What is a balloon Dress? (In a nut shell)
The balloon dress or balloon skirt is two garment in one, first you have a straight skirt and next you have a gather skirt, your straight skirt will be about one or two inches shorter than your gather skirt, you gather the bottom and top of the material for the gather skirt (waist and hem) then you sew your straight skirt on the inside of the gather skirt like a facing starting at the bottom and turn out pulling the bottom up giving it a balloon look.
How to make a balloon?
I make this Balloon dress for my daughter and lay out the instruction, first I make my Pattern from news paper, follow this link to make you basic  bodice pattern Foundation and this link for Fitted bodice drafting this link for skirt pattern.

The image below will show you how  to shade your pattern to get the top of this style.

Pattern Pieces
Raise your front and back bodice armhole about 1 inch and mark across. Mark strap as shown
to desire width. Blue shaded area show your Pattern pieces
Add 1-1/2 inch to the center back for button or zipper and ¾ inch seams all around (or place on your material and cut with seams and button allowance).
Center front is cut on fold

Sewing your balloon skirt:
Cut your gather shirt as show using desired measurement, for size 10 I use length 15 inch by 45 inches wide

Sew your straight skirt as normal leaving off the waist band and the hem,
(Straight skirt will act as a lining)
Join the back of your gather skirt leaving zip opening, gather top and bottom, (run two row gather thread for full gather look)

Join skirt sides be sure to get the hip measurement to the bottom or a measurement that will allow free walking space.
Join band for the skirt bottom and fit around the bottom of the gather, then fit the bottom of the straight skirt around on top the band turning the right side up, sew all three part around and turn out. (Follow picture instructions)

Sewing dress top: first join the shoulder straps at the shoulder and sew both sides, turn out and hem, attach straps to the to of your bodice front and back place the facing on top and sew, turn over and join the sides, sew darts.

This style has a built in waist band, sew waist band unto the skirt and join the top to the bottom.

Lots of styles from the 60th, 70th. and 80th are coming back  in this 21th Century, the balloon dress is one of those style

1. Measure directly up from the dart point the amount you wish to lengthen the dart. Mark the new dart point.
2. Draw new dart legs starting at the ends of the original darts and ending at the raised dart point
The broken lines in diagram shown represent the original darts; the solid lines, the new darts.

HOW MUCH?
Here is a guide for shortening designer’s darts to convert them into dressmaker’s darts. Keep in mind that “standards” may be meaningless when applied to individual requirements. Shorten the darts the amount that looks best and feels most comfortable.
Bodice: The front-waistline dart is shortened 1/2 inch from bustpoint height, * the back-waistline dart is shortened 1 inch from the shoulder-blade height.
The underarm dart is shortened 2 inches or more from the bust point. (This dart is generally at bust-point height. Should it be on a slight angle it must end at bust-point height no matter where it originates on the side seam.) Heavy-bosomed figures may bring the underarm dart closer to the bust point for additional shaping.
A front-shoulder dart is shortened 2 inches or more from the bust point. It too, may be brought closer to the bust point in heavy bosomed figures. The back-shoulder dart is usually stitched to a finished length of 3 inches.
The French underarm dart is an exception. It may be stitched to the bust point except in larger figures when it is shortened 1/2 inch or more.
Sleeve: The elbow dart is usually stitched to a finished length of 2 inches. * The terms “height” and “point” refer to the high point of the curve.
Only in very small or youthful figures and only in very form revealing
garments are darts stitched to the dart point. That would be asking too much of most figures.
Generally, in dressmaking and tailoring, the darts are shortened somewhat to give a sculptured, soft effect and a little more ease.
These shortened darts are called dressmaker’s darts.Designer’s darts are used in making a pattern. Dressmaker’s darts
are used in making a garment.
All darts in commercial patterns are shortened darts. Should you wish to relocate such a dart you would first have to extend it to the designer’s dart point.
All darts in the patterns you are creating are unshortened darts.For your final pattern, these will have to be shortened to dressmaker’s
darts.

