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Jeans issue – closing front darts

Annemari | Posted in Fitting on

Hi.

My problem is that I am a really curvy girl. It means quite a big difference between hip and waist circumference.

I have made a basic pant pattern (pant sloper) for myself, which I have used successfully many times and altered for many styles also  (There is nothing suitable for me in ready to wear). Now I tried to transform it to quite classic jeans, but faced some severe problems with jeans front. (No problems with back thanks to yoke).

The fabric choosen was denim corduroy, what meant that I had to maintain all vertical lines carefully. To do so, I had to alter both front darts and front middle seam (because of  big difference between hip and waist, the central seamline on my front pattern is not vertical, but has a slight angle, i.e. my pant front seam is a hidden dart, too). I did not want folds instead of darts, so I tryed to close dart dividing exess in two parts. I re-sketched the hip curve, taking away first half of my dart, but I could not hide the other half, so I decided to ease it out.

Nevertheless my attempt was not very successful. The amount of fabric length was too much to ease, or I’d finish with gatherings. So I discarded my initial idea of avoiding pleat, and added one.

I am not quite satisfyed with my own solution. I got a pair of jeans and they fit OK, but they have still pleats I don’t like much.

Could you suggest some better ways to solve my problem?

Sorry for my bad English, this is not my first language.

 

With best regards

Annemari


Edited 1/19/2009 2:45 am ET by Annemari

Replies

  1. User avater
    artfulenterprises | | #1

    I'm not really clear on your dilemma, but if you wish to retain your pleat, perhaps you can stitch it as a box pleat with the folds on the inside of the garment so that all that is seen is a stitching line. However, I'm wondering what is wrong with a dart in this instance? Also, given your particular design issues, perhaps a fabric with a smoother surface would be more appropriate for your jeans experiment???
    Alternatively, since you have a yoke in the back, why not create a yoke in the front that blends into the back yoke? When I was a plus size clothing manufacturer, I often used yokes on skirts and pants because it created a much smoother line under blouses and tunics, etc. It's also interesting, comfortable and attractive. Congratulations to you on solving your pants fitting problems with your own personal fit pattern. Best of luck with this new project....
    Susan

    Edited 1/19/2009 11:00 am by artfulenterprises

  2. KharminJ | | #2

    Hi, Annemari ~ You're doing very well in English - no worries, here!I completely understand you not wanting pleats in the front of your jeans. Perhaps, after you have taken out as much excess width as you can, divide what's left into several (3 or 4, even) tiny waist darts, of whatever length is necessary. How "invisible" this would be depends on the width of your corduroy wales.Also, keep in mind that "what you see" and "what anyone else notices" can be very different - you know exactly where every single "flaw" is, but nobody else will, unless it's grossly obvious, or you tell them!Bright Blessings and Happy Pattern-Playing!

    Kharmin

  3. cat42 | | #3

    I know this is an old post, and perhaps you have already solved the problem.I have similar problem, but on the back (I have a pregnant-looking tummy, so no darting there). for jeans, as you mention, the yoke solves the problem on the back. But for slacks, I have a problem. If I do 2 darts, the one closest to CB takes up 1 1/2 inches (sew 3/4 inch from dart fold) and is about 5" long. The other dart takes up 1 1/4" (sew 5/8 inch from dart fold) and is about 3 1/2 inches long. Because my bottom is like a ball, I sew concave dart curves, but still there is an ugly pucker at the tip, no matter how carefully I taper.My solution has been to use 3 darts, taking width from the other two for a new dart closer to the sideseam, and also allowing the CB seam to be a dart.I understand your front darting is all in a seam centered on the front (where a dart would otherwise be on slacks). Adding another dart on jeans front is difficult because of the pocket. But you can let the pocket be a dart too. This is hard to explain, but I'll try. Your pocket scoops down from waist toward side seam. This fits over the side front piece, right? so, where the front laps over the side front at the waist, make it lap over more. This will make the pocket opening 'bag' outward a bit, but with your curvy body, this will help you access the pocket. This solution works, however, only if the side front is sewn to a stay that goes all the way across the front (behind the jeans front) and sewn with the front at the zipper. The stay will keep the side front from poking out of the pocket.You can also add a dart on that side front piece. It will hardly be noticeable because the pocket detail will distract from it. but again, using a stay will help this work better.

  4. User avater
    Annemari | | #4

    Thanks for you all. My problem was that I did not want either darts nor pleats; I wanted  to eliminate darts completely. That is what pattern drafting is all about - playing with darts :)

    I try do the trick with pockets next time. This will be soon, because the pair I asked help for will be worn out soon ;)

     

    Thanks for your kind concern, dear sewmates.

    1. cat42 | | #5

      I have a couple new thoughts about your darting.How do you do the waistband? Is it cut on-grain, or is it curved? do you wear it at the waist, or below?If the top of the band is at or below your waist, you can make the front section of the waist band into a kind of yoke - that is, curve it, similar to the back yoke. I do this with my jeans. That is, the band is on-grain until about 2 inches before the sideseam, then begins to curve until it is on perfect bias, about 3 inches into the back. Then it remains on bias to CB. You could do similar, but start your curve in the dart area. This means that the straight-bias portion starts on the front (or at least the sideseam area) rather than the back.Another idea is to have two vertical seams on the front, as a design element. Each of these would then accomplish darting near the waist. I'm attaching sketches using both ideas (curved band, plus 2 seams on front). I added additional design interest in the knee area. If the angle of the diagonal lines at the knee emphasize your hips, you could angle those lines up rather than down - I attached sketch of this, too.

      1. User avater
        Annemari | | #6

        Oh my dear, you are so... great!My main problem was, that the fabric I used then was jean corduroy. Because of stripy surface I had to take care of all vertical lines, and avoid distortion. Just plain front, no broken stripes. I know how to make darts, how to divide them, to convert them into pleats etc. But I did not cope with task what consisted of my curvy body, stripy fabric and pig-headed mind :) I tell you - the solution was hidden in the pockets. The dart can be hidden away into pocket construction.Thanks for you all!

      2. Gloriasews | | #7

        I like your jeans designs - very innovative!

        Gloria

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