.

To mark the top, 4 inches from inside edge (right hand side) make a mark.  This shows you how to mark the “triangle” part for the bust.  The outside edge (left hand side) also shows you to make a small dart 1/2 inch from outside (left) edge – the dart will be 2 1/2 inches long and 1/2 deep.  This will shape the fabric to your bust and have a more flattering shape when worn (i.e. no baggy fabric under the arm!)

On the left hand (inside) edge, mark 1/2 inch in to allow for the shaping of the bust part.

Finally to allow for the shaping under the bust part, on the right hand (inside) edge at the bottom of the bust part, mark 2 inches up (vertically) and 4 inches across (horizontally) referring to the picture as a guide.

Once again you will see allowances for pin tucks on the bust section and a dart under the bust for shaping.

Cut your pattern pieces out from the paper.  You will need to cut the bust sections out as well as the under bust section.

You should have 4 pieces.

Right – gusset.  From some spare paper, mark a pentagon (I think it kinda looks like one) that measures 2 inches wide, and is 5 1/2 inches high..  2 inches from the top of the gusset, it needs to be 5 inches across.  It may help to actually fold some paper in half vertically, and then in half again horizontally, so you end up with a cross shaped fold, and use the guideline in the pattern for guidance.

I’ll be back later with instructions on how to make your camiknickers up x

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