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Pattern Adjustments for an Unsmocked Back Yoke by Trudy Horne		Click here for a Adobe Acrobat PDF that you can print.
If you are using a yoke dress pattern intended for smocking on the front and back, but don’t want to smock the back, the back yoke must be made into a bodice. To understand why this is necessary, look at the side view of a yoke dress with smocking on front and back. Notice that the skirt gathers begin where the smocking stops, not under the yoke. Call this imaginary horizontal line the gather line (see Illustration 1). Here the gather lines for the front and back are at the same level. Now look at the side view of the same dress with smocking on the front only (see Illustration 2). Notice that the gather line at the back is higher than the front. The back yoke must be lowered so that the gather lines for back and front are at the same level. Drafting a Back Bodice Preparation: If your pattern is multi-sized or has nested pattern pieces, make individual patterns for back yoke and armhole guide. Add seamlines as indicated on pattern or instructions (see Illustration 3).	Illustration 1
Illustration 3	Illustration 2
Measure the depth of the smocking. Add 1/8" (for the space that will be between the top smocked row and the yoke seam) for Total Smocking Depth. Be sure not to measure holding rows–just the finished (or intended) smocking rows plus 1/8" (see Illustration 4). Position armhole guide at side yoke, aligning seamlines as indicated in Illustration 5. Pin or tape together. On tracing paper or drafting tissue, draw a vertical line (see Illustration 6). Place tissue over yoke/armhole patterns, having vertical edge of yoke directly over the drawn line. Trace onto tissue. Mark the current yoke/skirt seamline (A) (see Illustration 7). From A measure down the Total Smocking Depth (B). Square a horizontal line from B (see Illustration 8). If the side of bodice is slightly flared, square a vertical line up to armhole (see Illustration 9). Re-draw seamline at side to reflect any adjustment there. Add seam allowance to lower edge of new bodice (see Illustration 10). Extend vertical marks to lower edge of bodice. Label pattern, including pattern piece, brand, name, size, adjustment notes, and the date. Adjust back skirt cut length: Subtract smocking depth from back skirt cut length.	Illustration 4
	Illustration 5
	Illustration 6
Illustration 7	Illustration 8
Illustration 9	Illustration 10