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Member since 8/24/02
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Posted on: 1/22/05 3:53 PM ET
I designed a pattern for ski pants for DH, and being a pants novice, am having trouble picturing the difference between 2 different ways of sewing them up.

One is sewing the inseams and sideseams, then putting one leg inside the other and sewing the crotch. The other way seems to be to sew the inseams, then the crotch, then the side seams.

Elastic waist, no zipper. Can someone explain why one would use one method over the other?

TIA,
Nina
-- Edited on 1/22/05 4:54 PM --
  
Member since 3/27/02
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Posted on: 1/22/05 4:54 PM ET
I'll put in my .02, since I'm also a pants novice.I always use the first method, because it makes it really easy to sew the crotch. It also works well for me because if I'm not sure of the fit I can baste the crotch seam, try on the pants, and make any slight adjustments. A common one for me is angling the center-back seam in slightly to eliminate a gap that often happens.

I don't know what the construction advantages there might be to sewing the side-seams last, but maybe some feel there are advantages to adusting fit, if the hips are too wide or too narrow? If I have any doubts about that, I just baste the side seams, then use my usual construction method.
  
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Posted on: 1/22/05 4:58 PM ET
In reply to gabrielle
Thanks, Gabrielle. I was looking in my sewing books, since my experience is limited to one-seams. At first, I thought it had to do with putting in a zipper, but I found zippered pants using both methods.

I like to try to understand the reasons behind a choice, so that at least I have a fighting chance. :tounge:

Anyone?

Nina
  
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Posted on: 1/22/05 5:11 PM ET
Hi Nina. I sew the sideseams last. If it is pull-on with no zipper, I'll do inseams then crotch seam. That way the crotch seam is still relatively flat. Then I'll do the sideseams last. If it requires a zipper, I'll sew part of the crotch, then add the zipper. Before I finish the crotch, I'll do the inseams then finish the crotch. Another reason to sew pants this way is that every fabric is different. They drape differently. They stretch differently. If you get into the habit of using 1" sideseams, then if your fabric needs more room, to sit or to hang nicely, you have the advantage of pin-fitting and then trying them on. You can't do this without first sewing the crotch seam.
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If it's worth sewing, it's worth sewing well;
and if it's worth sewing well, it's worth FITTING FIRST! - TSL
  
Member since 4/11/02
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Posted on: 1/22/05 5:13 PM ET
When sewing jeans, I sew the outseams first, so I can topstitch them flat. Then I sew the fly because it's still flat. Finally, I sew the inseams, then the crotch.

If you want to be able to pin fit in the hips, you'd sew the outseams last. You can still topstitch, if desired, but it's a real big pain to do it that way because you have to sew "in a tube" with the leg inside out.

But if the legs are OK and you want to be able to adjust the crotch, you'd sew it last.

I suppose it boils down to what you need to do for a particular pair of pants.
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Posted on: 1/22/05 5:57 PM ET
Depends what you are making. For pull-on pants I'd go - inseam, crotch, outseam. For tailored pants, the rule generally is - darts, pockets, outseam, inseam, front crotch - the closure part, waistband, back crotch. If you are not making a muslin, I'd suggest to first pin and even better baste all seams, try on, verify the fit, then take out basting and start with darts, pockets, etc. If it sounds as too much work, trust me - you are saving yourself so much trouble. For example - if youa re making a side pocket or a slant front pocket and later it rutns out you have to take infrom the outseam - you will have to redo the pants. Now, if you need to topstitch the outseam/inseam, do that seam first and then the other, so you topstitch while everything is still flat.
HTH
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Posted on: 1/22/05 6:44 PM ET
Sherrill, Debbie, & Eli - thank you, thank you. What you have said makes so much sense!! I actually get it!! I'm printing this out, so I have it when I get to the muslin of my plus-size pants (Soho) for myself. On that one, I can fuss around and see "hands-on" what you all are talking about.

With these skiing pant, it's technical fabric that has to have the seams sealed so they're waterproof, so I didn't want to do any unsewing.

Y'all are great. Thanks again.
Nina
  
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