Drafting a pattern for a cowl neck shirt

[shaharazade]

Hi there,
Does anyone have experience in creating a pattern for a cowl neck shirt? I'm looking for a soft drape neckline, not a full funnel cowl. I haven't been able to find too much information on this, so I thought I'd ask!

Thanks!

[SpottedFrog]

You might try the knitting or crochet boards. They don't do patterns the same way but sometimes the pattern will show a picture of what a section or piece of a project looks like. Just an idea

[odd_artist]

Cowl neck is generally a tube-type dealie, but just a nice drape is easy. Just cut the front of the bodice down the middle and seperate it a few inches when you pin it down. Once you sew the shoulders together, the extra fabric will drape.
I used to make stripper costumes, and a massage parlor approached me to make 'uniforms' for their girls. Think toga with a drape neck, one-size-fits-all.

[shaharazade]

I'm having a bit of trouble visualizing what you've described, but I'll give it a shot! Thanks to both of you for your responses.

[odd_artist]

Sorry - should have said to cut the bodice PATTERN down the middle! Sorry! I'm a dork!

[val_for_design]

Just to expand on odd_artist's explanation, this is how I construct cowls.



Basically, the further up you move the top section, the drapier the final product will be. And of course, the red  neckline is the cutting line - the little triangle is ignored.

Cutting through the pattern at the underarms as shown will produce drape *on top* of the breasts; if you move the cutting line further down, it will drape around and on your boobs.

Hope that helps.

[odd_artist]

 Thanks Val - you did a much better job of explaining it - I'm more of a watch-me-do-it-once kinda person, because that's how I learn best.

[val_for_design]

No problem at all! I'll take any excuse to knock together a bodgy diagram!

[shaharazade]

THANK YOU for the diagram. A visual seriously helps! I'll make sure to post the results once I get things going.

~shaharazade

[sewnutzz]

Another method for making a cowl neck shirt is to enlarge the neckline by dropping the front neckline a bit.  Then, measure around the neckline to get the circumfrence of the collar, add seam allowance to both ends to get the center back seam.  Decide how tall you want the collar to be (you may have to play around with it a bit to get the right drape), double that and add seam allowance.

Sew the center back seam together to make a tube, then fold the tube in half wrong sides together to make the collar.  Pin collar to the inside of the bodice and stitch in place.  I know, the seam will be on the outside of the garment, but it should not show when the collar is turned down. 

If you are persnickity, you can sew one layer to the right side of the bodice, then turn the raw edge of the other end of the collar to the wrong side and stitch by hand or stitch in the ditch to cover the seam.

This will produce a turtle-neck style cowl neck.

SewNutzz