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Posted on: 3/16/17 1:05 PM ET
I am working on mockups of my first real pair of pants, and am just about to move on to fashion fabric. Is there a preferred technique for the sewing of the crotch seam? Big 4 patterns advise sewing it twice; the Palmer/Pletsch method has you leave an opening in the middle, and sew it up last after the fitting. Lots of RTW, naturally, is serged.

What's your favorite method for comfort and durability, across a variety of pants styles/fabrics? Pants newbie is interested to hear everyone's thoughts!

Thanks!
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Posted on: 3/16/17 1:19 PM ET
In reply to stirwatersblue
I think fit is easiest to alter when you sew the right and left fronts together, then the right and left backs, then the inseams and outseams. Sew with the seam allowance to the outside for the first fitting, then chalk the seams after you've altered and sew to the inside before doing the second trial fitting.

The idea is that the crotch seam is probably the most difficult to fit, and one of the common changes for that seam is the need for a gusset at the 4 way intersection, or removing some fabric from the 4-waa intersection to fix the baggy butt issue. By sewing the front and back crotch first, then the inseams, it makes the inseam portion easy to alter for front/back depth at the 4 way intersection

Are you familiar with the idea of a "dominant seam"? The last-sewn seam in a group of seams that cross each other has the biggest influence on how the final product looks... see the samples here: http://fashion-incubator.com/a-better-way-to-sew-linings-and-facings/

In finished pants, if you sew the inseams and outseams after the front and back crotch, you generally get pants that want to be a little more spraddle-legged than if you sewed the two leg portions separately and then sewed the crotch. The inseams last approach is generally more suited for pants you need to really move in, while the crotch seam last approach tends to be better for nice polite pants that you mostly stand or sit in.

As for finished seams, almost all my pants now are done mostly on the serger; I find the serged backside seam holds up just fine as long as the pants fit. When the pants don't really fit, then you run into issues with stressed seams.
  
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Posted on: 3/16/17 6:29 PM ET
In reply to stirwatersblue
I don't do this for all pants, but I have sewn 1/4" twill tape when making palazzo pants with a linen blend--I thought I should stabilize the seam because of the weight of the fabric.
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Posted on: 3/16/17 9:27 PM ET
In reply to stirwatersblue
I use the Palmer Pletsch sewing order so that I can fit as I sew. I sew the crotch seam with twill tape in the first pass in the curve, though mine is pretty straight! I use my serger for the second pass in the middle section sewing the sides together and serging it to about a 3/8" width. I serge the zipper edges before I start and continue to the end of the front inseam. I serge the edges of the cb to the crotch seam after I finish sewing up the seam. I also when making a fly front don't sew up the back till the end since I make a men's style waistband with the cb sewn last. I like the fit of these since they are so easy to alter. I baste them for fitting.
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Posted on: 3/16/17 10:56 PM ET
In reply to kayl
Quote: kayl

In finished pants, if you sew the inseams and outseams after the front and back crotch, you generally get pants that want to be a little more spraddle-legged than if you sewed the two leg portions separately and then sewed the crotch. The inseams last approach is generally more suited for pants you need to really move in, while the crotch seam last approach tends to be better for nice polite pants that you mostly stand or sit in.

This is so true!!

I also sew seams on the outside for initial fittings.

Even though I serge final seams, I also do a secure straight stitch on the back end of the curve. I always get nervous if I hear a little thread snap when I bend in an awkward position.
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Posted on: 3/16/17 11:21 PM ET
In reply to traceymadeit
I'd sooner feel a seam pop and a bit of a breeze than hear rrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiippppppp! Because it's easier to restitch a seam than reweave fabric!
  
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Posted on: 3/16/17 11:25 PM ET
I sew the inseams first. Next I trim seam allowances to 0.5" trough the curved parts. Next, disengage the knife on the serger and serge the SAs separately. Then sew the crotch seam starting with regular stitch, switching to tripple straight stitch through the curved part, and back to straight stitch. Then press SAs open on a ham.

It might sound a little convoluted, but it is much simpler to do than to describe. I end up with a nice flat seam that is finished and is very strong in the stress area.

Good luck.
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Posted on: 3/17/17 9:39 AM ET
In reply to Nata
Thanks! It was actually very clear. This particular pattern calls for inseams first, then crotch, so I have already sewn in this order twice. Is there any reason you prefer to trim the S/As before you serge, rather than have the serger do it for you? It's definitely easier to press that crotch seam before the side seams are sewn up!
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Posted on: 3/17/17 1:58 PM ET
In reply to kayl
Quote: kayl
In finished pants, if you sew the inseams and outseams after the front and back crotch, you generally get pants that want to be a little more spraddle-legged than if you sewed the two leg portions separately and then sewed the crotch. The inseams last approach is generally more suited for pants you need to really move in, while the crotch seam last approach tends to be better for nice polite pants that you mostly stand or sit in.

That fashion incubator link was very interesting, thank you for posting. I hadn't heard of this before.

Your explanation (quoted) is EXACTLY what I am hoping to find when I try to reconcile why people make opposite/different recommendations! It is because they are going for slightly different outcomes, which makes sense! (Or, they are 'optimizing on different parameters', as we who are engineering nerds say). Many thanks!
  
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Posted on: 3/17/17 5:47 PM ET
In reply to Lisa5Lynne
If you haven't spent much time on fashion-incubator.com, you may find yourself in for a treat. Kathleen seems to really grok engineering approaches to sewing.
  
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