The Sewing Place
The Emporia => In the wardrobe => Technical Help => Topic started by: sewingj on December 02, 2017, 09:18:57 AM
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My aim for the Christmas break is to make some trousers that fit. My main fitting issue is that my tummy is big in relation to my waist (pot belly/mummy tummy!)- and bought trousers that are comfortable on my tummy usually gape at the waist band and don`t stay up properly.
In the past I have tried making some using "The Perfect Fit" book but they weren`t very successful. I`ve now got McCalls 6361Palmer/Pletsch ("Fashion that fits") pattern but it doesn`t cover my problem. I have thought about buying their "Pants for Real People" book but it isn`t cheap - I think it`s out of print. Also, they use tissue fitting which isn`t easy when you are fitting on your own.
Any ideas please? I`m aiming for something fairly tailored rather than pull-on/loose
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I don't envy you the task, especially if you are trying to fit yourself without help. Do you have a pair of RTW that could be used as a starter? It will be a gradual fitting process with each one an improvement on the previous.
I would avoid using unwashed calico as it is stiff and will not drape the same as standard material. I went on a 3 day course in trouser fit and the calico pair seemed fine but the wool mix material was much softer and the actual trousers were very baggy and quite a disappointment. I got a better result starting from old RTW and adding extra to the rise at the back and takng it in stages from there. Lots of machine tacking and undoing but doable in stages. I would suggest you have something else to sew in between bouts of trouser fit.
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If you want to spend a bit of time and money, I can recommend Suzie Furrer's craftsy class on trouser fitting. Her methods are very precise and well taught and they work very effectively. Both I and a friend who have rather tricky pear shapes (for trouser fitting) have successfully used the class/method.
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Claire Shaefer’s pattern Vogue 7881 is a good pattern for tailored trousers and her explanation of how to make them couture is excellent. They are quite a wide leg, but this balances out the waist hip area if like me you don’t have a svelte figure 0_0 0_0 Use the size which fits around your widest part, so if you have a larger tummy area than hip, use the hip size for your widest part. You will probably need deeper back darts. Make sure your centre back is straight first and that your side seams are parallel, then take up the darts.
My tip would be to trace the pattern off if tissue fitting twice, so you’re not fitting just one side or an old sheet. I rarely make a toile, but trousers are the exception. Fit the back first. As we get older we tend not to be as erect, so will need to raise the waist band at the back. Take a strip of 1” wide elastic the circumference of your waist and stitch Velcro on the ends. Wearing the pattern, place this where you want the bottom of the waist band to be and mark with a pen, I find sharpies are the best, where the bottom of the elastic comes. It’s a good idea to extend the side and crotch seam allowance to 1” instead of 5/8” and the waist raise up 2”.
If the pattern has a fly front cut it off so you are just working with a seam, it’s easier to work without it. CF first, then side seams then darts/ease.You stick the extension back on after altering the centre seam, which will probably have a deeper curve, so the fly front extension will need to altered. Don’t try and slim down the legs too much between the hips and the knees. Moulding the trousers around your tummy will only emphasise it. It’s better to skim over and taper the trousers from mid thigh. Too much tapering will look like an inverted triangle, so you need to balance the slimness of the leg to your waist/hip area. This may result in the legs being wider than you want, but the trousers will look much better. Also if there are hip pockets, don’t cut them out for thetoile, cut the pattern so the front is complete, again it’s easier to fit than having to work with the gape the pocket produces. Once I’ve got the CF true, I then put a cheap zip in, to make it easier to keep taking the toile on and off.
It’s do-able on your own, but much easier with a buddy. Otherwise it’s just fitting a little at a time. My other tip is to baste the seams together, but with the seams on the outside, it’s much easier to repin. When the fit is correct, mark with a sharpie where the pins are and it should bleed through the fabric, resew this time with right sides together. I use a green sharpie to mark the final fitting lines so I know which are the right ones. My toiles can end up looking quite messy.
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Thanks everyone - especially Holly Berry for taking the time to go into so much detail - I will be printing that off.
I think the Vogue pattern is a bit too wide for me as I have skinny legs but I`ve now found another Palmer/Pletsch Mccalls 6901 which looks like a good starting point. I`d be really interested in your opinion.
Thanks also for the tips about using Sharpies - simple but I hadn`t thought of it! Also -what is the easiest way of tracing the pattern onto the old sheet?
Many thanks
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I always trace my patterns onto other paper by placing the original uncut on top and draw around the size I want. Sharpies bleed through to the paper underneath. I don't see why it wouldn't work on a sheet. I always trace because I make so many alterations the original would end up useless.
Post photos as you go, because wrinkles are an indication of where you need to alter :)
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Sewingj, I don't know if any of this is of use to you. It's a jeans fitting guide (https://closetcasepatterns.com/jean-fitting-adjustments-best-fitting-jeans/) but does have an adjustment for the tummy area.
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Forgot to add, photos are also a good way for you to see fitting issues, especially if fitting on your own. Just get someone else to take them so you're not twisting.
Thanks for the link Ploshkin, you can never have too much info.
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Thanks again Holly- and to you Ploshkin. I can see this is going to be my Winter project!
