Lazy People's Blocks

This section is here for those who don’t have the time to make their own blocks … it is not a substitute for learning stretch fit pattern making properly. Everything you could think to ask about stretch fit pattern making has already been answered in the rest of this site … so click here if you came directly to this page from someone else’s link as you will have missed all those parts (and please don’t link directly to this page).

At least make sure you’ve ENTERED YOUR MEASUREMENTS AND READ THE INTRODUCTION before using the Pattern Library. Unless a block is asymmetric I will only present one side … the dashed line represents a fold or mirror line. No seam allowance is added to these blocks, nor should it be!

 

One Piece Block

This is a similar one piece stretch block to the one described in the swimwear section, except that the bust darting is calculated automatically for your cup size, and it’s been softened and squared a little to make sure it works better as a customised block. It will work well for small to medium figures. Larger figures should probably make their blocks manually so they can employ all the tweaks offered.. Once you know how to manipulate a block you can use it to make a pattern for any swimsuit or sleepwear style.

Horizontal Negative Ease	12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0%
Vertical Negative Ease	4% 3% 2% 1% 0%

 

 

Center Seam Legging Block

This is the center seam stretch leg block that matches the one piece stretch block above. When put together you can use it to make a catsuit. It’s also the foundation block for things like bike tights. With the addition of or conversion to a gusset style it can be used for making underwear. If you have a flatter bottom (in shape) use the dotted line on the back panel … it’s a mirror of the front panel.

Horizontal Negative Ease	12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0%
Vertical Negative Ease	4% 3% 2% 1% 0%

  

  

Non-Stretch Bra Cup Block

I am somewhat worried placing this block here because I know it will mean that people will come straight here and not read the underlying explanation of how it is constructed and how it is to be used to create a pattern … and because of that they’re going to have problems. If this is you please first read all the pages on

• bra sizing and underwires
• breast shape
• the bra block
• the band block.

Please don’t write to me asking how to make the various styles from the block. This is just here so you can check your own first stage bra cup, from the pages above, against mine. This is not a cup pattern and it has not yet accounted for the assymmetry of the wire … it is just the hemisphere that can be used to calculate dart sizing and shaping to make bra patterns, corset patterns, work out shoulder darts for close fitting bodice blocks with empire lines, neck darts for very low open cut neck lines, etc. All we’re interested in here is the shape of the cup hemisphere. Note: this process does not work for AAA and AA cups.

 

First published November 6th, 2009 (Last updated: October 21st, 2010)

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4 comments

4 comments to Lazy People’s Blocks

• dalia

  March 11, 2011 at 4:12 am

  When finishing entering my measurements, cant get the one piece block, but yes the leggings.

• Melissa

  September 7, 2010 at 6:58 pm

  Hi
  I am accurately described as a lazy person, but I have a very long back (my waist to bust measurement is 20cm, and the nape to waist is correspondingly long). So I just want to check, having no block/pattern making experience, if I take the SVG generated by this site, split it at the waistline and add the extra cm (no vertical ease), then re-draw the curves, I should have something that fits properly? I long ago gave up buying one piece swimsuits because they would never ever fit right.
  By the way, this trait is obviously strongly genetic – trying to get babies into snap-crotch outfits when they have a long back is a nuisance of some consequence.
  Melissa
  PS also delighted to note in one of the comments the posterazor download – have fiddled and fiddled with my printer to get it to poster print correctly but it has a mind of its own and drove me nuts.

• Stuart

  January 28, 2010 at 12:38 pm

  Hi Lespched. I haven’t quite got around to programming the sleeve block script yet … it’s actually a lot harder than it sounds and I’ve avoided it so far. I will get to it in the future (like all the other things I still need to add) but that’s probably not going to be soon enough for you sorry.

• lespched

  January 26, 2010 at 3:49 am

  hello,

  I live in France (sorry for my English). I make rhythmic leotards for gymnastic competitions since this year. I discovered your site with happiness.
  I have used children’s blocks(6 years) and the leotard was perfect.
  I would like to learn how to do the blocks myself, but for now I have to sew quickly (time competitions approach) and your explanations are in English (sic!)
  I took mesurements to print a one block but I do not know how to print sleeves block automatically . Is this possible? (be sure I’m not a lazy woman).

  Thanks.

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