HOW TO SHORTEN A DART
1. Measure down from the dart point the amount you wish to shorten the dart. Mark the new dart point in the center of the space.
2. Draw new dart legs starting at the ends of the original darts and ending at the lowered dart point. It is not the amount
of control you wish to change, merely the length of the dart

Skirt: The skirt-front dart is shortened 2 inches from the high point of the front hipbone.
The skirt-back dart is shortened 1 inch from the high point of the buttocks.
Frequently skirt darts fit better when un shortened (or shortened very little) so that the dart releases the greatest amount of material
where the figure is fullest.

Shapely Dart

Straight dart legs must always be equal in length, AB equals BC (Fig. a). If they are not, make them so. Wherever possible, balance the dart on grain to avoid puckering when stitched., When the dart legs are curved, one (AB) may be a little longer than the other (BC) (Fig. b). Ease AB into BC. Because of the angle, it is comparatively easy to “ease” a curve.
Straight dart legs ending just short of the high point (ADC-dressmaker’s dart)” provide ease in the bulge area (Fig. c). Dart legs stitched to the dart point remove the ease (ABC) (Fig. c).
When the dart legs are “bowed” for closer fit (as in an evening or cocktail dress), the ease is removed (Fig.d).

HOW TO SHIFT THE DART CONTROL FOR GATHERS,

SHIRRING, OR SMOCKING

Waistline Fullness (Fig. 24)
1.On the cut-out bodice-front sloper with the cut-out dart, locate the outside limits of the waistline fullness. Mark the points A and B (Fig. 24a).
2 Draw slash lines from A and B to the dart point. Draw several additional slash lines on either side of the waistline dart starting at the waistline and ending at the dart point (Fig. 24a).
3.Slash all slash lines.
4.Spread all sections so the spaces between are equal (Fig. 24b). 5. Trace the new pattern. Draw the new waistline with a smooth,
curved freehand line, correcting any irregularities (Fig. 24c).
6. On the new pattern make a notation that the area from A to B (indicated by the symbols a 0) is to be gathered to fit the waistline measurement (Fig. 24c).

Neckline Fullness
1. On the cut-out bodice-front sloper with the cut-out dart, locate the outside limits of the neckline fullness. Mark points A and B on the neckline (Fig. 25a).
2. Draw slash lines from A and B to the dart point. Draw several additional slash lines between A and B (Fig. 25a).
3.Slash all slash lines.
4. Shift all or part of the waistline control to the neckline. Spread the sections so the spaces between are equal (Fig. 25b).
5Trace the new pattern. Draw the new neckline with a smooth, curved freehand line, correcting any irregularities. Indicate the area to be gathered (Fig. 25c).
This multiple-slash line method not only produces the spread necessary for the gathers, it also provides a guide for the new seam line (the waistline in Fig. 24, the neckline in Fig. 25). Were you simply to shift the dart control to the new position by a single slash. line as in the first of our exercises, you would have an opening for a dart but no way •of knowing where the new seam line should be. A freehand curved line would only be guessing.
Actually the more lines slashed and the more sections spread, the more accurate the guideline. Since we are working with such a small sloper the few slash lines we have used will do. However, on a full-scale sloper, one would have to use many more.

1.Trace the bodice-front sloper.
2. Cut out the tracing and the dart. (You may want to make a batch of these cut-out bodices to keep handy for the following exercises. )
3. Locate the position of the new dart on the side seam. This may be a point anywhere up from the waistline  2 inches to 2-1/2 inches. Any dart above this becomes an underarm dart. Mark the point A.
4. Using a ruler, draw a line from point A to the dart point. This is the new dart line.
5. Slash the dart line to the dart point. Start the slashing at the side seam.
6. Close the original dart and fasten it with Scotch tape. Notice that the waistline dart control is shifted to the new position  It automatically contains the right amount of dart control. See diagram.

