Making Pants is Rocket Science Part 1

Posted on Jan 23, 2015 | 0 comments

This picture illustrates clearly how I feel as I start my pants challenge!

Happy New Year! We’ve just pushed off from the starting line of 2015 and personally, I’ve got my fingers crossed that this year is gonna be the best ever yet!

With regards to years, while writing this, I’ve realized I just passed my 2nd anniversary of starting up Sewlikeinparis. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been banging away on my keyboard for that long! I remember when I started… I was so scared.  It felt like I was jumping off a high dive into a pool with no clothes on in front of a  grandstand of spectators, worrying I would belly flop! And I felt bombarded by all the warnings about the dangers of the internet! On occasion I found myself entertaining the thought, “what if there are internet boogie men who try to steal my personal information and expose me in Facebook, Twitter, Spokeo or some other sensitive information vacuum sucker up-er!  Well I’m over that now! It’s been an awesome experience that I’ve truly enjoyed… and I’m certainly not done yet!

I’ve shared many things through my posts, feelings of success, frustrations accompanied by rants, a few disasters, songs, jokes and toasts, but I’m not sure if I’ve shared enough epic fails!  Believe me, I’ve had my share, especially when it comes to making “PANTS”!  I know there are those that get to enjoy the sweet taste of success from accomplishing this great feat, I’ve met some of them and they say it’s easy.  I call BULL.  I think making pants is rocket science. I’m sure of it! I’ve lost track of the number of muslins I’ve made, say…7, maybe 10, nah… more like 15!  I’m actually not sure – I quit counting after 6.  I’ve even sewn from good fabric 4 pair of trousers and 2 pair of jeans, and all ended up in the trash! Certainly sounds like an “epic fail” to me.  But I’m tired of failures and ready for success so I’m challenging myself to learn how to make pants that fit!

In order to meet this new challenge, I decided to start from the basics; meaning, no fitted jeans, no low-rise waist, no skinny legs, but rather, plain classic women’s trousers. And I’m not going to draft my own… I’ll save that for later.  I’m going to take baby steps on this project, meaning that I’m not going to be in a hurry and the perfect pattern for this, I think, is  Vogue 7881.

Claire Shaeffer’s Vogue 7881

These pants are straight-legged with a contour yoke waistband.  They can be made as dart-less (option A) or with darts (option B).  The pattern is part of the Claire Shaeffer Couture Collection so couture techniques and construction are given for option A and stream-lined instructions for option B for quality ready-to-wear.  I know I said baby steps… but to me, this is baby steps.  Yes, there is lots of hand sewing involved, specifically, thread tracing the major construction lines but I see this as really digging in, one baby step at a time.  All the thread tracings will show me what is going on when I’m trying to fit the pants to my butt!  Yes, the butt!  This is where all the action is happening… all the unwanted wrinkles, or pooling bagginess, or uncomfortable tightness!  Getting pants to fit my butt is the maker or breaker here!

I have a friend who studied pattern design at Parsons in New York and she sat with me this last week and explained how the “pitch” of the curve of the back center seam affects the fit of a pair of pants. Hopefully I’ve understood it well enough to explain.  The curve of the back center seam of a (back) pattern piece for a pair of pants is at a “pitch” that matches the shape of the model’s derriere. Since no two butt shapes are alike, the pitch of the curve will vary.  Darts, go figure… are what is used to adjust the curve and change the pitch.  With every pair of pants I’ve made, it’s always the same; there’s a pooling of fabric to the right and left side of the center back seam under my butt cheeks!  This I’ve learned, may be a pitch of the curve problem. I guess I’ll just fly by the pitch of my pants and see what happens!

Below is a picture of my pattern piece with a fold (dart) at the center back seam. It’s 1″ inch that decreases to nothing at the side seam.  I don’t want to change the side seam because it has to match the front side seam. My friend warned me that this dart may cause some tightness a little up from it’s location and if so, I will need to add back in some of what I just took out! It’s all about the dart!

Because I’ve taken out 1″ inch on the back center seam length, I need to add that 1′ inch back to the top of the back center seam, and from that point re-draw the waist ending at the top of the original side seam. See picture below.  I will also need to re-draw the crotch area seam line where the fold (dart) creates a discrepancy.

Below are some miniature pants back examples to provide visuals of what happens to the pitch of the curve on the back center seam when a dart is added.

Picture #1:  The pants back pattern piece before doing anything.

Picture 2:  I have drawn lines on the example to show how the fold (dart) is created that will change the pitch of the curve.

**Note:  The lines I drew on my actual pattern piece were not arbitrary. I’ll explain:

At the back center seam, I started the bottom line at the point where the bagging is most problematic and drew it diagonally upwards to the side seam at the point where I’ve found through fitting with muslins that it seems to start.  The point is about 4 to 5 inches down from the top of the side seam, including the waistband. 

The top line I started 1 ” above the bottom one at the back center seam, ending at the same side seam point of the bottom line. 

Picture #3:  I’ve folded the bottom line up to the top line.  Now the top of the back center seam has dropped lower and so the amount folded out will have to be added back to the top and a segment of the curve will need to be filled in to correct the discrepancy.

Picture #4: I have laid the folded pant back on the top of the original one that has not been changed which gives a visual of what is happening with the pitch of the back center curve.  This change does not change the width or circumference of the back of the pants, just shifts the curve in the seat area.  This adjustment will hopefully clear up the bagginess I get in the back.   It will be with the fitting of my muslin when I will know for sure!

