Trousers Toile Take 3

    

Do you like my fabric?

It's all I could find in the stash that I wasn't planning to use for anything.

Anyway on to the pattern making. As you can see I've made some changes and I hope this will be my final toile. My draft now sits just below my natural waist, which I think is much better proportioned for my shape. I have along torso and small waist compared with my hips. this can lead me to looking like I have short legs if the waistline is too low.

The side seam is true, I think there will always be a bit of excess fabric behind the knee as I have quite an extended calf. These still feel a bit snug on the thich and calf when I sit, which would lead me to allowing a few mm extra if making up in a non stretch fabric

The back is much better, I have added length to the CB seam and scooped fabric at the crotch seam to improve fit. there is still a bit of fabric under the butt so I've1.5 wedge now taken out here. I don't want to take too much as I need to be able to move in the trousers.

I now need to adjust my draft for design. I'm thinking that slant pickets on the front; welt pockets on the back; a front fly and curved waistband. I think this would be best in a stretch woven. They don't have anything I like at my local fabric shop.
I would like plain (exception for polka dot) and either red, navy or black for my first pair. I'm looking for a reasonably priced fabric as I know I may still need to make adjustments.

I don't often buy fabric online as I like to feel the fabric to assess handle, stretch and general feeliness!

Recommendations of good options for slim trousers gratefully accepted. 

Trousers Toile Take Two

So after the horror that was my first attempt at fitted trousers, I decided to draft my own. I used metric pattern cutting for women's wear by Aldrich.

I compared my measurements with the size charts. My hips are two sizes bigger than my waist. So I just used my own measurements rather than going from the chart. I used the instructions for the close fitting trousers and jeans (please excuse the foreshortenting on the photos, my legs are not this short).

The first attempt was better, but I'd sewn wrong sides together and ended up with some seams inside out. There were still some issues.

The fit at the front was better, but the sides at the hip were too big and the waist at the back was also too big. Not to mention the large amount of excess fabric in the back. Initially I pinched out a wedge under the butt, but decided to look at the crotch curve first.

I scooped out more room, both on the front and the back, using some trousers that fit me well as a template. The fit seems to be more comfortable.

You can see that there is still some fabric under the butt and the back waistband is too low.
You can also see that my calf is quite extended this is causing some of the issues in the back.
The waist is still a bit big, which means the front is slipping down a little, which doesn't help the front crotch line.

I pinned out the excess under the butt and folded this out of the pattern.

I also pinned out the vertical excess in the back thigh and transferred this to my pattern, keeping the calf at the original width.

I slimmed the side seams just a little and think I need to draft a curved waistband to accommodate the large difference between my hip and waist and my swayback.

You can see some of my adjustments here.  My draft is getting closer to the silhouette that I'm after, but I'm still not there yet. I think I need a pants fitting book to help with the fine tuning. Looking at getting 'Pants for real people', what do you think about this book?


Ready to make the next toile, think I might make a wide leg draft too - when I've got this one sorted.

Trouser troubles

 

Well Sewists. I need your help.

Sewing skirts and dresses is something I can do well, but pants (trousers) I have only sewn very lose culotte styles in the past. I am determined to get a slim fitting pant pattern that I can use as a base. I really liked the look of Burdastyle Magazine 02/2014 #129. (I sewed 38 at the waist to 40 at the hip and leg. I added 1.5cm SA, but ended up sewing the allowance at 1cm)

This is a pattern drafted for fabric with some stretch. I made my draft in a cotton twill with absoluetly no stretch at all. The muslin is almost identical in measurement to a pair of jeans I have that fit, but are snug. But Denim has a bit more give!

I'm certain if I had made these in a fabric with stretch they would be wearable, but I'd like a pattern that fits really well and I need your advice to help get the best draft from this starting point.

I'm sure there are those of you out there who sew trousers a lot and could offer some advice to help me adjust the pattern for non stretch fabric.

So, what are the issues? (those I can Identify)

Too tight in the lower thigh, just above my knee.

Too tight in the butt.

Too Tight over the calf.

Side seam pulling backwards and gaping pockets

I think there might be some Crotch issues as well, but some of those might resolve with the width issues.

Question is - do I just add at the side seams/ inseam? or do I need to do some slash and spread of the pattern - if so where?

I'd really appreciate it if you could offer any insight to help me resolve this.