Sure Fit Pants Alteration

When I last worked on my SureFitPants,  the back leg was wider than I wanted.  I had pinned a 3/8" tuck down the center of the back legs from the ankle to the hip, which took out 3/4" of fabric.  The pant hung much nicer, so I want to take that out of the pattern.  Here's what I've done.

The grain-line on the pattern ran right down the center of the back leg.  I drew a 3/8" line on either side of that grain-line  which is same as the tuck I made on the trial pants.  I split the pattern on the grain-line from the ankle to the waist.

Next, I overlapped the pattern, matching the 3/8" lines, beginning a the ankle.  The overlap begins to taper  as it nears the waist.

I've taken out 3/4" in the back leg.  Doing this also removes a smidge in the hip and waist.  But, I have 1" seam allowances all around the pattern.  If needed, I have plenty of seam allowance to let out.

Palmer/Pletsch pant patterns have a 1" seam allowance all the way around the pattern--except for the crotch.  That makes it easier to drape the pant on yourself.  That method has always worked well for me, so I continue to put those wide seam allowances on most patterns.

Now that's done and brown fabric is ironed, ready to cut.  Tomorrow.

SureFitPants, first try

The current challenge in my Designer group is to make a pair of pants with a fly-front zip.  Although I have a pattern that fits pretty well, I decided to use this as an opportunity to try out my SureFitDesigns pant draft.  After a bit of tweaking, I have a good fitting pant from this system.

I have an irregularly shaped, middle-age body.  Difficult to fit.  On the first trial pant, the front was very good.  The dimples around the dart are because of  the cheap poly fabric, which didn't  hold a press well.  On good fabric, there won't be any wrinkles there.

The back had a good fit at the waist and hip.  There was an issue in the legs.  I had diagonal wrinkles pointing toward the inseam, but extra fullness in the back leg.

I let out the inseams a bit, and then took a vertical tuck all the way down the center of the leg from the hemline to the middle of the hip.  That let the pant have some fabric at the inner thigh where I need it, while taking out the extra fullness in the middle of the leg.  This is the end result, with the extra fabric pinned out in the back leg.

No wrinkles, no pull lines.  Once I make the adjustments to the pattern itself, I'll be ready to make a wearable pair of SFD pants.  I didn't have to work as long on these as I have other pants patterns.  For one thing, they are drafted to my measurements, and I know a little more about fitting now.

I'll use this pattern to make all types of pants.   Jeans, yoga pants--whatever I want.  It's easier to design than fit.  At least for me.

This was a good start for the new year.  

Sure Fit Designs

I've been looking and thinking about http://www.surefitdesigns.com/ for quite some time.  Carolyn started using this system a year or so ago, and I've been following her progress.  She has had good success with making very well fitting patterns, and designing garments as well.  There's a thread on SFD at Stitcher's Guild also.  I finally caved.  And today, all this is MINE!!

I bought the Dress, Shirt and Pants kit.  There's books and leaflets to read, and a DVD to watch.  There's a lot of coolness here!  Can't wait to get going on it.  Much fun!