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My aim for the Christmas break is to make some trousers that fit. My main fitting issue is that my tummy is big in relation to my waist (pot belly/mummy tummy!)- and bought trousers that are comfortable on my tummy usually gape at the waist band and don`t stay up properly.
In the past I have tried making some using "The Perfect Fit" book but they weren`t very successful. I`ve now got McCalls 6361Palmer/Pletsch ("Fashion that fits") pattern but it doesn`t cover my problem. I have thought about buying their "Pants for Real People" book but it isn`t cheap - I think it`s out of print. Also, they use tissue fitting which isn`t easy when you are fitting on your own.
Any ideas please? I`m aiming for something fairly tailored rather than pull-on/loose
If you go to www.abebooks.co.uk (http://www.abebooks.co.uk) you can probably find a good used copy. It's a great book. I will be using it myself because I have set for myself the same goal you have - pants that fit!
I have both the StyleArc Barb and Margaret patterns but I think I'm going to try the Barb pattern first. I haven't sewn in years so this will be fun!
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Hi, I'd love to hear how you got on with the trouser challenge? I'm on my second attempt with the Simplicity Amazing Fit pattern (2860), using a woven cotton with 3% elastane in the hope that a bit more give in the fabric will help. I realised after making the first pair in a woven fabric that the RTW trousers I find most comfortable (though they're never quite right!) have a small amount of stretch. The Pants for Real People book has been really helpful for learning exactly how to get rid of the bagginess where I don't want it and understanding where I do want a bit more room (cyclist's thighs!) although I haven't followed their method exactly. I was lucky a few weeks ago when I found a really cheap copy on Oxfam online - worth a look.
Hope yours have worked out well.
Rita
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Hi Rita - I`m afraid I haven`t actually started yet! I have sent for Mccalls 6901 which is a Palmer/Pletsch pattern - will let you know how I got on.
As I mentioned in another thread - I had completely forgotten I already had "Pants for Real People" and ended up buying another one - so now I`ve got 2! (I`ve just put one of them on Ebay if anyone is interested)
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Good luck! I've got two days to have another go at mine as the rest of the gang are back at work today and I'm not back until Thursday. Just plucking up the courage to get everything out again and work out where I'd got to...
Rita
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FWIW what I do to increase tummy room in trousers is first check that the side seam in the space from hipline to waist is lining up where it should be, so I know the back is ok for width. Release all front darts and straighten any front side seam shaping. Then if this hasn't solved the problem I do something similar to an FBA on the front trouser pattern, drawing a line from the waist to high hip level at the position where the front dart was, and another from the CF to this line, slash along them and move the piece up and out to get more room. This can be done on the toile by cutting into the fabric and inserting a scrap. Usually when there's a bulge in the body you need more width and also more height to cover it. Sometimes the front piece above the hipline can get to look a little weird, but if it fits right the job is done.
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I went shopping today and I stopped to look at the sewing magazines. I didn't buy but almost did. One of them has a free Palmer and Pletsch pants pattern. I think it's Love Sewing but to be honest I can't really remember.
ETA: It is indeed Love Sewing and the latest one, issue 48. It has McCalls 7415 with it.
https://www.lovesewingmag.co.uk/downloads/item/love-sewing-issue-48/
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Nice pattern and looks easy. No pockets though.
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Just as an update - I`m really struggling with my project even using the book and a pattern with fitting instructions. I think you really need a sewing buddy to help with the fitting. I might end up with something wearable but not great - and more to the point is the fact that I am really not enjoying the whole process. (For me, sewing is meant to be a pleasurable hobby not a chore!)
I think in future I will stick to ready-made trousers and learn how to alter them to fit better!
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I tried making trousers for my Mum and they were a disaster. Even with the "pants for real people" book instructions we couldn't get them to fit. They just wouldn't fit properly in the bum area.
Recently I have downloaded some software called 'Fitography' which looks amazing - you take photos of yourself and then outline yourself and it spits out a pattern based on your shape. Not just your measurements, but your actual shape as you mark each point on your body. E.g, crotch curve can actually be shaped to your own crotch curve instead of the odd shape that a pattern has in comparison to your own body (they never work for me).
I still need to give it a go, but I've seen garments people have made from the software and they fit so well. They have a lot of different trouser patterns.
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I gave up on making trousers years ago...just too much trouble
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Fran - that sounds good - let us know how you get on with it (though photographing myself in detail would be rather depressing!)
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The first pair that fitted me well I made using McCalls 6901 after about 4 goes using other patterns with unsatisfactory results. M6901 is a very simple style with a no pocket option and a centre back zip instead of front fly, I found it a good starting point but I suppose it all depends on your shape. I could never find RTW trousers or jeans to fit me comfortably.
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The first pair that fitted me well I made using McCalls 6901 after about 4 goes using other patterns with unsatisfactory results. M6901 is a very simple style with a no pocket option and a centre back zip instead of front fly, I found it a good starting point but I suppose it all depends on your shape. I could never find RTW trousers or jeans to fit me comfortably.
