Hi, all. I’m hoping that someone may have some experience in fitting pants on a large size woman. I drafted a basic sloper pattern for my client using the method in Winifred Aldrich’s Metric Pattern Cutting. She is a very large woman….waist 117 (46 1/8″), hip 158 (62 1/4″), rise 34 (13 3/8″), crotch length 104 (41″). The first muslin needed serious alterations, including lowering the crotch by 2 cm (3/4″) and extending the crotch point 2 cm on the back piece. However, then the inseams don’t match up, the front being 1.5 cm (5/8″) shorter! I sewed it this way, realizing that to make a smooth crotch curve I was going to have to lower the crotch seam significantly. (Her front waist had to be lowered drastically making it difficult to find places to add the extra to accommodate her crotch length. Fortunately, the back waistline was raised, but I still haven’t reached her crotch length measurement on the pattern because I simply don’t know where to put it and still have a workable pattern. I remeasured her at the first fitting and she wants the crotch length to have more ease, so it ends up at 110 cm or 43 3/8″.)
The second muslin fit much better, but I noticed that there were some diagonal wrinkles over her bottom just above the back crotch area. (Smiles?) This would indicate to me that she needs more room, both length and width. So how do I go about this? If I add a wedge to the back inseam by extending the crotch point further, how do I prevent any more lowering of the crotch seam? Sewing the crotch seam deeper would add to the problem, wouldn’t it?
HELP! Otherwise I’ve managed to get these looking quite good…..
Sandy
Replies
You may be closer than you think. Can you add some of the length to the back-crotch inseam, This won't make the crotch lower, just fuller front-to -back, because you're working in three dimensions. You can add some by "scooping" the lower back seat seam to make it shaped more like a "U" than a "V". You could add a little more length to the crotch seam by actually lowering it a bit, even if it's only 1/4 inch or so. Think of drawing an arc with a compass, (essentially, that is what her crotch measurement is) a circle that's only a tiny bit larger in the radius can measure much larger circumference.
Thanks, Carol. I was obviously on the right track, but just hadn't gone far enough. I ended up adding about 1" more at the back crotch point (for a total of 2 3/4") and lowering the crotch seam slightly. I opened the inseam and basted in a wedge of fabric with a bit extra so that I could let it out if necessary during the fitting. Then I closed up the crotch seam again. It seemed to solve the problem.
Boy, have I ever learned alot fitting these pants! Tomorrow, I have to cut out the real thing....a beautiful Italian worsted wool. They will be lined, of course. This lady is going to look like a million bucks!
Sandy
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