Transparent Tuck Dress

Set out below in the pattern plan is my fitted dress block with the side seams equalised and with the position of the tucks indicated by the red lines.  You’ll cut through the red lines, from the centre front and back, toward the side seams and armhole. The green arrows show where the pattern will open up to make the large tucks that are the main design feature in this style.  The armhole and side seam will stay connected as we open up the CF and CB of the dress for the right and left sides.  In the pattern development that follows I’ve only displayed the front of the dress.  Pattern development for the back dress is the same but in many ways far simpler as there is no bust dart.

The altered pattern (front only) is set out below with the green areas showing the extra fabric involved in making the tucks.  The extra fabric in the pattern is derived from dart transfer, and slash and spread, to add extra fabric where required.  There is more detail about my method of drape pattern making here: My Drape Pattern Making Method

With the first fitting in this draped bias cut dress you may need to tighten the fit through the body of the dress to hold the drape in the tucks.  This is common in bias cut drape dresses and each different fabric will require a different amount of alteration to achieve a good fit.  These Pattern Puzzles are hypothetical (yet to be fully tested) and are offered simply to inspire your creative pattern making.