That`s the pattern I am using SilverRose - to be fair it does fit better than anything else I have tried but it`s still not great
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Another trouser failure here! I spent the best part of two days' Christmas holiday really trying my hardest (again) to get the fit right but just can't seem to do it. I've been using Simplicity 2860, the Amazing Fit trousers, and the Pants for Real People book. I had a toile that seemed about right but, somehow or other, the bagginess at the back of the thigh reappeared in the real pair - difference in fabric maybe, or perhaps I just cut it out wrong? I haven't given up completely but skirts are looking very tempting.
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Try scooping the back of the underseam just 1/4" lower so the back can pull up a fraction. See if that improves the fit.
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Sorry I can't offer much useful advice here except to say once you find a pattern that works for you stick to it like superglue. I have a Marcy Tilton pattern which fits me (I think) and which I have used about a dozen times.
I don't know if anyone has suggested this in this thread already but if you have managed to wear out a pair of RTW trousers that are a good fit and you are about to take them to the charity shop you could take them apart and take a pattern from them instead.
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Thanks for the suggestions but I've tried both scooping the back and using a reasonable RTW pair as a pattern but without much success. Some of it, maybe, is just the difference in fabric. I did say to the pattern "It's not me, it's you!" but will take a deep breath and have another go soon. Possibly. -<
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Rita it's always a good idea to post photos here so people can see what's going on and may have a better idea of how to help. One suggestion is to always mark the grainlines front and back and hip line and crutchline on the toile. That way you can see if they are level and if the grainlines are twisted. Saves time trying to guess. :)
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Good advice, Ohsewsimple, especially marking the toile. I will get back to it and will be careful to make one small adjustment at a time (I suspect my scooping of the back was a bit too enthusiastic) but, just for the moment, life's got in the way and I haven't quite got the patience!
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I hope you are not completely discouraged. A few factors to keep in mind:
- Hip depth or whatever waist to hips distance is called: in Burda, it's 19cm, in US Big4 it's 23cm, from memory. I prefer Burda since it's already close to my measurements. Plus, this is my favorite brand so, IF I am making trousers, they are most likely to be a Burda pattern;
- What do you notice in RTW? For me, the waist gaps at the back and, being 1,53m, everything is too long, always! I also have hips and a butt. But what are your specific issues? There could be a brand out there closer to your shape;
- Do you plan to make more woven or more stretch woven or more knit pants? Consider buying a cheap equivalent because woven is the hardest to fit as it shows everything. The other are progressively more forgiving;
- I agree 100% with trying a good-enough-fit RTW pair of pants and comparing the measurements to the basic pattern you are using;
I would also do Bermuda shorts aka knee-length since anything longer doesn't really require fit except for hem length. FYI, my long hem is 1cm or so off the ground in bare feet. I also think all the pulling and distortion will show well enough on that length.
Good luck!
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The best way (after endless tries of different methods) to adjust for a full tummy is the slash and pivot method in the centre front (crotch seam) larger tummy does not need extra width often but extra length - more fabric to go up and over the tummy, raising the waistband so that it sits level when wearing (this does not look level when not being worn, but that's ok
Also by using the slash and pivot method, the side seams remain the same to match the back of the garment so no fiddling about needed there.
Decide how much adjustment you need, you can get this measurement from a pair of trousers you already have that don't fit that well over the tummy area, stand sideways and look at the waistline of the trousers, it probably sits ok at the back but sits lower at the front, the difference from where the waistband is and where it should sit is how much you need to adjust the front in height, but adding it onto the top seam is not the way to do it, slash the pattern across from the middle of the crotch seam over to the side seam and stop a tiny distance from the edge ( put some tape here strengthens the 'pivot', then spread the gap until the desired additional height is reached (if there is a large amount, try making several slashes instead of one)
This will make the front of the trouser higher, which is fine. Redraw any darts on the pattern
if more width is needed (after trying the above) then add that by opening up the piece from the waistband to almost the bottom of the crotch to add more width
Make a toile without question, and if more adjustments are necessary, use the toile and add fabric rather than making a new toile, then use the toile as your pattern piece, or use it to adjust the pattern piece further
I tend to use the pattern size for the back, and adjust the front, because the back needs to be flatter
The problem with adjusting RTW, is there is not always enough fabric and only width if there is and nothing to add to the height
Also RTW have jodpur hips :P
This method works for me, I first learned it with Barbara Deckert (book and craftsy) and later also watched Kathleen Cheetham do it in craftsy, current searches where some of the newer pattern makers have tutorials are not, imho good enough explanations
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JP - that is a brilliant explanation and I think that is pretty much what I was trying to do - but after fiddly about for ages I did end up chucking the offending trousers in the bin. I had got the tummy looking reasonably ok but then the legs and crotch area were really baggy and I couldn`t face messing about with them any more.
Maybe I`ll have another bash one day - but not in the near future!
(I`m sure your instructions will be really helpful for others though)
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It might be that whichever pattern you used would also need adjustment in those areas too it took me ages to find some that worked for the rest of me so that only the tummy needed adjustment its a lot of frustration but once you find the pair its great :D
I also use the same techniques when making tops, to make the centre front longer so that it goes over the tum and looks level with the back when on rather than riding up in the front