This is one of the reasons that I've been psychologically stalled in making a shirt or a waistcoat for myself. First, I'm very self-conscious of my protruding gut and I'm a perfectionist...the latter, I realize, is not a helpful trait to have as a sewer, especially a newbie. But, if I might, I understand the principles at work in your demonstration - which are super clear! What I wonder about is knowing how much extra space to add when dropping the centre front of shirt pattern? And, does the location of the horizontal line you drew make a difference to the resulting shape if it is moved further down? (I get this feeling that the placement might be informed by where one might have some "extra weight".) With much thanks!
:) I'm so happy this helps you to move past and make a shirt for yourself!! The horizontal slash line should be located just above the curve you're fitting. The amount it opens is determined by how much you spread the vertical slash lines at the hem. The purpose of this horizontal slash line is to keep the CF edge straight. I'm not a newbie... but I've learned to "let go" of some of my fitting perfectionist tendencies!! I used to try to smooth every wrinkle... then I realized that there are "good" wrinkles and "bad" wrinkles & Comfort is King. So now, I focus on fitting garments to look flattering and feel comfortable to wear. The comfort part usually takes care of most of the "bad" wrinkles by adjusting the vertical position of all the key areas of the pattern and making sure there's enough ease everywhere! Thanks for fitting along with me!
If you have loose or drooping wrinkles along the back leg below the fullest CB hip, it's likely that you can shorten the back rise to pick it up. Thanks for watching
:) That's so true! I switch back and forth between working on fitting projects and sewing or design fun! ...Gearing up for my sold out 3-Day Pants Fitting Workshop this weekend... Good luck with your pants fitting
After watching your video several times, I now have a really nice left side lapped zipper in my new corduroy trousers. Thank you so much for this clear, step-by-step video. Using the scotch tape as a guide was a great tip - made it so easy. 😀
The Clip isn't a strong hold on the fabric... because it would also prevent the fabric from feeding under the presser foot. It does hold the layers together and laying flat as it feeding under the presser foot. Having the guide to help keep your fabric straight may be more helpful. Hope this helps! Thanks for watching
Then you adjust both sides of the shoulder seam to adding length to the back armhole, shoulder and neckline to agree with your shape. Thanks for fitting along with me
In order to remove length from the edge of the cap (without lowering the cap height) The area below the edge of the cap also needs to be reduced (because they're connected)... There are a few ways to slash and overlap the pieces to remove ease... Here's another way: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--m76yVt6q2I.html Hope this helps!
Brilliant and well explained tip. I bought an expensive pair that are too long and I’ve been wondering what the best and easiest way of altering them. Thank you!😊
Yes it is... but going to a larger size will not fix the issue if the top fits around the neck and high bust.. I'm sharing how to add room where it's too small. Thanks for watching
Hi Jen. I have had great success using this method to remove fabric at the back. Is it feasible that I might need this on the front leg as well? After years of having ill fitting pants, I have used several of your methods to get a better fit. I have a normal length torso as far as I can see in the mirror, but my legs are short. I can't find any videos that mention doing this to the front leg, so I wasn't sure if it was even a thing to do. 😊
That's interesting... I've never tried this on the front leg. It seems to me that if you have excess length in the middle of front leg, this would work the same way! Give it a try (and let me know!!) Thanks for fitting along with me
It must be so hard to concentrate on the sewing and talk at the same time. Lovely fabric and will look great once you deal with the extra fabric in the bust area. Not much fun having to unpick overlocked seams.
Sometimes it is ... plus, my machine is at a weird angle so the camera can get a good angle.. But in this case, I was rushhhhhhhing. (I was in the middle of a 5 day teaching schedule and I knew if I didn't get it together during Fab Fit Friday, it would have to wait till next week..) Happily, I did take it apart and fix it! Thanks for catching the replay!
Thank you so much! There are lots of videos about increasing the rise on pants, but it’s hard to find one for decreasing the rise. I have beginner to intermediate sewing skills and can follow along easily!
thank you! how would you fix this issue with a bought pair of trousers? do you think I could add a little bit of fabric in the same colour as a gusset, would that help with the tention?
Just found you! I will be following…just got you bust dart adjustment video from 2 years ago! Loved it and will keep following. Ty. Ps. I’m Dessie, Ed’s wife☺️
:) Thanks for catching the replay... After I got off I went to look in the mirror at my above the bust seam... I'm going to take it apart and redistribute the ease ...The wrinkles are only happening on one side of the front near the left armhole. (I should have NOT rushed, but I really wanted to see how it fit.. lesson learned yet again!)
Your videos are helpul as always. I have been trying to move bust dars for a while now, howevr what ive found is that i am longer in the area above my bust to my shoulder. If i drop the pattern down my body about 3/4 of an inch the dart waistline, arm hole and neckline are all in a better place. As of yet i havent made a toile to test this. Do you think it would be ok to just extend the shoulder piece or is there something else i should be doing?
It sounds like you need to lengthen the armhole in addition to dropping the bust dart. So adding length at the shoulder will do both! You will need to make a like adjustment to the sleeve... By raising the cap the amount you lengthen the shoulder. Hope this helps, thanks for fitting along with me!
@JSternDesigns thank you. Its a sleevless dress that im looking at doing but thanks for the reminder about adjusting the sleeve. I hadnt thought about that!
