Pattern planning and chopping

While I am thinking about colours, I start in with the drafting. I have a go to pattern for these show gown. Already long, I can make it shorter if the design requires it, or I can just use the bodice and so on. But at least I don't have to remember to add the length when cutting and then end up with more creative work to deal with forgetting!

I don't always trace the pattern to make a new one, but I do when I am changing dart location or planning to chop the pattern about in some way.
I always work without seam allowances because it means the nett pattern* is always going to be the same.

Then I add the seam allowance directly on the fabric...sometimes drawing with chalk, but mostly moving my ruler along to cut it at 1.5cm (which gives me the option of 1 cm if I need to skimp a bit for the amount of fabric I am working with.)

Dart division: left is the original shoulder dart
right is the new divided and shaped darts.
The pattern will be used first for the lining, and the darts will be sewn.
Then it will be chopped into double shoulder princess lines.
So the inside of the darts will not be needed on the resulting panels.

When I trace, I always check that the seams match on the paper so there is a better chance they will match in fabric!

Why? Every time you trace a pattern, you do little things that may throw off the construction. In the above pattern, I have planned the chopping for the back and am making sure the chopping for the front will be lined up the same.

The plan for the chopping! (That will eventually be explained!)

*In at least one of her Metric Pattern Cutting Books, Winifred Aldrich states "Students will find that it is easier to work with nett patterns (those without seam allowances)especially during the development of complicated styles."