I am a bit overwhelmed with all of this but I am sure if I watch it several times over it will make more sense. Thanks so much for taking all this time, I have bought the pdf books. I am an Aussie but still prefer imperial, I know what an inch or 5 inches are without having to grab a tape measure. Maria you are a jewel!
Thank you so much for this series. I now have the best fitting pants I've ever had. Took a couple of redrafts but it works great. Now I just want to learn how to use the sloper for creating different styles of pants. Any suggestions welcome. Than you again.
I just discovered your pant block drafting series and it's pure gold!! ty ty ty!! I've started my sewing journey a few months ago but quickly discovered that making my own basic block patters was easier in the long run then using pre-made patterns. I've tried a few pants/shorts drafting tutorials but didn't even bother sewing them yet cause I could already tell they would not fit me. You've saved me so much time and effort with this series and I'm immensely grateful
I have spent the last year being driven mad trying to make a pair of jeans to fit me, I have violin hips or hip dips which has made it impossible. Your tutorials have given me some hope that I may one day make some trousers that fit me! Thank you so much!
Hello Abbi. I am unsure of about the hip-dips. I just did a search then and am even more unsure. It would depend on whether you are trying to hide them or want your pants to contouring exactly to your body. If that is what you want (conturing to your body), it may be difficult with woven fabric. Some people who don't have the 'ideal' figure seem to want their clothes to give them that ideal shape. (i.e. It's a fool's errand. I'm not saying that is you, but it was me when I was young). For instance I have high rounded stomach and a hollow underneath my stomach. This means my pants waist front always falls down (fabric folds down into the hollow and waist drops down). Looking at pants from the profile/side, my waist is on an angle - high in the back and low in the front. To keep the waist up it just too hard given the shape of my body; if I keep the waist parallel to the floor it's extremely uncomfortable, even with stretch pants. My point is, whether your pants 'fit' you will depend on whether comfort is your main aim, or whether you have an idea of what you want your pants to look like on, and whether it is actually possible for them to look like that.
@@Dresspatternmaking They are flat hips. Or straight hips. Sometimes this hip type will have an indentation in the middle of hips, as there isn’t any extra fat or very little, in that location. I’ve never heard it called hip dips either, but I quite like it. :)
Abbi, I also have hip dips, a large and drop bum, and a protruding stomach (though to look at me you wouldn't see any of those things, as I'm petit and fit). After watching all 5 of the videos, I have a much better understanding of my body, and of drafting for it. My hip dips made my measurements a little wonky, and I ended up removing the front dart entirely and making the front center seam completely vertical to make the hip curve make any sense. Even so, the curve at the hip dip area looked really strange. When I put the toile on, it did indeed look a little funny, but not as weird as I had imagined, and I was able to take out some ease at that point, and make it look great.
I hit the mother lode when I discovered your tutorials! Thank you for helping solve several of my fitting issues /block drafting problems. I’m like Ann’s figure.
Hi Maria, I am so happy, I got it. The mistake I was making is to by pass the 3 1/8" for the back panel. Friends make sure to watch the 2nd video and pay much attention. I hope I was able to help someone else. Thank you Maria.
I love the way you have explained everything here... Would you ever consider continuing the series by explaining other bum types like the V /inverted etc.?
Hi Maria, thank you so much for the trouser block series. I've waded through it twice so far (wow!) and will be going through it repeatedly as I try to draft my trouser block. I'd be grateful if you could offer some advice about me own issues. I'm an older lady and was always had slim waist, hips, bottom and thighs but, unfortunately, during the Covid lockdowns I put on some weight around my waist and tummy area that is proving very hard to move. Watching your videos I realise that I have become an apple shape and so I'll be basing my own pattern on your instructions for Anne. However, my bottom is still flat (non-drooping) and my upper thigh circumference is smaller than the 60% assumed in pattern drafting. My measurements are as follows: Waist 32.5" High Hip 38.25" Low hip 37" Upper thigh 20" (i.e. 54% low hip) Front waist to crotch 9.75" Back waist to crotch 14.75" I am concerned that I will have too much fullness in the thigh area. All the adjustment videos I have watched suggest shortening the crotch curve and lengthening crotch to waist seam higher up but if I do this I'm wondering if there will be far too much fabric around my bottom. Could you please suggest a suitable way to reduce the volume?
Hi there, I'm very sorry but I can't really just look at the measurements and give you any meaningful help. In order to answer properly I would basically have to do a rough draft of your block using your measurements. Unfortunately, I can't offer that kind one-on-one help to anyone/everyone. The only help really I can give is to make these videos and at the moment I just don't have the time to make any videos or other content at all. I hope next year (from January or February) to have some time to make regular videos/content that will include FAQ, troubleshooting, and that kind of content.
@@Dresspatternmaking Hi Maria, Thanks for your reply. No problem, seeing how much work goes into your videos and patterns I can't imagine how you have time for anything else! I'll try experimenting with a toile and see what works best. I'm looking forward to seeing next year's content. This site is already a treasure trove.
I did it! I got to the end of the videos, and BOY were they helpful. I sewed up my toile, and it worked very well from the get-go. These tutorials were SO thorough, and helped my engineering brain understand exactly the factors at play. So now I have a perfect pants block! Big question though: how do I get from the pants block to a jeans block (very little ease) or a leggings block (negative ease)??
Hello Rachel, very pleased your pants block. Good starting point. The jeans block has less ease in the thigh, and a cut-and-tilt adjustment to get back some of the crotch length lost (the same kind of cut and tilt-spread as I show in my instructions). Th Jeans Block It has only 1/4 inch ease throughout the torso and ease in the leg is reduced as well. However, this is for non-stretch denim, and a lot of denim has stretch in it. Usually for stretch-woven fabric, the standard is removing ease and using the body measurement, but if you want tight jeans you could go to negative ease. Of course the leggings need quite a bit of negative eases. I have some articles on my website on the ease reduction amounts and I'm sure I have some for pants but I just did a quick check for that and couldn't find it. Yes I would love to put up some instructions for jeans, but I don't know really when I can get to that. I haven't posted anything for months because I am in the process of moving my website into another CNS, and it will take me another few weeks to finish that. (I don't work on this full-time, I have to do all things patternmaking including my website, RUclips channel, drafting patterns and sewing in the time not earning a living). I think I have got myself into a bit of a bind at the moment; I have only done 4 videos in the Variations on a Silhouette videos, but now realize that the 'series' are a problem for RUclips, because new people aren't going to watch the latest video if they haven't watched the previous ones. (So RUclips thinks people don't want to watch my videos). I mention this because I am thinking of doing a pivot and changing my content for a while; only putting up some more basic instructions. Maybe some instructions with less detail. (But, sigh... some people want the detail and I find it very hard not to put in the detail...)
@@Dresspatternmaking what a thorough reply, thanks! I'll check out your website for recommended ease for jeans and leggings. That's frustrating about how RUclips shows content to users. My husband is a googler, and it's well known that the RUclips management is a sh*tshow. And amazing content makers like you are paying the price. I'm so impressed with the quality of the illustrations and the narration, along with the actual content. You've done a really great job. And I understand fully that it's hard to not put all of the detail into an instruction, with all the caveats. If you're ever outlining a new instruction though, you could just put the outline on the website, and the flesh it out with subsequent posts, updating the first instruction with hyperlinks. And of course, when you don't have time/bandwidth, you just don't have it! Nobody's judging you. We're just grateful for what you've given us!
@@rachelmelone7168 I guess my reply was so thorough because I'm feeling guilty - I said I'd post content and I haven't been. It's all well and good having blocks that fit, but in the end you want to draft patterns and make clothes..... Cheers and thanks for the suggestion - I have to have a long think about how I am going to proceed. I definitely will be back to posting new RUclips content after my website is moved over to the new CMS.
