Three Step Pant Fitting
By Christine Jonson
Illustrations by Jan Raley
I doubt there is a sewing subject that has been discussed more, yet yielded less positive results than that of successfully
fitting a pant pattern. I will throw my hat into the ring with my pant pattern #1010 and the following thoughts on how to alter the
pattern so it fits great.
The first thing to understand is that the crotch area of the pant is never to be changed. If you decide to redraw my crotch
curve you may as well stop now. The second, choose the size pattern to be used based on the actual tissue pattern measurements
of the pattern, not the body measurement chart. My pattern comes with these measurements. Measure your hips at their widest
point and choose a hip size that gives approx. 3” of hip ease. Lastly, baste together (use a stitch length that will be easy to remove)
a sample pair exactly off the pattern in the chosen size using a woven, stable fabric with no stretch. Omit the facing and zipper for
this step.
Now that the sample is basted, try the pants on and pin the back zipper opening closed at 5/8”. Stand barefoot in front of a
full-length mirror. Have your pins handy. Pin the bottom hem up enough so that it is not touching the top of your foot and causing
a break in the pant leg. It would be great if you have a sewing friend who can help you with the evaluating and pinning, but if not,
you can do it yourself. Be patient and take your time.
Place the front waistline of the pant 5/8” above where you want it to sit when it is finished. Using pattern #1010, the
Step One
5/8” seamline should be about 1” below your natural waistline. If necessary, pin the side seams from the top raw edge
down about 3” so the waist fits snugly. You will see one of three things happening at the crotch; it will be either too long
(frowning), too short, (smiling), or just perfect! If it is neither smiling nor frowning but showing horizontal wrinkles it
just might mean the rise is perfect but that the side seams need to be taken in or let out. Continue pinning the side seams
from the waist area (already pinned snugly) down to below the widest part of your hips and just below the crotch if the
pants are a little big. The thigh and leg area (shaping) will be pinned later.
Now the back waistline (small of the back) needs to be fitted. After placing the front waistline and snugly pinning the
side seams, look where the back top waistline is sitting. The small of the back is very curvy and it is an important area to
fit, flatter and accentuate. If the 5/8” seam line is above the natural waist curve, pin a tuck (below the dart line) to bring
it down. Usually it radiates (similar to a dart) beginning at the center back seam horizontally a few inches toward the side
seam. Once the waistline is properly fit, it’s time to look at the fit of the crotch.
If the crotch is too long, pin a horizontal tuck across lower abdomen (below where a dart would end) deep enough to
Step Two
bring the crotch to the perfect length. Pin around to the back of the pant until the back crotch length is perfect. The tuck
can go evenly all the way around if the back crotch length is also too long. If the center back crotch length is fine, blend
the tuck to nothing at the side seam (similar to the end of a dart). Keep the grain line straight by maintaining a straight
side seam. Finish pin-fitting the side seams if necessary from below the crotch and continuing down the leg for a perfect
fit.
The crotch alterations may need to be done evenly all the way around, at an angle radiating from the side seam line,
just in the front, just in the back or some combination of the front and back. As you are pinning, look not only at the
fit of the crotch, but the ease and “straightness” of the side seam. Pin to keep the side seam straight. At this point you
can also fine-tune the legs. You can remove wrinkles by pinning a horizontal tuck or dart in the leg, similar to what
figure 1 figure 2
www.cjpatterns.com studio: 86 e. 10 mile rd. hazel park. michigan 48070 christine@cjpatterns.com
you did above the crotch, always keeping the side seams straight.
Turn the hem up to your desired finished length. This pin fitting
will be translated to the pattern tissue. Do not worry if they seem
haphazard. Whatever it takes to make the pant sample fit and
hang properly can be transferred to the pattern tissue. It is better
to pin several smaller amounts than to try to achieve a proper fit
with one large pinning.
figure 3
Take off the pants and from the inside mark both sides of the
Step Three
pins and remove the pins. Take the pants apart and transfer these
marks to the pattern tissue. Fold pattern tissue along marks, pin
and press in place with a warm dry iron. True up the seams. Refer
to Figures 1,2,3 & 4.
Definition: Trueing the Pattern
All lines that should be straight must be ruled with a ruler, and
all curved lines must be either drawn with the aid of a curve or
smoothed up freehand.
Laying the pattern flat on the table and trueing it teaches you to figure 4
observe pattern shapes in detail.
My suggestion is that you make a second quick sample to check
the fit of your revised pattern.
If the crotch is too short, the sample needs to be split below the darts and enough fabric added to
Alternate Step Two
allow the crotch to “drop” and fit perfectly.
Begin with the sample pant on your body and draw a horizontal straight-line beginning at the center
front and ending just before the side seams. Cut on this line and let the fabric fall into place, keeping
the waist at its proper place. Place a scrap piece of fabric inside the pants and pin along the cut edges
of your sample. This will stabilize the pant and allow you to measure the additional distance needed
for the proper crotch fit. Evaluate the drape of the pant leg and fit of the crotch. Do you need to
continue the slash thru the side seam and into the back of the pant to achieve the proper fit in the
back? Or is it just the front that needs adjusting? Look for wrinkles and folds. Following this same
procedure add the fabric to the back of the sample. Refer to Figures 5 & 6.
figure 5 figure 6
