Pants fit issues

Janee · Sawyer Brook Staff Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 64

Last month I made pants from a pattern in Burda magazine - first time I've traced a pattern from one of those. The fabric is a brushed cotton with a bit of stretch that I bought at Britex in San Francisco last Fall while at the PACC conference. I'm pretty happy with the fit, except right at the front lower crotch/thigh area. I adjusted the crotch curve to follow my own pattern drafted from measurements according to a seminar my PACC chapter hosted about 2 years ago, but I think something in the translation from tailored trouser to a tighter fit didn't work right. I'm getting horizontal folds right in that area - like the crotch is too long, only it doesn't feel like it at the inseam intersection. Has anyone experienced this, and have any suggestions?

Lois · Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2007 10:21 am Post subject:

I attended a Peggy Sagers pant fitting seminar. To fit the crotch, she pulls the pant up at the waist. She says the crotch should lightly touch the body. If you pull your pant UP, do those lines go away? I agree with you, the differnt style and crisp-ness of the fabric might require a shorter crotch length (than a trouser).

A book by Palmer Pletsch Pants for Real People is a fabulous tutorial on pant fitting. I just checked that book for a description of your problem and found the following solutions:

Page 37: Horizontal Wrinkles mean pants are tight in that area; Vertical wrinkles mean it's too loose in that area.

Page 30: They call the drag lines "Smiles" (indicating too tight). They say 1st be sure the CF of the pant is at the CF of your body. Adjusting that might make them go away. If the smiles remain review the crotch length to be sure it's right.

Page 32 & 37: Next let out the front inner thigh seam (only front) a bit. They say always adjust the pant back 1st, but doing so might cause smiles to appear in the front. That requires a slight adjustment in the front inner thigh seam.

Let us know what works for you. It's been a while since I've sewn pants but I often rely on this book for tips. The photography of REAL woman with bumps and curves is so valuable.

Janee · Sawyer Brook Staff Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 64

Lois,

I too attended one of Peggy's seminars a few years ago. I was pretty happy with the muslin she fit on me then, but my body has changed quite a bit since then.

I'll have to try the pants on again and test the suggestions you brought up. I don't think the wrinkles disappear if I pull the waist up in front, but I know it's accentuated when I sit - like a shelf in the fabric below the zipper. I think I have that Palmer Pletsch book also - it's worth looking at again. My friend Donna who's my"mutual fitter" is away on vacation right now, but we plan to get together when she's back because she has pant issues to address as well.

Thanks for the suggestions - and happy Independence Day!