Thanks for your prompt response. My thigh measurement is 24 inches Low Hip is 52 inches Front Crotch is 13.5 inches (I had not reached the point of using these) Back Crotch is 19 inches My bottom is reasonably flat. It doesn’t “hang” over my thigh In response to your question, I put some slacks on backwards but they did not feel at all comfortable. The effect was that they felt tight across my bottom and had excess fabric pooling at the centre front. Regards - Carol Hook
Hi Carol, I have another question. You said in your original post (which for some reason I can't see here, but can see in my comments section), that your low hip point ended up exactly on point D. When I do a quick calculation with the measurements above, it would end up beyond (past) point D: C to D: 24 inch thigh, divided by 2 = 12 inches, plus .38 in ease = 12.38 C to i: 52 inch hip, plus 1 inch ease = 53, divided by 4 = 13.25 inches So your low hip point would end up BEYOND point D. So firstly I want to check that the measurements you gave me above are correct. Either your initial drafting/calculations were correct, or these measurements are incorrect. So in the case that the above measurements are correct but you somehow made some drafting mistakes, then I would say that you will have to distribute the ease for the front and back thigh differently to how I have specified in my instructions. Instead of adding 3/8 inch to the front and 3 and 1/8 to the back, that you would add more to the front and less to the back. I'd have to have a think about those amounts, but before I do that, I want to check your measurements are right.... (Thigh 24 inches right at the top of your leg?). If you could also give me your crotch depth too, that will help. It's morning here at the moment and I'm going out for the day, therefore won't be able to respond again until this evening. If the measurements you have given me are correct, I can see your figure is very much like one of my friends that I tested my system out, but it seems you have a bigger stomach and slightly smaller thighs.
Hi again Maria, sorry for my delayed reply, I was waiting for someone to assist with re-measuring. My thigh is 24.5 inches and low hip 47.5 inches. The crotch depth in total is 31.5 inches - 17.5inches at back and 14 inches at front. You are correct that initially my centre front was extending beyond point “D”. My attempts to fix things only ended up aligning the two points which didn’t help. Thanks again for your thoughts.
Hello again Carol OK. So, the slack has 3.5 inches in the thigh, and the distribution I have given (3/8 inch to the front and 3 1/8 to the back) doesn't work for you. So change the distribution of ease, adding more to the front and less to the back. Add a third of the total ease (1/3 of the 3.5 inches) to the front, and the other 2/3 of the ease to the back. So from C to D = 13 and 3/8 inches (Your thigh is 24.5 inches, divided by 2 = 12.25 + 1 and 1/8 inches ease = 13.38). From C to I = 12 and 1/8 inch (Low Hip = 47.5 + 1 inch ease = 48.5. Divided by 4 = 12 and 1/8 inch). So point i will be 1 inch before point D. I inch may not sound much (Anne has 2.5 inches between i and D) , but I am assuming that as you have a drop stomach, you will need to do the cut-and-spread that Anne's figure needed, and then you will get that slope needed for the crotch curve as a result of that spread. One final question - you said above that your crotch depth total is 31.5 inches. That is your Crotch Length. Could you please tell me your Crotch Depth? The problems you are having made me realize that I do need to (eventually) modify my instructions and I need work out some formulas . I would be interested in your Crotch Depth to help me with this.
I have a pretty good fitting draft from using your instructions. Thanks so much for your hard work. I have one question though regarding the expected fit, my pants fit quite well when I'm only standing but feel tight at the upper front leg when I'm walking and sitting. It's this to be expected in a sloper or should I correct for it before moving on to drafting pants from my sloper.
Hi Maria My Crotch depth is 9.5 inches - sorry if I misread your question. Thanks so much for your assistance. I’ll have another go tomorrow - it’s about 10pm here so its a bit late to try wrapping my head around drafting. I’ll let you know what happens. Regards Carol
Thank you for the tutorials! I've spent my whole life with purchased pants that I can pull up to my chest in the front. I tried altering patterns but it still never worked. So I've gone through the videos as an Anne but when I get to the front crotch depth, I'm lost. You show how to make the front crotch depth longer, but nothing about how to shorten the front crotch depth, which is my problem. To get "normal" patterns to come close to fitting my front, I have to cut at least 3" off the center front and then scoop up to meet the side seams. That seems to be about the same that I'm seeing on my new block: using my front crotch depth (8 1/2"), I would need to lower the center front waist by about 3" from the original waist line. That will cut off most of the darts but it also makes the waist circumferance wider. Do I need to tilt the whole front like you do when you lengthened the front crotch in the video? Or? Help!
Yes, cut and lap instead of cut and spread. Given that you have used your waist and upper hip measurement, you want to keep that shaping (If you just cut it from the waist you will, as you said, lose the shaping of the waist and upper hip that you have done using your measurements).
i have just bought ann's pants patt. i have a lot of my waist measurment on my front tummy. i am not sure how to adjust for that. any advice please. jan
I have watched most of the videos regarding the crotch length... but I am not sure what to do as my front crotch length is significantly shorter than my back crotch length. This explains why all fast fashion pants crotch hang low on me. Do I just make it shorter and adjust the waist line and dart? Or will that make a strange pattern?
Hi Maria, I made a perfect fitted pair of pants, using your tutorial. I had made a pair of pants before using someone else tutorial it was a disaster/didn't fit properly . Waiting for your E-booklet. Thank you-So...
Hi Sonia, Thanks for letting me know, I am so glad you've got a good result. I do keep getting a lot of people saying the same thing, so I am very pleased.... Regarding the booklets, I am behind, something (just life) always gets in the way. Today I had computer troubles and it took 2 hours to fix those... The other issue is that from now on I'll be doing 2 versions of everything ; one Imperial and one Metric. (So 2 versions of the Bodice Back video, 2 versions of the Bodice Front video, 2 version of each booklet....). Today I am finishing the updated Bodice Back Video (I'll be uploading both videos - Imperial & Metric tonight, if I don't have any more computer troubles!). Next week I'll be doing the Bodice Front. The following week the Pants EPUB Booklet, and the week after that the Bodice EPUB Booklet. I can't wait to finish these finished, because then I can start on Patterns. I haven't been able to do any actual patternmaking or sewing for a couple of months now - since I started the Bodice Block Essential videos - and I am longing to do patternmaking and sewing. I really want to make a jacket I drafted months ago and haven't had a chance to make yet. You do realise that this first EPUB Booklet is just the instructions in the video, but in a booklet format? If you have already drafted your pants, you probably don't need it. (Though I would appreciate the support if you did buy a copy). I will be making tutorials/booklets on pants later this year, including Jeans. When I'm finally in gear, I'll be releasing the videos and booklets at the same time. My hope is that the people may buy the booklets for the convenience (easier to go your own pace than trying to stop and rewind the video, etc) even though there will be a free video. If I can earn an income through this then I can do it full-time and I can produce more content; i.e. more patterns on an ongoing basis, and more other theory video tutorials.
Hi dear Maria! I've just finished to see your 5 excellent videos about pants block and I'm enthusiastic about your pattern making system! I'd like to study it and test it for me and some friends. I'm italian and it is a little bit difficult to follow your explanation just with the subtitles of the videos. Did you publish an ebook with these pattern making instructions?
Hello Elisabetta. Sorry for the late reply - I was unwell for a number of months and have not been doing anything on my website or RUclips Channel. I have saved what energy for patternmaking and sewing. I only have a Pants PDF file- which is the same instructions in the video, but in the book format you can progress at your own pace. I did mean to create a Bodice PDF too, but in the middle of making that I found that I had made a mistake in the Bodice Video. I now have to go back and redo the Bodice Videos before doing the book. I will over time be putting out a few of these booklets, but it will be a slow process. The videos and books are very time intensive.
