Butterick Fitting Shell vs Drafting my own Sloper

[elisep]

I've tried numerous times to draft my own sloper. I've bought the Suzy Furrer course on Craftsy (didn't really like her method), have the Helen Armstrong textbook (I have succeeded in making a sloper from this but it was some time ago and I've gained weight since then). I'd love to go and do a course as then I'll be forced to complete something, but I just don't have the funds at the moment.
My main issue is it takes so long, when really what I want to be doing is getting on and making a garment. Try as I might I've not been able to convince myself it's worth all the fuss.

But I really want to start working on my own designs, and also need to pad my dressform out to my current shape. I'll be happy if I can take a sloper/block and create my own designs from it as the creative side in me will enjoy that process.

A few weeks ago Butterick patterns were on sale and on a whim I picked up the Fitting Shell pattern. Will this suit my needs? If I make it up and fit it to my shape, then transfer the pattern onto card? Will the Shell have wearing ease built in? If it does, is it possible to remove the wearing ease (once fitted) to turn it into a block for my dressform?

Or do I really, really just have to suck it up and commit to drafting my own sloper? 

Edited to add - I've just remembered I've got the Pattern Maker free download which will give me a basic sloper. Perhaps this is a better way to go than the fitting shell?

[BrendaP]

I have the McCalls fitting shell pattern which is very similar to the Butterick one.  It took several toiles and alterations to get it right but I learned from that what I need to do to any other pattern.

Once I got it right I used Bondaweb 9or something similar, can't remember now) to cover the tissue so I still have it for reference.  That pattern does include wearing ease, as should any sloper.  It also includes seam allowances, but you could cut them off if preferred.

For me drafting from scratch seems long winded, but I am happy to mess around with existing patterns sometimes ot hte point of not being recognisable as the original!

[Ohsewsimple]

Whatever method you use there is no quick fix to getting a block to fit.  Using a fitting pattern may need more adjustments compared to a self drafted one where you have to spend the time drafting in the first place.  Both methods will need to be fitted and takes time.  I mom longer have a block that fits but use my patterns and draft direct from them changing things around to get what I want. 

[jen]

Anything that gives you a close fitting bodice will do as a personal block. The advantage of drafting from your own measurements is that there'll be less fitting to get it precise. You still have to fit your own draft, and transfer any changes back to the block. A block to be drafted from for woven fabrics usually has ease in it, though some drafting systems draft without ease. The clue is in the direction which tells you to draw a line the length of half bust plus so much - the so much is the ease. If the instructions don't add anything to this line, then you've got one of the books which draft without ease. Don't overfit for a block for drafting patterns. In padding out a form, I like to use a block with the ease taken out, but that's personal preference.