How to Make Pants:: Fitting the Muslin

Learning how to make pants is, shall we say, challenging. When I decided that I wanted to learn how to sew pants I knew I would also need to learn about fitting a pattern.

In my mind, I think that sewing with patterns is not hard. Just follow the directions and you will get there. It’s when you want to know how to fit a pattern that things get a little tricky.

Lucky for me I have a Craftsy class for that (see link on sidebar below). Also, the sewing pattern comes with very detailed instructions on how to fit problem areas.

I am all problem areas. Let’s see, I have a flat bottom that sags, a tummy that protrudes, a short waist, and short legs. Fortunately, the pattern (that comes with the Craftsy class) is designed in such a way that making these adjustments is fairly simple.

I ended up making two muslins. This is my second one. For my first real run an making pants I think this is pretty great. I attribute it more to the pattern than my skills.

Because this pattern has these seams down the front and back of the legs, fitting around my bum was a cinch. No more baggy seat. The Craftsy class also showed how to make adjustments to the crotch ~ something I’ve never been able to really grasp until now. I’m thinking that wedgies are going to be a thing of the past ~ oh happy day!

So, armed with a muslin that seems to fit pretty well, I now must transfer these changes to my pattern. They were relatively small changes here and there. Taking in the seat by reducing princess seam down the back of the pants by 1/2″  I was able to keep fabric where I needed it, and easily remove fabric where I didn’t need it.

I also raised up the top edge on the front of the pattern ~ probably something to do with a protruding belly. But, the muslin seems to hang nicely over the tummy. This adjustment had to be graded because I didn’t need the extra fabric on the sides. I’ll let you know how this translates onto fashion fabric.

With all of my adjustments made to the pattern, I then walked the pattern seams from the hem up to the waist. All this means is I matched up the seam lines and darts from the hem up to the waist. If the pattern didn’t meet, I would’ve made a few more adjustments ~ but, glory be, it was spot on! Don’t ask how this happened ~ I have no idea.

I’ve been working off and on with this pattern all week and I still have not purchased fabric. I want an inexpensive fabric, so I need to go to a store like Joann’s. I had a Joann’s really close by, but they are moving to a new location and are closed until the first weekend in February. That means either a 40 mile round trip to the next closest Joann’s or ordering something from Fabric.com. Either way, I won’t have any fabric for a few days.

Until one of these things occurs, I now have to put my pattern aside. It’s all nice and pressed so I don’t want to fold it and mess up any of my adjustments. To keep things tidy, I’m rolling my pattern up on an empty paper towel tube and setting everything on a shelf until I find a fabric for my project.

Hopefully, by Monday or Tuesday I’ll have some fabric and can make me some pants!