I love this series! Thank you so much for so generously giving of your time. This is the most sensible approach I have ever seen to pants drafting. One question: I have just over three inches to add to the foundation at centre front (big tummy), would you suggest that I do that all in one hit at the low hip line, or divide it between the low and high hips lines. Thank you so much in advance for your help.
Hi Vicky. I suggest you do it the way I have shown - drawing the cutting line from the crotch to the low hip (not straight across the hip line) and add it all there. It's very hard for me to explain just verbally (without images) why, but that's what I would do. The end of result of splitting it up will mean more 'jogs' to smooth out. Smoothing out those 'jogs' will cause more problems. I have recently answered a similar (but different) question in the Video #2 comments. If you go to that video and scroll to the comments and look for Lou Sitar, the answer I have given to his question includes a link to some images. Although your question is not exactly the same, the answer is kind of same. Hopefully looking at that example will give you an idea of what I mean by those 'jogs' you will have to deal with. If you do it the way I have shown, you should only have to smooth out the side seam.
@@Dresspatternmaking Thank you so much for answering so quickly. I will do as you suggest - it makes so much sense to me. I will also have a look at the comments on Video #2. I am so grateful that I found you.
Thank you so much for all the information you gave us. Do you have a suggestion what to do if you have knocked knees? The inner leg goes straight down to my knees. That creates lines in the back from just above the knee diagonally up toward the side seam.
Hi! I’m struggling so much with the waist measurements. My crotch measurement is 12” from my waist, and my fullest part is my high hip, with mild hip dips. I just can’t figure out where to take the different measurements.
Hi Maria, again thanks for you tutorials-great, however on my bodice block I am not getting the dart correctly, I am working with a bust of 50" also the pants back is not lining up with the front E-C (knee/Crotch). I am using Anne's method. Did you miss spoke when you said turn the pants upside down-18.52? Waiting for your E-booklet.
Hi Sonia... Firstly, when I said 'turn it upside down' I meant flip it on the vertical axis, so it's the mirror image of the original (To me, that means the upside is now down, but I can see how some people may think 'upside down' means flip on the horiztonal axis. However, the image shown on the screen does show me doing it on the vertical axis...). The Front block is drafted with the Centre Front on the RHS, but the Back block is drafted with the CB on the LHS, so you need to turn the front block over so you can trace the inner leg from the knee up to the crotch. So after turning the Front Block over (so that the CF and CB are on the LHS), you place the Front Block knee line up with point E, then swivel the front block so that it touches the guideline that was drawn at 18:27. If you do it like this, then the Back and Front inner legs must end up the same length. (Maybe watch it without the sound so you don't hear me saying 'upside down' and so what I'm actually doing is clearer?) Regarding your bodice block, can you give me more information?
Hi there, I’m having trouble and feel very frustrated. I’ve used my thigh measurement to find C and D, but when I plot my lower hip point it ends up exactly at point D, that is, I don’t have a crotch extension. I’ve rechecked my personal measurements a number of times and rechecked my drafting but always end up with the same result and cannot work out where I’m going wrong. There is almost no difference in measurement between my high and low hip and consider myself to be similar to “Anne’s” shape. I have what I would describe as a “dropped belly”. I may have misunderstood your directions so I don’t want to give up just yet. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Carol If you could answer the following questions: (1) What is your body thigh measurement? (2) What is your body low hip measurement? (3) Do you have a large stomach and a flat bottom - so that sometimes pants could almost fit better back-to-front?
Hi Carol Could you answer the following questions? (1) What is your boy thigh measurement? (2) What is your body low hip measurement? (3) What is your front crotch length? (4) Do you have a large belly and an almost flat bottom? (Kind of like pants almost fit better the wrong way around ?)
Hi , I have a question \problem that I've been trying to resolve for YEARS!!!, I really hope you can help. Simply put, I have a large belly, a flat bottom and considerably smaller thighs....my problem with buying or making pants is, IF they fit my belly\low hip (58"), then there's lots of fabric under the flat hips and a lot more fabric, baggy in the front under the belly and ballon fabric in the thighs (27"). Please please help?? Thank you
Hi Maria. I'm trying to use your pants pattern to make a pattern for Jean's. How different are the 2 and am I likely to end up very disappointed with them being far too baggy. I'm a size 12 and Jean's I have are at 3 inches too big on the waist. Curiously all of the front part of the jeans fit fine but all of the back is way too big. The front of them match really well with your drafting method. However the back comes out at virtually the same from lower crotch area as the ones that are way too big. Should I just follow the new blocks and tack them and see how it goes as a twirl or am I on a hiding to nothing? I just want a standard fit 29" waist and 38" hip in standard lower hip position. I've never managed to get a good pattern to fit me from scratch but usually manage to get alterations right. These just seemed to get back to bare bones or they whispered and sagged. Please help. I would be so grateful. My ankle to crotch is only 22" as you can imagine the knee is very often way out when I turn up standard trousers. I'm just under 5 feet tall.
While I cannot answer your question fully, I can tell you the crotch curves are very different from a slack to a jeans cut. I personally don’t think they will fit like the snugger jeans I think you may be wanting. Besides the crotch, the legs are often cut differently too. Just my opinion from years of sewing patterns, and a few block creations. But you can always make a muslin and give it a try.
I bought the eBook and I drafted my pattern this evening. I understand more of the whys behind things now, thank you. I have discovered that I am the weirdest 'square' type of Anne, in that my high hip, low hip, and crotch circumference level measures are all the exact same length, and my waist is only four inches smaller. I marked out lines on my body to get good measurements (with washable markers) and I took half measures while I was at it--that is, I marked a 'side seam' on each leg, and I did 'front half' and 'back half' while I was getting my circumferences. This tells me that even though my measurements say I'm a cylinder from high hip on down, I'm actually more like a stack of coins that isn't stacked up straight. At crotch level, I have more in the back, at low hip they're even, and at high hip and waist I have more in the front. What this says to me is that doing the 'divide by four' thing is going to result in a side seam that does an S curve down my side--leaning to the front at the top, and leaning to the back at the bottom, then straight down the leg. So when I make my toile I'm going to cut extra wide seam allowances at the side and maybe spend some time straightening that out if needed. But I am very hopeful seeing this all out on paper, that it will be relatively straightforward from here. It all makes sense. Thank you for sharing your approach and explaining it the way you do.
I traced my pattern in swedish paper and sewed it up and tried it on a la palmer-pletsch, and it was an extremely close fit. So close, in fact, that I will need to add more ease in order to be able to walk and sit. This close fit would probably be OK in a stretch twill (or for a smaller leaner person), but for non-stretch the 1" additions to most of the measurements just isn't enough for my comfort. I determined by sitting down with a tape measure around my various spots that I need something more like 3 inches of ease in the crotch and low hip, probably 2 inches in the thigh, and at least one more in the knee just for comfort. All of the guidelines on my pseudo-toile made it quite easy to measure everything once I'd determined what I want them to become, so I can easily see where to change things and by how much. I was very encouraged, though, by the extremely close fit. Both CF and CB landed at the right spots, there was just about enough room for my behind, and only moderate wrinkling on the back of the thigh. I might need a slight knock knee adjustment, but I'll hold off until I've added my ease first.
