Altering Pants Pattern

lpip | Posted in Fitting on October 5, 2005 04:12am

I made a pair of trousers from McCalls pattern 8356 with some changes: fly front zipper added and original three front pleats changed to two. The fit is good and I want to use this as a basic pants pattern, but I prefer a single front pleat to double pleats. I know that altering to a single deep pleat will leave excess fabric, but what do I do with the excess fabric? Where should it go?

Replies

mem | Oct 06, 2005 08:44am | #1
I think you can take it out of the front side seam .
Elisabeth | Oct 06, 2005 03:03pm | #2
The smallest pleat closest to the hip in pleated pants is usually a dart that is not sewn. You would be able to sew a dart there instead.

lpip | Oct 06, 2005 11:23pm | #3
I'll try to convert the smaller pleat to a dart. That makes sense to me. Thanks.

Elisabeth | Oct 07, 2005 12:48am | #4
You're welcome. Hope it works for you.

kellypat | Oct 07, 2005 10:35am | #5
Hi I think you want to remove the extra fabric so I would make a copy of the patteren on papper mark all your marking like on the org. patteren then I would draw a line on the new patteren figure out how much fabric you want to lose select say two inches cut down the new patteren long enough to be able over lap the top of cut say one inch make sure that your cut is li ong enough so that ther is no puckering at the end of the cut. tape the cut and now continue with your patteren if the result is what you your looking for the make a new patteren and you have it. Hope this is what your looking for. Pat

lpip | Oct 08, 2005 03:35pm | #6
I'm definitely going to give your suggestion a try. I had forgotten about overlapping the pattern, but it makes sense to do it that way.