Sample Quarter- Scale Slopers

To put this dress together please follow the step by step instruction

And cutting diagram

Three links that will help with drafting instruction

dress-bodice-foundation

slopers/draft-fitted-bodice

draft-dress-sleeve-juniors-misses-women

1.    Join front and back shoulder seam together
2.    Join neck and back facing together
3.    Attach joint facing to front and back
4.    Trim and base facing in place
5.    Pin and put sleeves in
6.    Sew front and back bodice darts
7.    Run two gather stitch in skirt waist
8.    Gather and sew skirt to blouse bodies front and back leaving center back open
9.    Join center back leaving 18” for zipper
10.    Put zipper in
11.    Sew sleeve hem
12.    Join dress together from sleeve to skirt tail both sides
13.    Hem, trim and press your dress

Belt
1.    Sew 1” belt
2.    put eyelet in
3.    Attach cover buckle or a buckle of your choice

Back Bodice Instructions
The back bodice instructions is similar to the front bodice instructions.

A-B back shoulder height
B-C Center back length.
A-D Half across shoulder measurement
D-E 2”.
E-F Shoulder length.
G is half center back and waistline.
I center between C & G.
I-J half across back  measurement .
B-K (3 ½”) ¼ of back waist  measurement
K-L 1 ½” for back waist dart.
M is the center between K-L.
L-N is balance of waist  measurement .
Connect C-E for neck curve.
E-J-H for armhole curve.
H-N for side seam

To finish
Add seam allowance as shown. 

Tools
Tape measure
Tailors square
Fabric
Curve ruler
Designing C-thru ruler
Tailors chalk
scissors

HOW TO DRAFT PATTERN
The drafts on this page were developed by using the Junior Petite [Size 7]
or the team’s [Size 12] Dress Bodice Foundation.

Dress Bodice
1) Trace Dress Bodice Front and Back; then shift shoulder seam slightly forward by cutting off 1/2″ from front at shoulder, and joining it to back at shoulder as indicated, eliminating the dart or ease at back shoulder seam.
2 and 3) Draft raglan armhole seam lines on front and back, then draw scooped neckline. Mark sections A, B, C, D.
For double French side darts, draw parallel diagonal lines [about 1-1/4” apart], starting from points of side and waist darts to side seam. Mark sections E and F; then slash along the diagonal dart lines and spread, closing up side and waist darts as shown in diagram 3.

4 and 5
2-Piece Short Sleeve
Using the Dress Sleeve Foundation, draft the Short Sleeve according to the directions given on previous page, diagram 3.
6 and 7) To permit the arm to raise more comfortably, lengthen the top of underarm seams of sleeve as follows:
Draw curved slash lines on each side of the cap as indicated. Mark sections G, H, I, J; then slash on dotted lines and spread at underarm seams as shown in diagram 7.
Draw slightly curved underarm seams, from cap to bottom of sleeve

8 and 9 – Raglan Sleeve
Cut away the raglan sections B and C of front and back, and apply to top of sleeve cap [sections G and I] as shown in diagram 8; then curve the corners of each side of the cap as shown in diagram 9.
To complete the pattern, add seams and make corresponding notches

featuring fitted short jacket ¾ length sleeve jacket and sleeve in one roll fitted collar

1) Using the hip-length dress foundation as in style 1, trace front and back to waistline only; then extend the front waist dart up to level of the side dart as indicated.
Lower neckline 1” at center front, and extend front 3/4″ beyond center front for front closing overlap; then shorten front and back 2” as indicated.
Instead of the 1/4″ ease on back shoulder seam, make a dart 1/2″ wide and 3” long at center of shoulder seam beyond armhole.
2) Draft front facing as shown; then trace facing
and front in one section. To divide front and back into 4 sections, draw seam lines from armhole to top of the waist darts; then extend side dart to the dividing line as shown by dotted lines.

