Date: 11/5/09 5:13 AM

I hate pants........really really hate themJust as I think I have it pretty right I turn around and go yuk........but I need pants so I have to keep trying....
I have problems fitting my shape ( ohhhh the glorious petite apple ) but it seems to stem from my "waist/hip" measurement not fitting my bum/crotch/legs.
So I read a blog......followed a link .......and found that Nancy Zieman uses the pivot and slide but starts her pants 2 sizes smaller than the correct measurements.
Soooooooo it stands to reason........cause everthing I make seems too bloomin big everwhere, that that may be the way to get around at least some of the problems.
I may even get pants that dont look like sails in the wind!
I would have to invest in the book from the USA........another to add to my collection.
So has any one got any opinions on how this would work and if it would be worth the investment?
cheers
Jan

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Reply to ricstew
Date: 11/5/09 6:53 AM

Sorry Jan, can't give any thoughts on pivot and slide. If you decide to buy a book/dvd and prefer to purchase from Australia, Punch with Judy has some of Nancy Zieman's books and dvds sewing with Nancy . Even though the exchange rate is pretty good at the moment, I think Nancy's Notions only has one international postage rate and it's pretty high. It usually works out cheaper for us to buy books from the States but in this case, you may find with cheaper Aust postage, it works out about the same.

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chris

"We were put on this Earth for a reason- turns out mine was to unpick things"
Leigh - Project Runway Australia

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Reply to ricstew
Date: 11/5/09 8:18 AM

I have used a combination of methods to get pants that fit. I am always fiddling to refine the fit but I gained some weight and my tnt was just not making it. So I started again with a new copy of my Hot Patterns Razer pant cut to my measurements. I leave off the pockets and make a simple pant. I don't tuck in and don't want details cluttering up and adding to my hips. Tip. Start with a basic pant that has a waistband for fitting purposes. You can always change this later. This pant has no waistband, so you can either add one, or make the faced pant.
I traced out the pants and added to the sas were 1" except for the crotch. Then I followed the Pants for Real bodies book and the dvd that is out now and I fit my pants using my paper pattern. I have made dozens of muslins over the years and haven't had perfect results. This time I decided to follow their method exactly. Not assuming I knew anything. I have a 3 way mirror, but Patty Palmer shows how she uses a hand held mirror. It is a time consuming project, but it worked. I am now sewing up the pants I made from that and they fit beautifully. I fit as I sew, as per their instructions, and it does work. If you find that your legs are too big, Threads has a nice way to narrow your pant leg on their website, which I used for this version. You need to pick your pattern sized by your hip size and adjust the waist. This is much easier. The book is well worth the cost. If you are a beginner, than the dvd might also be worth your while to buy.

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www.nancyksews.blogspot.com

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Reply to ricstew
Date: 11/5/09 9:04 AM

I think the start two sized down suggestion is because some of the pattern companies (I think McCalls, Simplicity, and Butterick) have really wide legs on their pants, or at least they used to. This may not be an issue for those of us who have full thighs, but those who do not find the pant legs are too wide.

I think if you were to use a different pattern line like Burda, HotPatterns, Ottobre Woman, or Kwik Sew this may not be as much of an issue (depending on your particular measurements, of course).

I start with the size that fits my hips and thighs and adjust the waist to fit mine.

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Kim

http://girlwithatimemachine.wordpress.com/

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Reply to ricstew
Date: 11/5/09 11:24 AM

I used to be hard to fit, and one of the many things I tried back then was a McCall's patttern using the Zieman method. Although I am very experienced, the result was not satisfactory. Years and many different attempts at pants went by, and I learned two critical things on the way to good pants:

1. It is tremendously hard to get a good view of your own backside and fit that area by yourself. I was never successful. Ultimately I hired an instructor for a private fitting session at the Sewing Workshop in San Francisco, and in one day my pants fitting problem was history. In hindsight (so to speak), I'd never waste that number of years again trying to do it by myself, and I always advise those having chronic fitting problems to get the help of a pro.

2. The brand of the pattern matters. My instructor had me get a Burda, saying she had found that their crotch curve was simply better for most people. My own experience in human anatomy classes convinces me that this is actually true; the differences between Burda and other brands seem minor, but in sum, they can add up to serious difficulties, since an alteration in one place always causes a change somewhere else. If you have not tried a Burda pants pattern, I recommend buying one and tracing off a customized model, always, always using the measurement chart inside the pattern
-- Edited on 11/5/09 3:26 PM --

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Reply to ricstew
Date: 11/5/09 2:25 PM

I use Nancy Zieman's methods consistently and consistently I have good results, BUT I understand her explanations. Lots of people are confused by them.

If you want to see Nancy demonstrating her method, you can go to this website Nancy's Videos, choose the tab that says Nancy's Favorites, and then select "Knits - Easy Fit, Easy Sew - Part 3".

It's for fitting knit pants, but you can get some idea of how and why she does what she does.

I don't know if her method for fitting pants will work for you better than any other method. She may or may not address your issues.

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I'm being attacked by snarks! Too many to shoot, gotta run for a ladder to get away from them!!! --Ric C (urbandictionary)

~~The ability to sew is reward enough.~~

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Date: 11/5/09 2:39 PM

Ditto to the nth degree what Elona says: after years (and many pounds of fellow PR member patience) of trying to make pants fit, I happened upon a woman who did a fitting for me. It wasn't expensive and took just a couple of hours, and the results are perfection. Beats the pants off (pun intended) trying to do it on my own.

Re: size, one thing that woman did suggest was to find your personal measurements on the *finished measurement* chart and then sew the next size up. That, theoretically will address the excess ease that historically has been included in patterns.

So really, save yourself some time and find a pro.

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Leslie

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Date: 11/5/09 3:14 PM

Quote:

Re: size, one thing that woman did suggest was to find your personal measurements on the *finished measurement* chart and then sew the next size up. That, theoretically will address the excess ease that historically has been included in patterns.

hmmm, it's that easy? I'm going to try this, but adjust for my currently pudgy waist.

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Reply to ricstew
Date: 11/5/09 3:36 PM

her method helped me with other modifications but starting 2 sizes down was what I needed. I have had good results using Burda pants pattern - In fact the last time I used the method I noted that the pivot and slide lines were matching up with my hip size - I used the size 12 crotch cutting lines and then used the size 16 cutting lines on the legs. Other pattern companies the cutting lines did not match up like this. I also do a fish-eye dart under the butt.
I measure my front and back crotch length separately too.
I recently took a P&P pant fitting class and after 2 days with the tutor do not have a wearable pair of pants or jeans - no where near a good fit - I was very disappointed but lesson is that method just doesn't work for me.
I got my copy of Nancy's book on Amazon a couple of years ago.

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Reply to Nancy K
Date: 11/5/09 3:57 PM

Nancy, do you find you do the "lower the crotch curve" Palmer/Pletsch alteratoin on every pant?

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"Mommy cries in the sewing room."
Alexander May, 2.5 years old

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