Grading between sizes on the Ellington Dress

This blog post shows you how to grade between sizes on the Ellington Strapless Dress sewing pattern. For symmetrical patterns, grading between sizes is as simple as drawing lines joining your sizes at the side seam. However, on asymmetrical patterns like the Ellington, that’s not possible due to the way that the pattern pieces are created and graded. This tutorial will show you how!

In the following examples, I will go through how you can grade the Ellington skirt using your hip and waist measurements, and then how to grade the bodice to match the skirt.

Example 1

Let’s assume the following measurements.

High bust = 49” (124 cm)

Full bust  = 53” (135 cm)

Waist = 42” (107 cm).

Hips = 56” (142 cm)

Skirt Grading

Instead of traditional grading between sizes, we will grade the skirt using the hip size (to ensure that the slit location is correct) and the waist measurement.

1. Start with the pattern size that matches your hips on the Body Measurement Chart. 

For this example, our hip measurement is 56” (142 cm) which corresponds to a hip size 26.

2. Use the body measurement table to determine the waist body measurement for this size (WBM).

For a size 26, the waist body measurement (WBM) is  46” (117 cm)

3. Determine your actual waist measurement (WAM) by measuring your waist.

WAM = 42” (107 cm).

4. Determine how much you need to grade by finding the difference between the waist measurement for your hip size (WBM) and your actual waist measurement (WAM). 

WBM = 46” (117 cm)

WAM= 42” (107 cm)

Difference = WBM – WAM = 46 – 42 = 4” (117-107 = 10 cm)

So we need to grade the waist down by 4” (10 cm).

5.Because you are grading over 4 seams – left front skirt, left back skirt, right front skirt and right back skirt – divide the amount you need to grade by 4.

4”/4 = 1”  (10 cm/4 = 2.5 cm)

So this means that you are going to remove 1” (2.5 cm) from the waist at each seam line, grading back to the size 26 at the hip notch. Here is how that will look:

Bodice Grading

In order to attach the bodice to the skirt at the waist seam with all the seam and darts aligned, you will need to grade the waist of the Ellington bodice in the same manner as you graded the skirt.

1. Start by determining which cup pattern pieces are required – in this example, the bust measures into the size 24 E/F (using the Body Measurement Chart).
2. Now, choose the waist size based on the skirt grading. In the section above we graded the skirt as a size 26 with 1” (2.5 cm) removed at the side seams, so that’s what we need to use on the bodice too, so that it matches up.
3. Start with the 26 and 24 lines showing (if using a layered file). Starting at the size 26 waist, mark the grading at the waist at the side seams, on side front bodice (2) and side back bodice (3) as shown.

4. We now need to grade from this adjusted waist to the size 24 at the bust.

3. • On the center front bodice (1) and center back bodice (3) grade between the 26 at the waist and 24 at the bust notch.
   • On the side front bodice (2) and side back bodice (3) grade between the new markings at the waist, and the 24 at the bust notch.

Example 2

Let’s assume the following measurements.

High bust = 39” (99 cm)

Full bust  = 42” (107 cm)

Waist = 40” (102 cm).

Hips = 48 (122 cm)

Skirt Grading

1. Start with the pattern size that matches your hips, on the Body Measurement Chart. 

The hip measurement is 48” (122 cm) which corresponds to a hip size 18.

2. Use the body measurement table to determine the waist body measurement for this size (Wbm).

For a size 18, the waist body measurement (WBM) is 38” (97 cm)

3. Determine your actual waist measurement (WAM) by measuring your waist.

In this case, WAM = 40” (102 cm).

4. Determine how much you need to grade by finding the difference between the waist measurement for your hip size (WBM) and your actual waist measurement (WAM)

WBM = 38” (97 cm)

WAM = 40” (102 cm)

Difference = WBM – WAM = 38 – 40 = -2” (97-102 = -5 cm)

So we need to grade the waist UP by 2” (5 cm).

5. Because you are grading over 4 seams – left front skirt, left back skirt, right front skirt and right back skirt, divide the amount you need to grade by 4.

2”/4 = 1/2”  (5 cm/4 = 1.2 cm)

So this means that you are going to ADD 1/2” (1.2 cm) from the waist at each seam, grading back to the size 18 at the hip notch. Here is how that will look:

Bodice Grading

In order to attach the bodice to the skirt at the waist seam with all the seam and darts aligned, you will need to grade the waist of the Ellington bodice in the same manner as you graded the skirt.

1. Start by determining which cup pattern pieces are required – in this example, the bust measures into the size 14 C/D using the Body Measurement Chart.
2. Now choose the waist size based on the skirt grading. In the section above we graded the skirt as a size 18 with 1/2” (1.2 cm) added at the side seams, so that’s what we need to use on the bodice too, so that it matches up.
3. Start with pieces with the 18 and 14 lines showing (if using a layered file). Starting at the size 18 waist, mark the grading at the waist at the side seams, on side front bodice (2) and side back bodice (3).

4. We now need to grade from this size at the waist to the size 14 at the bust.

• • On the center front bodice (1) and center back bodice (3) grade between 18 at waist and 14 at bust notch.
  • On the side front bodice (2) and side back bodice (3) grade between the new markings at the waist, and the 14 at the bust notch.

And there you have it! Your asymmetrical Ellington Strapless Dress is graded and ready to sew! We can’t wait to see the amazing dresses you make!