Hello Kristina Sorry I haven't responded earlier, but I have been out of action and unwell for a while. I hope you ended up with a working block. Regarding ease, what I keep neglecting to mention is that larger people do need more ease. Given that often a set amount of ease is added (e.g. 2 inches), that amount is proportionally more for someone with smaller body measurement, and proportionally less for those with larger body measurements. Also then people don't 'spread' so much when they sit. Not only that, but the 'spread' can change your body shape; my dropped bottom makes pants fit very differently sitting down and they do standing up. Did you get your knock knee adjustment done? I just answered someone else's question about that and will include a link to a graphic I made to answer the question: www.dresspatternmaking.com/knock-knees
@@Dresspatternmaking I am still working on it, slowly. As it turns out, I need a lot more fabric in the thighs, and in different places, than the basic calculations would indicate. I did get the legs to hang straight, that part was pretty straightforward, but I'm still working out the crotch extensions and where precisely I need fabric in the rear and thighs. I have a draft now that eliminates most of the smile type wrinkles, but when I attempt to lift my leg (while wearing a paper version) it tears at the backside. So I need to move some fabric from the back to the front, I think. During the process, I did a completely silly draft of coulotte-type legs (straight down from low hip and also from inner thigh) just to get the legs as much out of the equation as I could, to check my crotch curve, and that convinced me that I need more crotch extension and less overall crotch depth. I also used a flexible ruler to trace out my crotch curve, and if you laid an egg pointing west on a compass rose, that's roughly the shape we're talking about. Anyway, I'm still fiddling, very slowly, because life gets busy in the later part of the year in my house. I do appreciate your care for my thrashing about.
@@Dresspatternmaking I will mention that my fix for knock knees was slightly different from yours--First I measured the direction and amount the grain line was 'off' at the ankles. I laid the leg on a gridded board with the grid parallel with my original grain line. Then sliced the leg about an inch below the crotch point, making the grainline itself the hinge and slicing the rest of the leg through. Then rotated the entire leg until the bottom of the grainline had moved the necessary amount (an inch and a half, for me). Add paper to one side and overlap the other side, true the edges. Repeat for the other leg pattern. That kept my original leg curves with less redrawing, and it worked out well for straightening the hang. Since I still had not enough room in the thighs and crotch extension there were still lots of other things to fix, but that took care of one thing.
Can anyone help me find step-by step instructions for the triangle/Maria block? I've watched all of part 2, and part of part 3 (and have skimmed parts 4 & 5). I see there are full calculations & details for standard, Jane, and Anne. For the Maria block, there is discussion of what to possibly change, but I don't see anything about how to actually calculate where to put any of the lines/points. For example, how do I know ho much further from point L I should put point P? Is it trial and error? I'm also struggling a bit because my widest point is not at the crotch, so some of the issues addressed for the triangle shape don't apply to me and I'm getting confused. Are there step-by-step instructions somewhere for the triangle shape like there are for the others? Thanks!
Hello again Magpie I have tried to answer your query in your previous comment, but am adding some comments here too. Note that my step-by-step instructions are applicable for everyone until the waist shaping. After that I found it hard to write instructions that work for everyone. I assume the problems you are having are from waist shaping. When you say I have given "full calculations and details for Jane and Anne..." Note that I started with the Standard Amounts ( The L to P standard amount of 1/2 inch and waist dart standard width), I then took the result and, if there was a problem, did some problem solving and showed the reasoning. What I've done for Jane and Anne won't be exactly the same for everyone that that 'type of figure' because everyone will have different measurements. Again, my approach is to show some of the issues that arise when drafting the block with the standard instructions, and give methods of solving the problems that (may) arise. As I explained in the other comment, a person with a 'Triangle' figure might have 11 inches difference between waist/hip, or 12 inches, or 15 inches, or 20 inches. Most block making instructions are assume the standard (10 inches) and don't give a lot of help in telling you what to do if that doesn't work out for you. With most block making instructions, you aren't even told what the 'assumptions' are, and if you get a odd result, you don't know where to go from there. I can't give a set amount (e.g. 3/4 inch from L to P) for all Triangle Figures, because what will work from someone with an 11 inch waist/hip difference will be quite different to someone with a 20-inch difference. Again, my approach is to work through problem examples to show you how to deal with issues that arise. You may not want to go through all the examples (you said you 'skimmed' though some videos), but in that case you are missing out on my some problem solving examples. With most things, the more problem solving you do, the deeper the understanding, the better able you are to understand the real issue and get a good result. My approach and teaching style does not suit everyone though, so maybe it's not right for you. When I was learning I always wanted to know the 'why' and really understand what I was doing.
I bought the booklet and watched the videos. I thought I was Anne, but measurements don't fit into that model. I do have a difference between the measurement of my high hip and low hip with the low hip being 3/8" larger than my high hip. My waist to hip is only 6 5/8" so it seems I fall in between Maria and Anne. The crotch measuring tool is brilliant and I was able to get an accurate measurement. The block, however, does not match the front crotch curve and I did not see an explanation on what to do if that is the case. My front crotch is 1/2" longer than the block.That is if I begin the measurement at 3/16ths lower than the waist as in the video. I am writing here in case someone else has this same issue.
Hi there. If your crotch length is too short then cut and spread. If it is too long, then cut and lap. (I did the cut and spread for my back and for Anne's front. I mentioned the cut and lap in the pants book on Page 129. I mentioned in relation to the back, but it works for the front too). If you have too much fabric in the crotch curve then scoop it out more (make the arrow shorter from point I), if it is too tight, then make the arrow from point I longer. I mention cutting and lapping in the book for the pants back (page 129), but no, I didn't mention it for the pants front. What I tried to convey in the videos is that these Maria, Anne & Jane are just examples (Anne & Jane were two of the real people I tested my pants system on), and everyone was NOT going to fit exactly into one of these three figures. They were just examples and I was hoping that I was covering most issues, but looking back I know I should have touched more on the cut and lap.
Hi Maria! Will you marry me? Your videos are TOTAL AWESOME SAUCE!!! I want to make a pair of jeans that fit. I have a ''cortisol'' belly, so high hip is larger than low hip and I've got a gorgeous bowl full of jelly. As I've finally found a method of correcting gut issues and losing weight (read Fasting Like a Girl!!) I'll be adjusting patterns based in my continued results! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all your effort you've put into your videos!! You are a STAR!! Quick question I hope you have time to answer. . . jeans don't have a dart and I'm not sure where to ease the waist darts. As I look at other patternmakers, it seems the dart gets moved into the waist (Aldrich). Will that have any changes for an ''Anne"?
When I put this into Google Translate it come up with “Can I ask if your butt is 100, how do you calculate the front crotch and the back crotch?” I am assuming (by the measurement given) that ‘butt’ means ‘hip’. My instructions do not given any instructions for working out the crotch lengths using the hip - exactly the opposite. I stress the need to take the actual body measurements rather than working out one measurement based on another measurement. (Those assumptions are what results in a poor fit for non-standard figures).
Hi Cleanqueen75 Yes, it can be. My focus is on non-standard or hard-to-fit figures. This usually requires more work. My philosophy, which you may disagree with, is that it's better to do spend more time doing it properly than spending a lot of time trying to fix it afterwards.
Try the Bodice Block Essentials next:
Part 1: Patternmaking Bust Cups (vs Bra Bust Cups)
ruclips.net/video/4ecX66-GPbw/видео.html
Em không hiểu được tiếng Anh nếu như hiểu được thì tốt hơn nửa, thật đáng tiết
I am a bit overwhelmed with all of this but I am sure if I watch it several times over it will make more sense. Thanks so much for taking all this time, I have bought the pdf books. I am an Aussie but still prefer imperial, I know what an inch or 5 inches are without having to grab a tape measure. Maria you are a jewel!
Thank you so much for this series. I now have the best fitting pants I've ever had. Took a couple of redrafts but it works great. Now I just want to learn how to use the sloper for creating different styles of pants. Any suggestions welcome. Than you again.
I just discovered your pant block drafting series and it's pure gold!! ty ty ty!! I've started my sewing journey a few months ago but quickly discovered that making my own basic block patters was easier in the long run then using pre-made patterns. I've tried a few pants/shorts drafting tutorials but didn't even bother sewing them yet cause I could already tell they would not fit me. You've saved me so much time and effort with this series and I'm immensely grateful
I have spent the last year being driven mad trying to make a pair of jeans to fit me, I have violin hips or hip dips which has made it impossible. Your tutorials have given me some hope that I may one day make some trousers that fit me! Thank you so much!