**Note that because my fold in the miniature example is roughly 1/4″ inch instead of 1″ inch, the change is not as drastic.

After I completed the adjustment I just discussed, I then traced my back pattern piece using tracing paper I purchased by the roll from Nancy’s Notions, and also drew in the corrections resulting from the adjustment.  I went ahead and traced the front pattern and waistband pieces as well, preserving them in their original form in the event this fails and I have to start over!

I think I’ve reached a stopping point for this post but no worries… I’ll be back with Part 2 after I’ve met with my friend who is going to help me with my fitting!  It will either be on to making my fabulous pants or back to the drawing board!

Salut!  Jessica

Goodbye 2014 Hello 2015

Posted on Dec 24, 2014 | 0 comments

There were only 5 “tootsie rolls” under the tree last night. This morning there was a 6th. It is for me! … and I thought they forgot!

What is under the Christmas tree you ask?  Looks maybe like “tootsie rolls”?  Well yes, that’s what we call them, but no, they are not candy.  Inside each tissue paper roll are pajamas!  Those who have been reading  Sewlikeinparis for the last year are familiar with this oddity but for you new comers, I’ll give you a brief synopsis!  I’ve carried on a family tradition that my mother did for me when I was growing up.  Every year on Christmas Eve, the “tootsie rolls” are the one present my children get to unwrap and wear for all the evening festivities!  It’s gotten even more fun now that they’ve grown up… we party down in our pajamas!  In past years, we’ve had guests who have spent Christmas with us knowing that if they stayed, they would have to play along in this strange tribal custom.  They were good sports and discovered that it was actually a pretty fun thing to do and had a really good time!  Friends and neighbors who drop in for a hot tottie have grown use to seeing all of us in our bed clothes and look forward to seeing what the trend and styles are for the year!

To make the girls pajamas, I used the Vogue 7837 pattern.

There was a bit of mixing pattern styles, as well as some recreating to end up with the kind of  tops I made.  I did this by using the pieces for the teddy, except when cutting out the front and back, instead of cutting the pieces on the bias, I cut them on the grain at 22″ in length.  They turned out the same as shown in the top left corner, only they had the empire bodice of the teddy.  Also, I cut the back pattern piece leaving in the flare of the back center seam which would have been part of the seat of the teddy.  Leaving it this way gave a nice shape to the back and allowed it to drape nicely over the derriere!  At least on me!  We’ll see when the girls put on theirs!  The pants I sewed just as the pattern directions instructed.

Here they are finished…

For my daughter who really likes Cheetah anything!

and…

for my daughter-in-law who loves the color Red!

I did do one thing when making the bodice that wasn’t part of the pattern design.  I cut a second set of bodice sides and sewed them onto the shoulders in the same way when making a man’s shirt with a yoke.  This way the bodice part was double thickness which ensured a bit more privacy.

A bit of warning when making the top though… I struggled with how to bring the two bodice sides to meet the center of the point at the top of the bottom front section after I had already sewn on the lace.  Each top turned out slightly different because I never really did figure it out!

The boys were next… I have two sons and our herd has grown to include my daughter’s boyfriend which meant I still had to sew three pair of mens pajamas!  It was at this point that I decided that even though it would have been nice to make them shirts that matched the pants… it wasn’t going to happen!  Time has been flying just way too fast this year!  What they got were t-shirts that I purchased from various sources but matched nicely with the pants.  Hey!  They were cool t-shirts.  They had personal sayings on them to not only match the fabric of their pants but also their individual personalities!    The pattern I used was McCall’s 4244.

For the most part, making these pants was pretty cut and dry, though after three times of trying to feed the elastic into the top casing, I got really really pissed (sorry but that’s what I was) … removed all the seams and then folded down the top of the waist 2 inches plus an extra  1/8 of an inch for good measure.  I  did surge the seam allowance of  the top of the waist so I wouldn’t have to mess with folding it under 1/4 of an inch.   Then I re-sewed the casings as follows:

From top to bottom: 

5/8 inch, 3/4 inch, and then 5/8 inch. 

Obviously not sure yet how they will fit the guys but I checked the crotch lengths on some of their ready-to-wear pants and the pajamas are almost identical so I don’t think there will be a problem.  I doubt they will notice anyway, not with all the celebrating that will be going on!  😛

Here they are…  This first pair are for my oldest son who makes hard cider and beer!

The second pair is for my younger son who likes to drink beer!

and the third pair are for my latest adopted son who likes to drink beer after he plays hockey!

Not sure if we will get in a photoshoot on Christmas Eve but if we do, I’ll certainly share the moment here on Sewlikeinparis!

And there you have it.  We’ve almost reached the end of 2014 and what a year it’s been!  As I look back over the last 12 months, I have to say its been crazy fun!  Have made a lot of new friends, have had lots of adventures, and got to spend some wonderful days with my family.  The only thing on my Christmas list that I’m asking the big guy in the red suit for is a healthier me in 2015.  I have spent a good deal of this year ill due to an unexpected exposure to Mononucleosis sometime back in March of this year.  I discovered I am not as invincible as I thought I was!

Ending on that note…if you are so willing, please raise your glass and have toast with me!  Together we will say goodbye to 2014 and the next time we meet it will be 2015!  Cheers!  Enjoy the rest of this holiday season and see you next year!

Salut!  Jessica