“Sewing pants is easy…”
“…However, developing pants with a flattering and comfortable fit has challenged women for as long as women have been wearing pants…” SarahVeblen, fit expert and designer.
This is the re-cap of my year-long quest for perfectly fitting pants.
It all depends on getting a properly fitted crotch curve that allows your pants to hang smoothly from buttock to hem.
Take a look around you. Do a little “butt research” and you will see pants crumpled up under the buttocks, or full of loose folds down the leg.
I have become so aware of pants fit, that I notice everyone’s derriere. Sewing pants had never been an issue for me, Or maybe I just never looked over my shoulder! As I have aged and put on weight pants have become problematic.
And being involved with Pattern Review I am now more aware than ever of how pants should fit. When we post reviews, we show all sides of the garment, so now the back of pants is ever more important to me.
I AM NOT PERFECT. But I recognize good fit.
Sew, in the Spring of 2013 I embarked on a journey to perfect the fit of my pants. And I wanted to be able to duplicate that fit with every pair of pants. After making half-dozen wadders I finally decided to contact Sarah Veblen Sarah’s Website.
And so here is a pair of pants that I call a wadder. They are in light weight denim. They are from my favorite pattern company Lutterloh. If I had not tossed them before I started working with Sarah, I could have fioxed them. I did not realize how close I was to a good fit.
Look at the front and side: Click on this photo to see all four views
The back, well…I call it wrinkled elephant ass. And NO, I am not calling my ass an elephant’s ass, I am referring to the way these wonderful animals look on TV! I needed to scoop and extend the back crotch curve.
Sarah has developed a pants fitting pattern and booklet, and also a well photographed book on fit. Her Pattern: Eureka! Pants that Fit by Fit for Art Patterns.
I arranged a FaceTime consultation with her. The day before our meeting I propped up my iPad and made a few test calls to my daughter to make sure she could get a good view of my derriere.
Prior to the call, I marked the fabric with Horizontal Balance Lines (HBLs) and the grain lines in permanent blue marker on front and back. I constructed the pants, leaving out the zipper and making no darts. I then called Sarah and did some slow twirls for her. She analyzed the wrinkles and dimples ( in the FABRIC) and told me some things to change.
OK, so the first darts are in this one. I cannot find that first iteration. It was over a year ago and two computers have come and gone since then!
I disconnected, sat at the machine, did what I was told and called her back. We did that for an hour, and then again on another day for an hour.
After those two sessions we reverted to emails and photos. And Sarah would make changes on my photos and send them back. It was painstaking and precise.
Sarah’s notes
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| Sarah’s notes |
The fit in front was fine from the beginning, the back took a long time.
I gave up a few times and brooded.
Sarah was always patient, always encouraging. She would thank ME for doing the work. She reminded me how close I was to a perfect fit.
Here is s composite showing the progression of the fit. I left out a bunch of mock-ups. Do you really want to see that much of my patootie. Kim (bares it all) Kardashian I am not. Click on the photo to see all FOUR views
Throughout this process, my Beloved was by my side taking photos, pinning, encouraging. He was on vacation, and his days were spent helping me.
He quickly learned what a good fit was, and could see the progress.
On the day that I achieved a near-perfect fit, I cried, he cried. He said,
“I feel like I would if you have just been told that the cancer diagnosis given to you was a mistake.”
So now that you have suffered through the ugly shots here are my bragging photos:
Here I am at the Salvador Dali museum. I made the tops as well.
And my white linen pants:
You can see that I am an extreme hour glass, I am 5’1′ and need to lose a lot of weight, but I was able to achieve a wonderful fit.
Here are the first fully lined linen pants with a crocheted lace bottom. I made over a year ago, they are a knock off a Chico’s pant.
And my polka dot batik pants I made last month
8 Comments
Tally Girl
August 24, 2015you have done an amazing job of finessing a trouser pattern that fits you, well done you! Inspiring
Susan Fogel
August 25, 2015Thank you for visiting my blog and for your kind words. I am so proud of my work. But I could not have done it without Sarah.
Iftekhar Ahmed
August 26, 2015This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous
August 26, 2015Oh, you are so fabulous to include such detail. I'm lost in a pants-fitting jungle/nightmare myself so I may call upon the guide Sarah Veblen for some help.
Audrey
August 30, 2015Congratulation on persevering, getting expert assistance and achieving such fabulous fitting pants. I love the fun prints you make them in. I know what a journey it can be. to get decent fit. Sarah is the best. I have attended her seminars, taken her Pattern eview classes and have her book. I had the Eureka pant pattern fit on me by Rae Cumbie, I need to use the muslin and make some real pant. Hope mine look as good as yours!
Mary
September 7, 2015Fabulous fit Susan!! Wow, what a journey and what a recommendation of Sarah's Eureka pants. I want to thank you for visiting my blog and giving me some specific feedback.
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