Hello Abbi. I am unsure of about the hip-dips. I just did a search then and am even more unsure. It would depend on whether you are trying to hide them or want your pants to contouring exactly to your body. If that is what you want (conturing to your body), it may be difficult with woven fabric.
Some people who don't have the 'ideal' figure seem to want their clothes to give them that ideal shape. (i.e. It's a fool's errand. I'm not saying that is you, but it was me when I was young). For instance I have high rounded stomach and a hollow underneath my stomach. This means my pants waist front always falls down (fabric folds down into the hollow and waist drops down). Looking at pants from the profile/side, my waist is on an angle - high in the back and low in the front. To keep the waist up it just too hard given the shape of my body; if I keep the waist parallel to the floor it's extremely uncomfortable, even with stretch pants.
My point is, whether your pants 'fit' you will depend on whether comfort is your main aim, or whether you have an idea of what you want your pants to look like on, and whether it is actually possible for them to look like that.
@@Dresspatternmaking They are flat hips. Or straight hips. Sometimes this hip type will have an indentation in the middle of hips, as there isn’t any extra fat or very little, in that location. I’ve never heard it called hip dips either, but I quite like it. :)
Abbi, I also have hip dips, a large and drop bum, and a protruding stomach (though to look at me you wouldn't see any of those things, as I'm petit and fit). After watching all 5 of the videos, I have a much better understanding of my body, and of drafting for it. My hip dips made my measurements a little wonky, and I ended up removing the front dart entirely and making the front center seam completely vertical to make the hip curve make any sense. Even so, the curve at the hip dip area looked really strange. When I put the toile on, it did indeed look a little funny, but not as weird as I had imagined, and I was able to take out some ease at that point, and make it look great.
These 5 videos are great, you have cover most of the questons of pant pattern drafting, they are very helpful. Thank you.
Hello Edna. Thank you. I put a lot of time into these videos and I appreciate it when people leave a comment saying that it's useful.
I hit the mother lode when I discovered your tutorials! Thank you for helping solve several of my fitting issues /block drafting problems. I’m like Ann’s figure.
You are welcome and I hope you make yourself a well fitting block. Good luck.
Hi Maria, I am so happy, I got it. The mistake I was making is to by pass the 3 1/8" for the back panel. Friends make sure to watch the 2nd video and pay much attention. I hope I was able to help someone else. Thank you Maria.
Hi, hope you ended up getting it done.
I love the way you have explained everything here... Would you ever consider continuing the series by explaining other bum types like the V /inverted etc.?
Hi Maria, thank you so much for the trouser block series. I've waded through it twice so far (wow!) and will be going through it repeatedly as I try to draft my trouser block. I'd be grateful if you could offer some advice about me own issues. I'm an older lady and was always had slim waist, hips, bottom and thighs but, unfortunately, during the Covid lockdowns I put on some weight around my waist and tummy area that is proving very hard to move. Watching your videos I realise that I have become an apple shape and so I'll be basing my own pattern on your instructions for Anne. However, my bottom is still flat (non-drooping) and my upper thigh circumference is smaller than the 60% assumed in pattern drafting. My measurements are as follows:
Waist 32.5"
High Hip 38.25"
Low hip 37"
Upper thigh 20" (i.e. 54% low hip)
Front waist to crotch 9.75"
Back waist to crotch 14.75"
I am concerned that I will have too much fullness in the thigh area. All the adjustment videos I have watched suggest shortening the crotch curve and lengthening crotch to waist seam higher up but if I do this I'm wondering if there will be far too much fabric around my bottom. Could you please suggest a suitable way to reduce the volume?
Hi there, I'm very sorry but I can't really just look at the measurements and give you any meaningful help. In order to answer properly I would basically have to do a rough draft of your block using your measurements. Unfortunately, I can't offer that kind one-on-one help to anyone/everyone. The only help really I can give is to make these videos and at the moment I just don't have the time to make any videos or other content at all. I hope next year (from January or February) to have some time to make regular videos/content that will include FAQ, troubleshooting, and that kind of content.
@@Dresspatternmaking Hi Maria, Thanks for your reply. No problem, seeing how much work goes into your videos and patterns I can't imagine how you have time for anything else! I'll try experimenting with a toile and see what works best. I'm looking forward to seeing next year's content. This site is already a treasure trove.
I did it! I got to the end of the videos, and BOY were they helpful. I sewed up my toile, and it worked very well from the get-go. These tutorials were SO thorough, and helped my engineering brain understand exactly the factors at play. So now I have a perfect pants block! Big question though: how do I get from the pants block to a jeans block (very little ease) or a leggings block (negative ease)??
Hello Rachel, very pleased your pants block. Good starting point.
The jeans block has less ease in the thigh, and a cut-and-tilt adjustment to get back some of the crotch length lost (the same kind of cut and tilt-spread as I show in my instructions). Th Jeans Block It has only 1/4 inch ease throughout the torso and ease in the leg is reduced as well. However, this is for non-stretch denim, and a lot of denim has stretch in it. Usually for stretch-woven fabric, the standard is removing ease and using the body measurement, but if you want tight jeans you could go to negative ease.
Of course the leggings need quite a bit of negative eases. I have some articles on my website on the ease reduction amounts and I'm sure I have some for pants but I just did a quick check for that and couldn't find it.
Yes I would love to put up some instructions for jeans, but I don't know really when I can get to that. I haven't posted anything for months because I am in the process of moving my website into another CNS, and it will take me another few weeks to finish that. (I don't work on this full-time, I have to do all things patternmaking including my website, RUclips channel, drafting patterns and sewing in the time not earning a living).
I think I have got myself into a bit of a bind at the moment; I have only done 4 videos in the Variations on a Silhouette videos, but now realize that the 'series' are a problem for RUclips, because new people aren't going to watch the latest video if they haven't watched the previous ones. (So RUclips thinks people don't want to watch my videos). I mention this because I am thinking of doing a pivot and changing my content for a while; only putting up some more basic instructions. Maybe some instructions with less detail. (But, sigh... some people want the detail and I find it very hard not to put in the detail...)
@@Dresspatternmaking what a thorough reply, thanks! I'll check out your website for recommended ease for jeans and leggings.
That's frustrating about how RUclips shows content to users. My husband is a googler, and it's well known that the RUclips management is a sh*tshow. And amazing content makers like you are paying the price. I'm so impressed with the quality of the illustrations and the narration, along with the actual content. You've done a really great job. And I understand fully that it's hard to not put all of the detail into an instruction, with all the caveats. If you're ever outlining a new instruction though, you could just put the outline on the website, and the flesh it out with subsequent posts, updating the first instruction with hyperlinks. And of course, when you don't have time/bandwidth, you just don't have it! Nobody's judging you. We're just grateful for what you've given us!
@@rachelmelone7168 I guess my reply was so thorough because I'm feeling guilty - I said I'd post content and I haven't been. It's all well and good having blocks that fit, but in the end you want to draft patterns and make clothes..... Cheers and thanks for the suggestion - I have to have a long think about how I am going to proceed. I definitely will be back to posting new RUclips content after my website is moved over to the new CMS.
Thanks for your prompt response.
My thigh measurement is 24 inches
Low Hip is 52 inches
Front Crotch is 13.5 inches (I had not reached the point of using these)
Back Crotch is 19 inches
My bottom is reasonably flat. It doesn’t “hang” over my thigh
In response to your question, I put some slacks on backwards but they did not feel at all comfortable. The effect was that they felt tight across my bottom and had excess fabric pooling at the centre front.
