Stadium Seat Cushion » Seat Cowl Cushion
Notes On Creating A Simple Cowl Neck Garment
The cowl blouse or shirt has that close fitting look. It has that drapy look which one associates with garments that are cut on the bias i.e. 45degrees. Still the fabric is cut on the bias but when drafting the cowl, there are no specific angles that one works with. It may look in some way that the bodice has been tilted at a 45degree angle. However angles are not important in drafting the cowl. What is important is the depth of the neck line. This is the central element in drafting a simple cowl pattern.
The neckline that one associates with shirts is gone. Thus the neckline is not a curved line. Another important that might be noted in drafting the cowl is that the fabric will be cut on the bias. Thus there is a new shape to the garment. The usual neck line is gone but what replaces this neck line is that folding drapy 'cowl' look. How is this created?
Firstly establish the depth of the neck. Ask yourself how far you want the folds to drape and hang. Maybe you just want a few folds. Work on the right center front bodice and tilt the bodice using the shoulder neck point as the guide point. Remember for a simple cowl that the important rule is that the center front line and the 'straight' neck line are at right angles to each other. Thus use a set square to set the angle.
Note that there is new added fabric on the front and this creates the hang and drape that is unique to the cowl ; But this is not all ; the aim is to create new fabric room at the center front. You rotate the center front to the right and thus create the space... remember the center front line; You have turned the shoulder neck point to the right by a suitable angle. Use a set square with one part on the new shoulder neck point and then you can move down and create your new center front
Remember that this shoulder neck point is an absolute point and from this point the neck line is created. In the cowl the neckline is straight and this allows the folds to be created. The depth of the neck doesn't create a new angle for the center front. The neck line and center front are at right angles to each other for a simple cowl neck.
It is interesting that a new center front line is created with a new length. This, in some way, matches in with the neck depth line to create the overall clingy cowl look. The depth of the neckline is the length of the straight line from the shoulder neck point. At the end of this line or the point denoting the actual depth of the neck, there is the center front. Move down a right angled line for the center front.
To establish fit, the fabric is cut on the bias which is 45 degrees. Thus when creating the cowl, remember firstly to turn the shoulder neck point outwards- remember too that you are also adding fabric at the center front area; This fabric is added on in the bodice area; yes the bodice is widened and the center front is a new line. The cowl pattern can look distorting and strange because the usual neck line is gone but the shoulder neck point is still the shoulder neck point. This is the absolute point from which you create the cowl.
Source: www.isnare.com