Ever since my first lesson pattern drafting, when I was still a somewhat naive eighteen year old, I’ve always used the techniques for base patterns that I was taught. It was never mentioned, but those bases are according to the Rundschau method. I was already fascinated enough to be drawing the bases for straight skirts and tops, and to unleash all my wildest ideas, that I never bothered to ask the question if there are other techniques that you can use for base pattern drafting. With those bases I already could go quite far. And if the fit wasn’t good, I knew what to adjust and change.
Let’s fast forward fourteen years, and by know I’ve already created quite a good base pattern for myself. By making a lot of garments, and adjusting something every time to improve the fit, I have the base pattern for a sleeveless dress with on it a dozen extra lines to make the base fitting for my body.
Until one day I’m flipping through my book ‘Pattern Magic’ by Tomoki Nakamichi, and end up on the last couple of pages. I have look at these pages a lot, but have never thought about using this base pattern. However, I keep looking and reading, en get more and more enthusiastic to try it out. If only for the fact that the bunka base drafts the bust dart towards the armhole, instead of the neckline with Rundschau (because nobody every stitches a dart towards the neckline), and this way I can already skip one step when extracting sewing patterns. And so, on a December day, I get out a big piece of paper and start drafting a base pattern from scratch.
The first step, like always, is to determine my size. And to my astonishment (first of many) I only need three body measurements. My chest and waist circumference, and back length. Every other distance needed for the pattern is derived from the chest circumference. Unfortunately my chest width falls outside the scope of the table in the book. But I have a calculator, zo no need to worry. And since I only need a chest width I don’t have to bother my hubby to help me out. So in no time I have added an extra row to the table in the book.
Drafting the pattern goes relatively smoot, although I sometimes have to search for the next step or line to draw. When you’re used to a certain way of drafting, and can do it with your eyes closed, it take some erasing en searching to get the base on paper. But it is fairly simple. According to the book there are only 14 steps to get to the base frame, and next 9 to get the form, and to finish 6 darts. To draft the Rundschau base there are 30 points to draw and connect. So if not else, it seems to go quicker.
Because I wanted to test the bunka with a sleeve, I had to search for the base of a sleeve as well. Sadly it wasn’t included in the book, but I quickly found a youtube instruction to draw the sleeve block. And this also went quite quickly.
To test the bunka as pure as possible I didn’t change anything to base, except for an extra opening at the neckline. I didn’t shift any of the darts, and only used the once strictly necessary, like the shoulder and burst dart. For the fabric I picked a cotton fabric with wax-print I had laying around. A little piece, just enough to make a top with sleeve from.
The result was just amazing. I could barely believe how well this fitted around my body, without having to make any fit changes. Of course it’s just a basic top, but still. The moment I put it on I knew this was going to be the base I’m using from now on. The sleeve fitted perfectly, the shoulder line was on my shoulder on every side, not floating somewhere above it. And the bust dart is just magic. With my Rundschau base I always had to create an extra dart at the armhole, to not have a gap. But with the bunka it’s not needed. The position and opening of the dart is exactly enough the follow my shapes.
I did read on some sites, forums and review that the bunka sloper isn’t suited for every body shape. But I geuss it is for mine. I’m sold.
Number of seams I had to redo: 0
Of course it’s only a base pattern, zo not really hard to put together.