Perfecting the Slack with Fit For Art Pants Pattern

That's my current goal, to perfect a slacks style pattern for everyday pants (which I do wear every day.)

I'm using the pattern from Fit for Art and have also signed up for the pants fitting class on Pattern Review with Sarah Veblen.

I started with my first muslin and picked wrong.  I used a size Medium with a back 1.  There are 3 backs per size, 1 is for flat buttucks, 2 is round, and 3 is more rounded.  You pick based on hips sizes and what you think/know your backside is shaped like.  Considering I always have fabric under the butt I assumed that meant flat, which is does for the most part, but not based on my size.

My hips and abdomen (not waist) both measured 42" at the time I measure.  

The first muslin was too, tight, so I went up to the back 2, and I still didn't have enough crotch depth. I drew out the back 3 for the medium and just looking at it knew it would be too big.

That's when I decided to sign up for the online class and watch all the videos.  I started to think maybe I needed the back 3 but for the size Small.

I posted my "hello" post on the class board and Sarah popped in immediately and suggested the Small pattern with the back 3.

This afternoon I drew that one out, added extra fabric for my waist area and went to work.  Below are my muslin shots (taken with a cell phone and two mirrors.)

I'm happy with the fit and this weekend hope to sew my first pair of pants which will basically be a wearable muslin to see how they fit.  Then it's just adjust as needed and keep perfecting the pattern.

Final Entry - Pattern Review Sewing Bee

Wowzer, was that ever a ride.  I really had fun working on my entries, and I'm also happy to be finished.  My final projects is this pair of pants using the new Lutterloh kit I received just a week ago. I can't wait to start another project using it.

Link to Picasa Web Album

Review on PR website

Lots of sewing lately....and pants for the contest

I really need to do a little posting, but what I think I'll do it just post photos of some of my latest projects, all of which will have reviews on Pattern Review.

These slacks have been submitted for the Pants contest this month.  I would be grateful for any votes.  I used the SureFit Designs pants kit.

I did a couple cardigans from the Silhouette Patterns Twin Set, and used the instructions from one of her webcasts recently.

I made some cute linen capris, also from SureFit designs and did embroidery on the leg.

Ralph's Pants #3600 ~ Silhouette Patterns

I'm a bit all over right now.  Basically experiencing sewing and fitting overload, not sure what I want to concentrate on.  I'll get back to that in a bit with some rambling...

I decided to today to work on a pattern I've owned for a few years but never sewed up.  It's Peggy Sager's Ralph's Pants #3600.  It's very similar to a pair of slacks that fits me pretty well.  I've been watching her webcasts and she talks a lot about the draft and it made me realize that for the most part, I can buy pants that fit (obviously not all fit, but I don't struggle with pants) so I thought I should try what I have already.

Here's the photo, a straight forward, lower waisted, curved waistband sort of pant style:

I made up my muslin based on the size 14 which is a 41" hip when seated.  I did attempt to measure my "so-called" best fitting pants, but I wasn't exactly sure where to measure, and they came out to 43" and I just know that's too big at the hip.  My hips aren't the problem, my waist is.

So here is my straight up size 14 muslin.  I believe I'm happy with the front, the back at the center crotch looks good.  A bit high at the center back, not sure if that's just the lighter-weight muslin or not.  I'm seeing dragline on the side photo, pointing right to my upper hip area, and the thigh is obviously too loose there.

I think maybe my best choice is dropping down a size, to the size 12, which should help in the thigh and rise (in the back), but I'll have to possibly delete the 2nd back dart.  Is that where that drag line is pointing to???

Or maybe I'll just start with pinching out a bit of fabric and seeing what I come up with.  The do appear to be hanging straight in the back, just a bit extra towards the outer thigh.

This is where fit gets a bit confusing.  I feel I'm close, the muslin felt amazingly good, and if I sewed it up as is they'd fit as well as any other pants I have.  So I know I'm close.

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I said I had a bit of a ramble....

I signed up for a bunch of Craftsy classes and am already going bonkers with fit issues.  When my sewing mojo came back I decided to do it right and really learn to fit.  But as I fit, I feel overwhelmed.  I don't like feeling like I'm over-fitting.  I'm not sure where the happy medium is.  I do know we all feel like this at times and learning to fit makes each of us feel deformed.  I know, I know....we're not deformed, but it is difficult, and things we'd never notice in RTW we pick apart in our own sewing.

So I am going to do my best not to get overwhelmed and work on it, but also work on finding patterns that work for me.