What “KNOTS”

Innovative, fun draping is part of the essence of fashion design. Every now and then a style surfaces that lends itself to manipulation in a way that allows designers to incorporate the idea into their own pieces; the twist knot is one such design. However, fashioning (hehe) this drape is no walk in the park. There’s a lot of information online, but none that I found actually explained effectively how to draft the pattern for this design.

Eventually, I decided to experiment, use my own knowledge of draping, and rely on logic to get the result I was looking for. I had several failed attempts (hehe), but each attempt allowed me to see the flaws in my planning, so the effort wasn’t a waste.

The first draft of the skirt had a “boomerang-shaped” side piece for the knot that bunched nastily when I threaded it through. I worked out that the piece had to be cut straight. The new straight piece worked like a charm.

The top required a lot more work. I made the top multiple times before deciding to slash and spread the pattern at the knot point and divide it along the knot line. The final result in the image below is okay, but I still want to adjust the pattern so that the neck area is less exposed and the facing doesn’t fall behind the knot (because it makes the knot a little too bulky). That said, I think I’ve achieved the “look” I’m after.