Regards - Carol Hook
Hi Carol, I have another question. You said in your original post (which for some reason I can't see here, but can see in my comments section), that your low hip point ended up exactly on point D. When I do a quick calculation with the measurements above, it would end up beyond (past) point D:
C to D: 24 inch thigh, divided by 2 = 12 inches, plus .38 in ease = 12.38
C to i: 52 inch hip, plus 1 inch ease = 53, divided by 4 = 13.25 inches
So your low hip point would end up BEYOND point D.
So firstly I want to check that the measurements you gave me above are correct. Either your initial drafting/calculations were correct, or these measurements are incorrect.
So in the case that the above measurements are correct but you somehow made some drafting mistakes, then I would say that you will have to distribute the ease for the front and back thigh differently to how I have specified in my instructions. Instead of adding 3/8 inch to the front and 3 and 1/8 to the back, that you would add more to the front and less to the back. I'd have to have a think about those amounts, but before I do that, I want to check your measurements are right.... (Thigh 24 inches right at the top of your leg?). If you could also give me your crotch depth too, that will help.
It's morning here at the moment and I'm going out for the day, therefore won't be able to respond again until this evening.
If the measurements you have given me are correct, I can see your figure is very much like one of my friends that I tested my system out, but it seems you have a bigger stomach and slightly smaller thighs.
Hi again Maria, sorry for my delayed reply, I was waiting for someone to assist with re-measuring. My thigh is 24.5 inches and low hip 47.5 inches. The crotch depth in total is 31.5 inches - 17.5inches at back and 14 inches at front. You are correct that initially my centre front was extending beyond point “D”. My attempts to fix things only ended up aligning the two points which didn’t help. Thanks again for your thoughts.
Hello again Carol
OK. So, the slack has 3.5 inches in the thigh, and the distribution I have given (3/8 inch to the front and 3 1/8 to the back) doesn't work for you. So change the distribution of ease, adding more to the front and less to the back. Add a third of the total ease (1/3 of the 3.5 inches) to the front, and the other 2/3 of the ease to the back.
So from C to D = 13 and 3/8 inches (Your thigh is 24.5 inches, divided by 2 = 12.25 + 1 and 1/8 inches ease = 13.38).
From C to I = 12 and 1/8 inch (Low Hip = 47.5 + 1 inch ease = 48.5. Divided by 4 = 12 and 1/8 inch).
So point i will be 1 inch before point D.
I inch may not sound much (Anne has 2.5 inches between i and D) , but I am assuming that as you have a drop stomach, you will need to do the cut-and-spread that Anne's figure needed, and then you will get that slope needed for the crotch curve as a result of that spread.
One final question - you said above that your crotch depth total is 31.5 inches. That is your Crotch Length. Could you please tell me your Crotch Depth? The problems you are having made me realize that I do need to (eventually) modify my instructions and I need work out some formulas . I would be interested in your Crotch Depth to help me with this.
I have a pretty good fitting draft from using your instructions. Thanks so much for your hard work. I have one question though regarding the expected fit, my pants fit quite well when I'm only standing but feel tight at the upper front leg when I'm walking and sitting. It's this to be expected in a sloper or should I correct for it before moving on to drafting pants from my sloper.
Hi Maria
My Crotch depth is 9.5 inches - sorry if I misread your question. Thanks so much for your assistance. I’ll have another go tomorrow - it’s about 10pm here so its a bit late to try wrapping my head around drafting. I’ll let you know what happens. Regards Carol
Hope you managed to finish it!
Thank you for the tutorials! I've spent my whole life with purchased pants that I can pull up to my chest in the front. I tried altering patterns but it still never worked. So I've gone through the videos as an Anne but when I get to the front crotch depth, I'm lost. You show how to make the front crotch depth longer, but nothing about how to shorten the front crotch depth, which is my problem. To get "normal" patterns to come close to fitting my front, I have to cut at least 3" off the center front and then scoop up to meet the side seams. That seems to be about the same that I'm seeing on my new block: using my front crotch depth (8 1/2"), I would need to lower the center front waist by about 3" from the original waist line. That will cut off most of the darts but it also makes the waist circumferance wider. Do I need to tilt the whole front like you do when you lengthened the front crotch in the video? Or? Help!
Yes, cut and lap instead of cut and spread. Given that you have used your waist and upper hip measurement, you want to keep that shaping (If you just cut it from the waist you will, as you said, lose the shaping of the waist and upper hip that you have done using your measurements).
i have just bought ann's pants patt. i have a lot of my waist measurment on my front tummy. i am not sure how to adjust for that. any advice please. jan
I have watched most of the videos regarding the crotch length... but I am not sure what to do as my front crotch length is significantly shorter than my back crotch length. This explains why all fast fashion pants crotch hang low on me. Do I just make it shorter and adjust the waist line and dart? Or will that make a strange pattern?
Hi Maria, I made a perfect fitted pair of pants, using your tutorial. I had made a pair of pants before using someone else tutorial it was a disaster/didn't fit properly .
Waiting for your E-booklet. Thank you-So...
Hi Sonia, Thanks for letting me know, I am so glad you've got a good result. I do keep getting a lot of people saying the same thing, so I am very pleased....
Regarding the booklets, I am behind, something (just life) always gets in the way. Today I had computer troubles and it took 2 hours to fix those... The other issue is that from now on I'll be doing 2 versions of everything ; one Imperial and one Metric. (So 2 versions of the Bodice Back video, 2 versions of the Bodice Front video, 2 version of each booklet....).
Today I am finishing the updated Bodice Back Video (I'll be uploading both videos - Imperial & Metric tonight, if I don't have any more computer troubles!). Next week I'll be doing the Bodice Front. The following week the Pants EPUB Booklet, and the week after that the Bodice EPUB Booklet. I can't wait to finish these finished, because then I can start on Patterns. I haven't been able to do any actual patternmaking or sewing for a couple of months now - since I started the Bodice Block Essential videos - and I am longing to do patternmaking and sewing. I really want to make a jacket I drafted months ago and haven't had a chance to make yet.
You do realise that this first EPUB Booklet is just the instructions in the video, but in a booklet format? If you have already drafted your pants, you probably don't need it. (Though I would appreciate the support if you did buy a copy). I will be making tutorials/booklets on pants later this year, including Jeans. When I'm finally in gear, I'll be releasing the videos and booklets at the same time. My hope is that the people may buy the booklets for the convenience (easier to go your own pace than trying to stop and rewind the video, etc) even though there will be a free video. If I can earn an income through this then I can do it full-time and I can produce more content; i.e. more patterns on an ongoing basis, and more other theory video tutorials.
Hi dear Maria! I've just finished to see your 5 excellent videos about pants block and I'm enthusiastic about your pattern making system! I'd like to study it and test it for me and some friends. I'm italian and it is a little bit difficult to follow your explanation just with the subtitles of the videos. Did you publish an ebook with these pattern making instructions?
Hello Elisabetta. Sorry for the late reply - I was unwell for a number of months and have not been doing anything on my website or RUclips Channel. I have saved what energy for patternmaking and sewing. I only have a Pants PDF file- which is the same instructions in the video, but in the book format you can progress at your own pace. I did mean to create a Bodice PDF too, but in the middle of making that I found that I had made a mistake in the Bodice Video. I now have to go back and redo the Bodice Videos before doing the book.
I will over time be putting out a few of these booklets, but it will be a slow process. The videos and books are very time intensive.
I love this series! Thank you so much for so generously giving of your time. This is the most sensible approach I have ever seen to pants drafting. One question: I have just over three inches to add to the foundation at centre front (big tummy), would you suggest that I do that all in one hit at the low hip line, or divide it between the low and high hips lines. Thank you so much in advance for your help.
