PatternReview.com online sewing community
Online Sewing Class: Fit the Tee to a T
Register Today!
Join our community of 579,261 sewists!
SIGNUP Membership is free and includes 1 free lesson
Login |
Join our community of 579,261 sewists!
Signup | Login
To participate in the PatternReview.com forums please Login or Join PatternReview
123 
Member since 7/23/07
Posts: 251
Send Message
2 Replies
Posted on: 9/6/19 9:28 PM ET
In the Beginners forum, kayl and I were having a discussion about balancing a pants pattern. My pants pattern is not balanced and we are going ahead with manipulating the fabric to see if the fit can be improved. You can see images of the two previous pants I made without the benefit of having used horizontal balance lines here and here.

In the side view, the mismatch of the middle HBL at the side seam is my patternmaking error.

Using soft cotton fabric as a trial fabric, I added the HBLs and the only ones that looked strained to me were the two above the crotch curve at the back. I took a 3cm (about 1 ¼ inches) horizontal tuck across the upper back which then begged to be continued around the front, possibly down to nothing at the centre front. After pinning this alteration, the pants felt way more comfortable to walk in as far as fabric pulling on my knees and lower thigh at the front.

In these trial pics I have left unpicked the lower crotch / inseams. As far as my fingers could tell, the extra upper inseam width needed now needs to be slightly more than the measurement taken up in the back HBL. I would think this should be added to the back inseam only but because I don’t need extra width at the back thigh could I add equal amounts to the front and back inseams? Or perhaps I could increase just on the back inseam but quickly curve the inseam in so as to avoid adding too much width to the back thigh?

There are diagonal drag lines at the back running between inseam and outseam which are transferring from pants to pants as you can see.

I'm up for making a second trial pant to hope to get as good a pant fitting pattern as is possible for my body. I have always hated how the back of pants look on me and it would be thrilling to lose this feeling.

I’d love to hear your opinions.
  
Member since 12/28/04
Posts: 13915
Body Type:
Send Message
1 Replies
thumbsup 4 likes
Posted on: 9/6/19 9:49 PM ET
In reply to xtreme1
The most that's wrong with these is the the back crotch needs more room. I have had similar issues. I would scoop out the back crotch to give you more room. You are fairly flat in back and if you increase the back inseam you'll have too much length in the wrong place.
------
www.nancyksews.blogspot.com
  
Member since 5/4/05
Posts: 524
Body Type:
Send Message
1 Replies
thumbsup 1 like
Posted on: 9/6/19 9:54 PM ET
You gave a lot of good information in your original post. Pants are hard. I'm sure you will get a lot of specific replies to your post that might be helpful. What I found most helpful in getting the perfect pant was taking Sarah Veblen's pants fitting class. Never before had I had any true success with fitting pants. Now I have a base pattern to use. https://sewing.patternreview.com/bio/Sarah_Veblen
------
Jean
  
Member since 7/23/07
Posts: 251
Send Message
1 Replies
Posted on: 9/6/19 10:36 PM ET
In reply to meanjean
Yes, I've been thinking of doing this course with Sarah. I have her book The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting, which is wonderful. Would you be able to tell me if there is more to learn regarding pants fitting in her online course? Thanks for your response. I know I'm getting close!
  
Member since 7/23/07
Posts: 251
Send Message
1 Replies
Posted on: 9/6/19 10:52 PM ET
In reply to Nancy K
Nancy, thanks for your response.

I did try pinning a scoop before I opened the crotch / inseams and it didn't appear to help, at least to my eye.

At this point I'm not sure if I need to lower the back crotch to add length to the crotch seam or whether I need to scoop to increase the back to front shelf, or extension area. I would think having pulled them up at the back, the curve will be too high now and will need lowering. It looked such a mess after trialing reshaping the curve by pinning that I decided to just to open the crotch / inseams and take it from there. I did see a patternmaker/dressmaker recently who stumbled with this alteration and I knew then I'd have to solve this myself but it's a hard one to do on your own.