That depends on where the excess ease is... Is it in the high bust/full bust area or is it lower below the full bust? Let me know and I'll point you to a tutorial :) Thanks for fitting along with me
@@JSternDesigns I feel like it's the whole front. I may make a smaller size and see if that makes a difference? It's definitely not too big in the back though there is a fair bit of gathers under the back yolk that makes it look a bit baggy with the cotton fabric I've used.
Thanks for this valuable lesson! I just made a compare with self draft pants pattern and one that I copy from thrifted trouser. The thrift one has the grain line shooting to center back seam. I have pretty wide hips hopefully they fit me better. btw, I just notice that audio on right channel is not available.
Happy this helps you! Sorry about the audio issue... I do fill both audio tracks when I'm editing & uploading my videos. Thanks for fitting along with me
Hi Jen, your Sorcha trousers look amazing. I wonder if it it posible to have a pant that hangs from the butt like Sorcha (no cupping) and still have a slim tigh? This is my constant struggle. I do not want cupping, but I want a slim tigh ... Any words of wisdom?
That's a tough order... the more slim fitting the leg is, the closer to the body the base of the crotch needs to be (because it's a hinge) If it's too low the pants will feel snug on the front thigh when you bend your knee. Closer to the body means shortening the crotch extensions to get the crotch closer... which is likely to cause the fabric to cup around your shape. (and the closer the crotch is, the more important it is for the shape of the crotch to agree with your body shape.). The trick is to find the balance between all of these. It would be significantly easier to get the leg to hang nicely like the Sorchas I'm working on here and then taper the leg from above the knee to the hem to achieve a more slim fitting leg. I wish I had an "easy fix" answer for you! Thanks for watching.
This is so helpful. Could you possibly do a tutorial like this, but using a pattern that has a back princess seam (and no center back seam)? I'm struggling with following this method on two pieces that, when taped together, are bulky and three-dimensional.
That's a great idea!! Stay tuned, I'll add adjusting a swayback for a princess seam without a CB seam to my short list! Thanks for fitting along with me
:) It might be next up!! I'm teaching Efficient Work Flow for Bodice Fitting this weekend... so having a shirt related Fit Tip makes sense to shoot while I'm in Top Fitting Mode!
With knit garments, the stretch of the fabric does come into play. If you make a Tee... and you find that you need to do a FBA, 1/2" is a good amount to start with... You could also choose a knit fabric that has more stretch and better yet, knits with 4-way stretch are your best friend if you have a D+ cup size. Knits that stretch vertically in addition to along the cross grain may fit better without or with a smaller FBA. I hope this helps! Thanks for watching
I learned a lot from this video. I may be taking some time off from garment sewing though. Hasn’t been good week at all. Computer problems, printer problems. I’ve been very sick and I found out today my little chihuahua has a heart murmur. So I may just do something simple updating my curtains except living room.
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear! Sending hugs to you and your little chihuahua... Our three vizslas are the heart of our home... it's so hard when something happens to one of them. Hope you feel better soon too. <3
Oh. Wow. I think I just salvaged (sort of) my failed pair of pants. After four (FOUR!!!) muslins I thought I had the fit right. Nope. Crotch was WAY too long. Followed the first part of this and it took it up enough to make them at least somewhat wearable. At least wearable enough to wear once and say "I made pants!" I am bummed that I wasted some really nice fabric on them for how poorly they turned out, but at least now I know that I am really, really bad at trying to do top down center out for fitting.
I'm so happy this helped you salvage a pair of pants you were working on. I've incorporated the basic steps of TDCO in my pants fitting process by using a separate waistband and single leg muslin to balance the front/back leg... What I've discovered working with pants fitting students is that this takes a LOT of practice. I think part of the disconnect is that you would assume you can pull the crotch up to where you want it.... Unfortunately, not everyone can do this in the initial TDCO fitting process. If the crotch curve agrees with your shape, then yes, you're golden... If the crotch curve does not agree with your shape, the most typical thing that happens is that you get the back crotch curve where it should be sitting by adjusting along the waistline... but the front crotch is too low. When you try to pull it up higher from the waistline, the drape of the back leg gets messed up. I've figured out how to raise the front crotch into place without hauling up the entire front leg at the waist to get it there! Check this out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WflHfYM3jcs.html Thanks for fitting along with me
Thanks for this wisdom! Which approach to balance line do you recommend for identifying where to add or reduce for sitting ease? Especially for low full bum adjustment with full inner thighs. There are many possible directions for adding ease so the best choice of balance line will help!
:) Here's a tutorial to help you with sitting room! ...and I totally agree, balance lines will help you see where you need more length :) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-M9hrYtz6Gow.html Thanks for fitting along with me
You are so generous with your knowledge and experience, Jen! Thank you for all the time you take to make and post your videos. They’re so very helpful!!
Jen, During an in person session on making pants, you pointed out to one of the students that she has a prominent or athletic thigh area. When you take a close look at her silhouette photos, you can see that her thigh is larger and more forward. We are attempting to make ponte knit pants, using the Parker Ponte pattern, from Style Arc. Her initial try has the pants shifting their side seam/balance lines to the back indicating that she needs more room to accomodate her larger thigh. Does the adjustment you showed in this video work for her issue? Or is there another one you recommend? Thank you, Jen.
Yes, this does work... but it sounds like you may need to adjust the front leg as well. Recently I was working with a pants fitting student who reported back that this adjustment worked better when she adjusted the front ...shifting the fabric toward the inseam because the fullness along her inner thigh was more forward. The adjustment to the front leg is limited by how long the front crotch point extends out. (You don't want to push the inseam out farther than the tip of the front crotch). I hope this helps, thanks for fitting along with me
