Abstract Our study presents a new pattern-making approach that is composed of three major steps: to establish the new torso classification; to improve the pattern shaping method; to solve the problem of misfit of female dresses. New additional measurements were obtained from full bust, waist and hip circumferences and divided between front and back parts separately from 3D body scanning data. By creating 8 new torso subtypes Y1, Y2, A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2, which reflect the body characteristics and torso morphology through distribution of bust girth between the front and the back, we have developed the Chinese female torso classification. On the basis of the new classification and the Japanese method of pattern block drafting, we improved the method of calculation of waist darts and the shaping of two kinds of female dresses: first kind doesn’t have the horizontal waist seam (one-piece dress) and second kind has the waist horizontal seam (two-pieces dress containing from the top and the skirt). The new torso subtypes and new pattern block shaping approach are taken into attention as the body characteristics will significantly improve the quality of clothes. New method of pattern pieces shaping in according with the characteristic features of a 3D virtual avatar allows to integrate this virtual pattern-generating approach into the pattern-making systems.