Hi Vicky. I suggest you do it the way I have shown - drawing the cutting line from the crotch to the low hip (not straight across the hip line) and add it all there. It's very hard for me to explain just verbally (without images) why, but that's what I would do. The end of result of splitting it up will mean more 'jogs' to smooth out. Smoothing out those 'jogs' will cause more problems.
I have recently answered a similar (but different) question in the Video #2 comments. If you go to that video and scroll to the comments and look for Lou Sitar, the answer I have given to his question includes a link to some images. Although your question is not exactly the same, the answer is kind of same. Hopefully looking at that example will give you an idea of what I mean by those 'jogs' you will have to deal with. If you do it the way I have shown, you should only have to smooth out the side seam.
@@Dresspatternmaking Thank you so much for answering so quickly. I will do as you suggest - it makes so much sense to me. I will also have a look at the comments on Video #2. I am so grateful that I found you.
Thank you so much for all the information you gave us. Do you have a suggestion what to do if you have knocked knees? The inner leg goes straight down to my knees. That creates lines in the back from just above the knee diagonally up toward the side seam.
Hi Sigrid
Hope this helps...
www.dresspatternmaking.com/knock-knees
Hi! I’m struggling so much with the waist measurements. My crotch measurement is 12” from my waist, and my fullest part is my high hip, with mild hip dips.
I just can’t figure out where to take the different measurements.
Hi Maria, again thanks for you tutorials-great, however on my bodice block I am not getting the dart correctly, I am working with a bust of 50"
also the pants back is not lining up with the front E-C (knee/Crotch). I am using Anne's method. Did you miss spoke when you said turn the pants upside down-18.52? Waiting for your E-booklet.
Hi Sonia... Firstly, when I said 'turn it upside down' I meant flip it on the vertical axis, so it's the mirror image of the original (To me, that means the upside is now down, but I can see how some people may think 'upside down' means flip on the horiztonal axis. However, the image shown on the screen does show me doing it on the vertical axis...).
The Front block is drafted with the Centre Front on the RHS, but the Back block is drafted with the CB on the LHS, so you need to turn the front block over so you can trace the inner leg from the knee up to the crotch.
So after turning the Front Block over (so that the CF and CB are on the LHS), you place the Front Block knee line up with point E, then swivel the front block so that it touches the guideline that was drawn at 18:27. If you do it like this, then the Back and Front inner legs must end up the same length.
(Maybe watch it without the sound so you don't hear me saying 'upside down' and so what I'm actually doing is clearer?)
Regarding your bodice block, can you give me more information?
Hi there, I’m having trouble and feel very frustrated. I’ve used my thigh measurement to find C and D, but when I plot my lower hip point it ends up exactly at point D, that is, I don’t have a crotch extension. I’ve rechecked my personal measurements a number of times and rechecked my drafting but always end up with the same result and cannot work out where I’m going wrong. There is almost no difference in measurement between my high and low hip and consider myself to be similar to “Anne’s” shape. I have what I would describe as a “dropped belly”. I may have misunderstood your directions so I don’t want to give up just yet. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Carol
If you could answer the following questions:
(1) What is your body thigh measurement?
(2) What is your body low hip measurement?
(3) Do you have a large stomach and a flat bottom - so that sometimes pants could almost fit better back-to-front?
Hi Carol
Could you answer the following questions?
(1) What is your boy thigh measurement?
(2) What is your body low hip measurement?
(3) What is your front crotch length?
(4) Do you have a large belly and an almost flat bottom? (Kind of like pants almost fit better the wrong way around ?)
Snap! I experienced the same.
Thank you...
Welcome
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Hi , I have a question \problem that I've been trying to resolve for YEARS!!!, I really hope you can help. Simply put, I have a large belly, a flat bottom and considerably smaller thighs....my problem with buying or making pants is, IF they fit my belly\low hip (58"), then there's lots of fabric under the flat hips and a lot more fabric, baggy in the front under the belly and ballon fabric in the thighs (27"). Please please help?? Thank you
Do we also add 3/8" ease in the back body crotch length?
Hi Maria. I'm trying to use your pants pattern to make a pattern for Jean's. How different are the 2 and am I likely to end up very disappointed with them being far too baggy. I'm a size 12 and Jean's I have are at 3 inches too big on the waist. Curiously all of the front part of the jeans fit fine but all of the back is way too big. The front of them match really well with your drafting method. However the back comes out at virtually the same from lower crotch area as the ones that are way too big. Should I just follow the new blocks and tack them and see how it goes as a twirl or am I on a hiding to nothing? I just want a standard fit 29" waist and 38" hip in standard lower hip position. I've never managed to get a good pattern to fit me from scratch but usually manage to get alterations right. These just seemed to get back to bare bones or they whispered and sagged. Please help. I would be so grateful. My ankle to crotch is only 22" as you can imagine the knee is very often way out when I turn up standard trousers. I'm just under 5 feet tall.
While I cannot answer your question fully, I can tell you the crotch curves are very different from a slack to a jeans cut. I personally don’t think they will fit like the snugger jeans I think you may be wanting. Besides the crotch, the legs are often cut differently too. Just my opinion from years of sewing patterns, and a few block creations. But you can always make a muslin and give it a try.
I bought the eBook and I drafted my pattern this evening. I understand more of the whys behind things now, thank you. I have discovered that I am the weirdest 'square' type of Anne, in that my high hip, low hip, and crotch circumference level measures are all the exact same length, and my waist is only four inches smaller. I marked out lines on my body to get good measurements (with washable markers) and I took half measures while I was at it--that is, I marked a 'side seam' on each leg, and I did 'front half' and 'back half' while I was getting my circumferences. This tells me that even though my measurements say I'm a cylinder from high hip on down, I'm actually more like a stack of coins that isn't stacked up straight. At crotch level, I have more in the back, at low hip they're even, and at high hip and waist I have more in the front. What this says to me is that doing the 'divide by four' thing is going to result in a side seam that does an S curve down my side--leaning to the front at the top, and leaning to the back at the bottom, then straight down the leg. So when I make my toile I'm going to cut extra wide seam allowances at the side and maybe spend some time straightening that out if needed. But I am very hopeful seeing this all out on paper, that it will be relatively straightforward from here. It all makes sense. Thank you for sharing your approach and explaining it the way you do.
I traced my pattern in swedish paper and sewed it up and tried it on a la palmer-pletsch, and it was an extremely close fit. So close, in fact, that I will need to add more ease in order to be able to walk and sit. This close fit would probably be OK in a stretch twill (or for a smaller leaner person), but for non-stretch the 1" additions to most of the measurements just isn't enough for my comfort. I determined by sitting down with a tape measure around my various spots that I need something more like 3 inches of ease in the crotch and low hip, probably 2 inches in the thigh, and at least one more in the knee just for comfort. All of the guidelines on my pseudo-toile made it quite easy to measure everything once I'd determined what I want them to become, so I can easily see where to change things and by how much. I was very encouraged, though, by the extremely close fit. Both CF and CB landed at the right spots, there was just about enough room for my behind, and only moderate wrinkling on the back of the thigh. I might need a slight knock knee adjustment, but I'll hold off until I've added my ease first.
Hello Kristina
Sorry I haven't responded earlier, but I have been out of action and unwell for a while.
I hope you ended up with a working block. Regarding ease, what I keep neglecting to mention is that larger people do need more ease. Given that often a set amount of ease is added (e.g. 2 inches), that amount is proportionally more for someone with smaller body measurement, and proportionally less for those with larger body measurements. Also then people don't 'spread' so much when they sit. Not only that, but the 'spread' can change your body shape; my dropped bottom makes pants fit very differently sitting down and they do standing up.