Separate the 4 sections; then close up the side dart as shown in diagram 3.
3) Draw curved lines at the corners of the 4 sections as shown by dotted lines. To draft collar see directions given on shirt waist collar DRAFT OF DRESS BODICE FRONT (Style 4)
Instead of the single waist dart as shown in diagram 2, draw 2 smaller darts (below the pleat lines), equaling the single waist dart. Then slash along the pleat lines and pivot shoulder darts 1/4″ to neckline and the other 3-2/4” next to armhole closing waist darts, reduce 1/4″ in an C.F. add 1/2″ at sides and reduce 3/4″ at armhole following arrows.

bodice front 3 waist darts
1) trace the front foundation; then square a line across at top of dart.
for the 3 darts, first trace part of the first dart, from a to a-1.
2) mark position for the top of the 3 darts 1” apart between a, b and c.
make the space at lower part of the first dart, between a-1 and a-2. 1/3 of the single dart in the front foundation.
3) complete the second and third dart (same size as first), making the space 3/4″ wide between each dart at waistline.
bodice back with neck dart
illustration shows waist dart omitted.
diagrams 4, 5 and 6 show how to eliminate the waist dart, and how to form the neck dart.
4) trace the back foundation; then eliminate the waist dart by reducing 1” at waistline to nothing at armhole near side seam. mark sections d and e.
5) bring sections d and e together; then draw new center back line, by adding 1/4″ at neck and reducing 1/2″ at waistline, as shown by dotted line.
6) make the neck dart 1/4″ wide and 3” long, 1-1/2” from center back.
 

bodice with 3 shoulders tucks
illustration shows 3 tucks at shoulder and no darts at the waistline.
the garment fits closely at the waistline and smoothly over the bust.
according to the design, the tucks may be made as inside or outside tucks. in appearance, both ways are decorative; in fitting value, both serve the same purpose.
1) use the front with the 3 waist darts as a guide; then mark positions for the 3 tucks as follows: first draw the center tuck line, from the center of shoulder to the middle dart; then draw a line 1” each side of the center line, and mark sections a-b-c-d.
2) cut out front; then slash along the 3 tuck lines. place front on another sheet of paper and close up the waist darts to spread section a-b-c-d evenly for the 3 shoulder tucks. pin to position.
3) trace front and mark shoulder tucks in dotted lines, making the left tuck 5” long, center tuck 4-3/4”, and the right, 4-1/2”.
4 and 5) cut out front in muslin and make the 3 shoulder tucks, as shown in the diagrams.
press tucks toward the center front.
as a rule, tuck lines are parallel to the center front, at lower part of tucks. use the front with the 3 waist darts as a guide: then mark positions for the 3 tucks as follows: first draw the center tuck line, from the center of shoulder to the middle of dart: then draw a line 1” each side of center line, and mark sections a-b-c-d

styles 2 fitted bodices
French fitted bodice
1) illustration show front and back view of french bodice.
2) trace fitted front and back, including the darts; then square a line across at lower part of armhole as shown by dotted line.
3) divide front into two parts as follows:
a to b – equals front shoulder
a to c – equals 1/2″ of shoulder
c to d – draw line from c to d at top of dart, divide back into two parts as follows:
e to f – equals a to c on front shoulder.
f to g – draw line from f to g at top of dart
h – center between f-g.
i to j – equals b to c on front shoulder.
j to h – connect.
for the plain grain lines, mark arrows on side sections by squaring from the bust line.
4) trace each section about 2” apart, eliminating the darts at the waistline and the dart at the back shoulder.
draw a curved line inside section of front at point d as shown by dotted line.
5) for the first fitting, add seams on the edges, as shown in the diagram. make corresponding notches as indicated.
use two single notches in front, one above the bust curve and one below.
when making a final pattern for a garment, allow seams also at neck, armhole and waistline.
6) this diagram shows fitting partly joined. first join the front sections, matching notches; then join seams of the back sections. join side seams and press all seams open, before joining shoulder seams.
 
bodice with low neckline
1) illustrations show seams in front and back running from waistline to armhole instead of to shoulder seam.
2) trace front and back foundation and shift position of darts as shown by dotted lines; then draw seam line from top of darts to armholes in front and back.
mark sections a, b, c and d.
3) lower the neckline in front and back to correspond with the neckline in the illustration.
the lower neckline at center back is usually dropped about 3/4″ of the drop at shoulder.
lower the waistline at center front, 1-1/2”, as illustrated.
4) trace sections a to d about 2” apart and round the corners as shown by dotted lines.
the grain lines, seam allowance and notches are to be made in the same manner as for the french fitted bodice.