I'll go back and try pinning a larger scoop...


-- Edited on 9/7/19 at 0:22 AM --
  
Member since 3/24/04
Posts: 26392
Send Message
2 Replies
thumbsup 2 likes
Posted on: 9/6/19 11:03 PM ET
In reply to xtreme1
I think they look much better with that tuck. But what's happening is that the back crotch is still the wrong shape (it needs to be dug out a bit more, maybe a quarter of an inch right at the "toe area" of the curve, where it changes from mostly horizontal to mostly vertical) and then you can put in a gusset in the crotch (which will probably be football shaped) to fill in the space there. Once the gusset is in and the crotch is looking right, extend the inseams up through the gusset and you've got it.


Here's about what you're going to be doing, though this is shown on a jeans pattern, not slacks:


I'm not sure whether the diagonals in the lower leg will be "cured" when the crotch issues are straightened out, but I think they will be. Can you see, in the third photo, the hbls about mid-thigh seem to be tilted up a little as they head for the inseam?

The side seam is still too far to the back (conventionally it's placed 1/4" ahead of midline).

You might be able to move that back tuck up to just under the waistband, too... if so, then it's easy just to cut down the back waist and taper it to nothing at center front and reinstall the waistband. You will probably have to do a little reshaping of the side seams if you do that, but it might salvage this pair for use.


Great job!
-- Edited on 9/6/19 at 11:10 PM --
  
Member since 3/24/04
Posts: 26392
Send Message
thumbsup 2 likes
Posted on: 9/6/19 11:33 PM ET
Stray thought... you straightened out the HBLs by pulling the pants up in back with that tuck. That also causes the crotch to fit more closely to your anatomy, like jeans. If you want more of a slacks fit, with the crotch seam dropped for a bit of aeration, you can also level the HBLs by lengthening the center front a bit at CF/waistline.

An interesting exercise is to tie something around your waist firmly -- twill tape, bootlace (not elastic, it moves) at where you like your waistband to sit. Then get a buddy to measure from CF position on the waist tape to the floor, straight down, and CB/waist tape to the floor, straight down. Bet the back measurement is more than the front. It is for most of us. But pants (and skirt) waistlines are drafted as if the waist is dead level.
-- Edited on 9/6/19 at 11:34 PM --
  
Member since 7/23/07
Posts: 251
Send Message
1 Replies
thumbsup 2 likes
Posted on: 9/7/19 0:32 AM ET
In reply to kayl
Thanks kayl. I just wanted to hop on quickly to say that I love what happened when I moved the upper side seam forward. I was surprised that it made such a big difference visually. It might sound sad to say I found that exciting.

Now I'll go and grapple with low round buttocks and footballs. Ugh. I think I understand your suggestion. You sure have to possess a surplus of determination to crack this pants-fitting business. Even though I have no one around me to truly understand how exciting it will be to make a real breakthrough, if this all works out I will feel like a million dollars when wearing my future pants!
  
Member since 3/24/04
Posts: 26392
Send Message
thumbsup 2 likes
Posted on: 9/7/19 0:44 AM ET
In reply to xtreme1
Isn't it fun when it starts to come together?
  
Member since 5/25/11
Posts: 417
Send Message
thumbsup 2 likes
Posted on: 9/7/19 9:08 AM ET
In reply to xtreme1
I found there to be quite a bit of additional, helpful information in Sarah’s Fun With Fitting—Pants class here on PR. Her book focuses more on bodice fitting. For me, the class was a series of Aha! moments. Good luck! Fitting pants is hard, but it’s wonderful to have a well-fitting pattern.
Marty S
  
123 
* Advertising and soliciting is strictly prohibited on PatternReview.com. If you find a post which is not in agreement with our Terms and Conditions, please click on the Report Post button to report it.
Selected Reviews, Classes & Patterns
Discovery Fabrics
High Performance Fabrics
Specials!
Fancy Frocks Fabrics
Fine Designer Fabrics
Elliott Berman Textiles
High-end Fashion Fabrics
Specials!