Did you get your knock knee adjustment done? I just answered someone else's question about that and will include a link to a graphic I made to answer the question:
www.dresspatternmaking.com/knock-knees
@@Dresspatternmaking I am still working on it, slowly. As it turns out, I need a lot more fabric in the thighs, and in different places, than the basic calculations would indicate. I did get the legs to hang straight, that part was pretty straightforward, but I'm still working out the crotch extensions and where precisely I need fabric in the rear and thighs. I have a draft now that eliminates most of the smile type wrinkles, but when I attempt to lift my leg (while wearing a paper version) it tears at the backside. So I need to move some fabric from the back to the front, I think. During the process, I did a completely silly draft of coulotte-type legs (straight down from low hip and also from inner thigh) just to get the legs as much out of the equation as I could, to check my crotch curve, and that convinced me that I need more crotch extension and less overall crotch depth. I also used a flexible ruler to trace out my crotch curve, and if you laid an egg pointing west on a compass rose, that's roughly the shape we're talking about. Anyway, I'm still fiddling, very slowly, because life gets busy in the later part of the year in my house. I do appreciate your care for my thrashing about.
@@Dresspatternmaking I will mention that my fix for knock knees was slightly different from yours--First I measured the direction and amount the grain line was 'off' at the ankles. I laid the leg on a gridded board with the grid parallel with my original grain line. Then sliced the leg about an inch below the crotch point, making the grainline itself the hinge and slicing the rest of the leg through. Then rotated the entire leg until the bottom of the grainline had moved the necessary amount (an inch and a half, for me). Add paper to one side and overlap the other side, true the edges. Repeat for the other leg pattern. That kept my original leg curves with less redrawing, and it worked out well for straightening the hang. Since I still had not enough room in the thighs and crotch extension there were still lots of other things to fix, but that took care of one thing.
Em chào chị, chị cho em hỏi đây có phải là quần nữ dáng ôm không vậy chị
Can anyone help me find step-by step instructions for the triangle/Maria block? I've watched all of part 2, and part of part 3 (and have skimmed parts 4 & 5). I see there are full calculations & details for standard, Jane, and Anne. For the Maria block, there is discussion of what to possibly change, but I don't see anything about how to actually calculate where to put any of the lines/points. For example, how do I know ho much further from point L I should put point P? Is it trial and error? I'm also struggling a bit because my widest point is not at the crotch, so some of the issues addressed for the triangle shape don't apply to me and I'm getting confused. Are there step-by-step instructions somewhere for the triangle shape like there are for the others? Thanks!
Hello again Magpie
I have tried to answer your query in your previous comment, but am adding some comments here too.
Note that my step-by-step instructions are applicable for everyone until the waist shaping. After that I found it hard to write instructions that work for everyone. I assume the problems you are having are from waist shaping.
When you say I have given "full calculations and details for Jane and Anne..." Note that I started with the Standard Amounts ( The L to P standard amount of 1/2 inch and waist dart standard width), I then took the result and, if there was a problem, did some problem solving and showed the reasoning. What I've done for Jane and Anne won't be exactly the same for everyone that that 'type of figure' because everyone will have different measurements. Again, my approach is to show some of the issues that arise when drafting the block with the standard instructions, and give methods of solving the problems that (may) arise.
As I explained in the other comment, a person with a 'Triangle' figure might have 11 inches difference between waist/hip, or 12 inches, or 15 inches, or 20 inches. Most block making instructions are assume the standard (10 inches) and don't give a lot of help in telling you what to do if that doesn't work out for you. With most block making instructions, you aren't even told what the 'assumptions' are, and if you get a odd result, you don't know where to go from there. I can't give a set amount (e.g. 3/4 inch from L to P) for all Triangle Figures, because what will work from someone with an 11 inch waist/hip difference will be quite different to someone with a 20-inch difference.
Again, my approach is to work through problem examples to show you how to deal with issues that arise.
You may not want to go through all the examples (you said you 'skimmed' though some videos), but in that case you are missing out on my some problem solving examples. With most things, the more problem solving you do, the deeper the understanding, the better able you are to understand the real issue and get a good result.
My approach and teaching style does not suit everyone though, so maybe it's not right for you. When I was learning I always wanted to know the 'why' and really understand what I was doing.
I bought the booklet and watched the videos. I thought I was Anne, but measurements don't fit into that model. I do have a difference between the measurement of my high hip and low hip with the low hip being 3/8" larger than my high hip. My waist to hip is only 6 5/8" so it seems I fall in between Maria and Anne. The crotch measuring tool is brilliant and I was able to get an accurate measurement. The block, however, does not match the front crotch curve and I did not see an explanation on what to do if that is the case. My front crotch is 1/2" longer than the block.That is if I begin the measurement at 3/16ths lower than the waist as in the video. I am writing here in case someone else has this same issue.
Hi there. If your crotch length is too short then cut and spread. If it is too long, then cut and lap. (I did the cut and spread for my back and for Anne's front. I mentioned the cut and lap in the pants book on Page 129. I mentioned in relation to the back, but it works for the front too).
If you have too much fabric in the crotch curve then scoop it out more (make the arrow shorter from point I), if it is too tight, then make the arrow from point I longer. I mention cutting and lapping in the book for the pants back (page 129), but no, I didn't mention it for the pants front.
What I tried to convey in the videos is that these Maria, Anne & Jane are just examples (Anne & Jane were two of the real people I tested my pants system on), and everyone was NOT going to fit exactly into one of these three figures. They were just examples and I was hoping that I was covering most issues, but looking back I know I should have touched more on the cut and lap.
How do you shorten the front crotch length?
Cảm ơn chị rất chuẩn
Best❤️
Thank you!
Tuyệt vời
Thank you!
Hi Maria! Will you marry me? Your videos are TOTAL AWESOME SAUCE!!! I want to make a pair of jeans that fit. I have a ''cortisol'' belly, so high hip is larger than low hip and I've got a gorgeous bowl full of jelly. As I've finally found a method of correcting gut issues and losing weight (read Fasting Like a Girl!!) I'll be adjusting patterns based in my continued results! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all your effort you've put into your videos!! You are a STAR!! Quick question I hope you have time to answer. . . jeans don't have a dart and I'm not sure where to ease the waist darts. As I look at other patternmakers, it seems the dart gets moved into the waist (Aldrich). Will that have any changes for an ''Anne"?
Chị yêu cho em hỏi giả sử mông 100 thì cách tính đũng trước và đũng sau là sao vậy chị
When I put this into Google Translate it come up with
“Can I ask if your butt is 100, how do you calculate the front crotch and the back crotch?”
I am assuming (by the measurement given) that ‘butt’ means ‘hip’. My instructions do not given any instructions for working out the crotch lengths using the hip - exactly the opposite. I stress the need to take the actual body measurements rather than working out one measurement based on another measurement. (Those assumptions are what results in a poor fit for non-standard figures).
Dạ em cảm ơn chị yêu nhiều nhé
Chị yêu làm ơn vẽ quần bằng mẫu giấy chỉ giúp em với nếu chị rảnh, nếu chị bận thì em không dám làm phiền
Hello Hung, I’m sorry but I so mot undertand what you are asking me. When I put it into Google Translate, it makes no sense to me.
@@Dresspatternmaking Dạ em cũng rất hiểu nói chung là rất phiền chị em cảm ơn chị nha
Lâu rồi không gặp chị yêu xinh đẹp khỏe không
Xin chào chị yêu xinh đẹp khỏe không
Chào chị yêu xinh đẹp khỏe không
Seems complicated!
Hi Cleanqueen75
Yes, it can be. My focus is on non-standard or hard-to-fit figures. This usually requires more work. My philosophy, which you may disagree with, is that it's better to do spend more time doing it properly than spending a lot of time trying to fix it afterwards.
Thank you for the effort.
I would like to know if your completed block consists of seam allowances or not.