Date: 11/1/09 3:50 PM

I've asked on the Plus Size thread, but thought I'd try and tap any/all experts out there, so here I am again....





This whole prototype/muslin business is doing my head in!

I have now cut my fashion fabric (very slightly more drape than the final prototype) and have been fiddling with it all evening.

I've taken out the extra height at back waist that I added. It looked wrongwrongwrong.

I've straightened the side seams a little from mid-hip to just above the knee (seems a standard alteration for me now).

And I'm stuck.

What's going on here, please?



Folding up the trouser legs so that they hang rather than sit on the floor seems to have helped a bit, but I'm stuck stuck stuck.

More pics here.

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Living and working at Scotland's oldest continually-licensed hotel.
http://www.spreadeaglejedburgh.co.uk

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Date: 11/1/09 5:24 PM

I am NO expert so you might want someone else to weigh in on this, but I've been reading thru my "pants for real people" book and this is what they say:

If pants are baggy in the back, pull up at center back until wrinkles disappear. This often creates smiles in the front. If it does, let out front inseams. THEN if it seems you can't sit down - they're too tight? or if the front crotch seems long enough and the back feels tight -, sew back crotch seam LOWER by 1/4" at a time. Trim seam allowance and try on again.

They go on to say that sometimes, by pulling pants up in the back to eliminate bagginess causes both front and back to be tight. In that case, pull the pants down evenly all the way around until comfortable. (I guess that means you may have to add to the waist height?)

I don't claim to know too much, but until someone with much more sewing savvy than I comments, this may at least give you something to monkey with. It comes from a book by an expert.

-susie

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Date: 11/1/09 6:21 PM

Looks tight in the crotch. Did you trim the crotch curve down to 1/4 or 3/8"? Don't clip though.

We need a photo of the front and side too.

That back zipper looks awfully long to me.
-- Edited on 11/1/09 6:22 PM --

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Reply to LornaJay
Date: 11/1/09 7:52 PM

If there is no waistband on yet, just putting that on will usually pull out some of that bagginess. I'm not sure why/how it does it, but I have thought pants too baggy before, and then when I put the waistband on, some of that magically disappears. I'm sure there is a reason for that, but I'm not sure what it is.

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Date: 11/1/09 8:43 PM

Lorna -- From your pants back, it looks like your right hip is higher than your left. It looks that way in the first white muslin too. It's not so noticeable from the front.

Your blue muslin looks great! If I were in your pants, I would first press them: the seams, the darts, the fabric. That alone might help. If it's still a little odd, try moving the right waist down a skooch, and the left waist up a skooch. In your blue muslin, it looks like you have done exactly that. -- Kate

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Reply to LornaJay
Date: 11/1/09 9:50 PM

May I ask what pattern you are working with?

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Date: 11/2/09 4:31 AM

It's Burda 8209, and all the fitting pics are on the picasaweb site linked at the top. Thanks for the suggestions. I've already turned the top down to mimic the waist facing attachment, and think I might need more back crotch depth (between the legs) and inseam width at the back.

What do you all think?

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Living and working at Scotland's oldest continually-licensed hotel.
http://www.spreadeaglejedburgh.co.uk

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Date: 11/3/09 5:03 AM

Ah well. I've added to the back crotch and down the inseam as much as I can (only 1cm SA) and I'm going to finish them. They are NOT perfect, but they are wearable, and I need clothes!

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Living and working at Scotland's oldest continually-licensed hotel.
http://www.spreadeaglejedburgh.co.uk

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Date: 11/3/09 5:08 AM

Ah well. I've added to the back crotch and down the inseam as much as I can (only 1cm SA) and I'm going to finish them. They are NOT perfect, but they are wearable, and I need clothes!


-- Edited on 11/3/09 5:13 AM --

------
Living and working at Scotland's oldest continually-licensed hotel.
http://www.spreadeaglejedburgh.co.uk

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Date: 11/3/09 6:22 AM

Wearable? They are fantastic! I bet none of your RTW pants look that good.

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With a great wardrobe that's still in the flat-fabric stage.

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