Notes on pants fitting...

Hopefully your Christmas was great if you celebrate and if you don't, hopefully you had an awesome day off. And if you worked, hopefully it was calm and quiet :)

A commenter (Chabe!) asked on the NL6644 post if I'd post a pic of my pattern adjustments. I will say, that the addition to the back rise (usually ~1") and back crotch point (usually 3/8" to 1/2") are adjustments I make pretty much every time. Recently, I'd been reading/researching a bit more on pants fit and starting thinking about the idea of back rise vs crotch point additions.

I found a YT video -- which I don't have because I come across SO many bits of info and my brain is like a sponge so I remember the important bit but forget when/where -- where the sewer was discussing putting the fabric where you need it. Now, this is sort of a "duh" moment but I think it's easy to get mixed up on what's needed where. e.g., I spent a lot of time making swayback adjustments (which some are legitimate!) but the issue really is wider hips/large butt. So the fabric can't relax where it needs to and it looks like swayback.

Well, with the crotch fit, I've been adding additional length which yes, it's needed overall and it HAS helped. But that wedge at CB isn't where the majority of my adjustment is needed.

So with the NL6644 pants, I made my normal adjustments and it's okay. Like a lot of my pants patterns come out okay. I did add an adjustment for full front thigh.

lowered front rise, increased front thigh

raised back rise and addition to the crotch point

So, I figured next time, I'll add more for full inner thigh, right?

Then, I had a lightbulb moment. I've been down this path before, theoretically, but never followed through. After studying the pics, I copied my crotch curve and compared it to the pattern.

My front crotch curve fits really well. I did actually compare the stitch line (approximately) to the crotch curve but this is the photo I have. shrug.

And here is where things got super interesting to me...

Initially, I overlapped the front and back piece and it was just (obviously) WAY off. Like I'd have to dip several inches into the pants back. 

Then I compared my round part with the round part of the pattern and a-ha! So my butt also fits the curve of these pants but look at how far my inseam is from the crotch point of the pants!! Now, scroll up and look at my back pic. 

If you could imagine forcing that crotch point above to my center mark, it seems like that accounts for those pull lines, right?? At least that's what I think! :) See THIS post from blogger Joyful Expressions on how she added to the back based on a similar back crotch situation.

So, I have a pair of pants to muslin this week, M7982 and will apply my theory to the muslin straight away. Although, the McCall's pattern has a much longer back crotch length than the New Look does, so perhaps a smaller addition. Also, it is much more angular than round, so I will adjust accordingly. 

In the meantime, I cut out my next project, V9201 and compared my "fishbowl" to the pattern.

Caveat #1: It didn't occur til after that this pattern is also less "rounded" in back. But here you can see I added 2" to the back crotch point tapering down through the thigh.

Caveat #2: this pattern is made up in a ponte so that's going to affect fit a bit, especially from a comparison perspective to the woven NL6644.

At any rate, I basted the inseam and side back seam (there's a side panel and no side seams for the upper half of the leg) and made some tweaks after trying to read the wrinkles. So which fit do you think is "best"?

Oh yes, my fabric is sparkly! I got it on the trip to Ginny's in Rochester

A. Sewn as-is. 5/8" seam allowances, no other changes

B. The seam between the white chalk marks (looks like a smudge) was let out to 3/8".

C. The seam between the white chalk marks AND the inseam through the thigh (about 9-10") was let out to 3/8".

D. The inseam was sewn back at 5/8" and the seam between the white marks at 3/4".
I felt D was better than A, B, and C.

E. Which is taken a different day, has the seam between the white marks and the inseam sewn at 3/4" until about mid-thigh. It also has the crotch "scooped" or rather, made more rounded than angular.

The pants will be sewn up and completed with the adjustments shown on E. I think that the 2" added to the crotch point ended up adding just a bit too much to the inner thigh. I have very full inner thighs and this is also an adjustment I've made before but usually much smaller (3/8" or 1/2"). I am wondering about extending the crotch point just a touch more while also tapering the area through the thigh.

I'm excited to try out this extended crotch point on a pair of woven pants! Will plan to document that process as well.