Pants

Climate Change Has Caught Up With My Wardrobe!

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I may not have written much but I’ve been making pants these past few weeks. Why, you might ask, with a closet full of summer and winter pants, I doubled down on making pants?

Well, the weather in Nova Scotia has been unending sunshine. We don’t get weather like this. The “normal” in NS is a day of sunshine sandwiched between two days of rain! If it’s one thing we can count on here is lots of rain, all summer long. Then September comes and we get our best weather into the middle/end of October. Sunny, if a bit cool, days wonderful for being outside. For six weeks, maybe seven, we get our best weather of the year.

Not this year. It rained for most of June, days on end, and then July came and the sun came out and it stayed. In fact the weather has been so dry it’s been considered a drought! Wells have gone dry. Activity in the woods has been banned. We’re conserving water because the water level in the watershed lakes is extremely low.

The outcome of all of this is, after Labour Day when that one “fall’ day would normally arrive and I’d change over to winter clothes, that day hasn’t yet happened. I realized I needed a couple pair of fall coloured, if somewhat light in weight, pants to wear in this shoulder season that we never have! Something a bit heavier than the summer cotton pants and lighter than my fall corduroy or denim pants/jeans.

In addition, Sally at Sew With Vision asked if I’d do a class on making a basic pair of pants. I’d agreed. So I dug out my Japanese Monpei instructions and took a look at them. Monpei are constructed using 4 rectangles based on hip measurement for width and from waist to a smidge above the floor for length.

To create a crotch, the traditional Monpei uses a gusset based on two crotch triangles. I wanted the crotch to be incorporated into the front and back of the pants. So I decided to draft a pattern first.

I started by drawing two rectangles – one for the front, one for the back. I marked the vertical centre line (to use as the grain line), and drew in the horizontal crotch depth (including ease and seam allowances at waist and crotch).

I shaped the crotch using the measurements suggested for the gusset and drew the appropriate triangle to the front and the back along one side at the crotch depth. (In the Monpei instructions, the gusset triangles are cut from the top edge of the rectangle and repositioned at the appropriate depth along one side – the centre front/back seam.

In my drafting the centre front edge remained straight (because I need to be able to pull the pants over my hips and my waist and hip measurements are almost the same). I used a French curve both front and back to round out the crotch shape.

Then I shortened the centre front crotch length by 1″ and rounded the “waist” with the French curve, because my front crotch length is shorter in the front than the back.

I drafted pieces for a pocket to be placed on top and incorporated into the waistband and side seam (pants without pockets are useless!), and a pocket facing. Finally I created waistband facings.

Because the Monpei gives me a rather nicely fitting pair of pants I decided to go ahead with the basic design without comparing my drafting to any of the several pull on pants patterns in my pattern stash.

Using a Polyester/rayon knit fabric, I ended up with these:

Although you can’t see them, the front pockets are there.

I made two pair of denim pants using the same basic construction but added a fish-eye dart down the centre back and shaped the side seam to narrow the legs a bit. I also added a back pocket to conceal the top of the fish-eye dart.

Then I tackled pants for Sally!

First I made a muslin from the Monpei pattern I drafted using Sally’s measurements (no pockets – although I added the waistband facing elastic, and hemmed the legs so I could gauge the fit). The crotch depth worked well, but the legs were a bit short. Next I made the pants for Sally adjusting the leg length and adding pockets.

The plan is to display the Monpei/pants in the shop so people have an idea of what they’d be making when they registered for the class. (I have a hunch Sally is intending to wear them!)

So I’ve been sewing, just not writing about it.

The AI Bot

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I’ve just had what I think was my first encounter with a customer service AI Bot! I’ve dealt with AI Chat Bots when I’ve contacted customer service and that little “Chat” pop-up shows up at the bottom or side of my screen. I always ask to talk to a “human” – that usually gets me to an actual person. But this “chat” was different.

I was reading an article by a young Canadian woman – an influencer – who was discussing being able to buy Canadian-made clothing instead of garments made in the US, and she gave several links to companies which she disclosed would pay her a small amount if we clicked on them.

I wasn’t concerned about the fact that she was a paid influencer – I was curious to see the made-in-Canada pants she was describing. So I clicked on her link and got to the page where I saw them:

Obviously made in a soft “micromodal” fabric (some bamboo in the rib knit (the cuffs), some fullness at the top, tapered legs, comfortable fit at the natural waist.

Interesting – I checked out the size info – I’m interested in whether it’s remotely possible that I can fit my size XXL waist and size S bum in a single pair of pants. At the bottom of the size info page is a “contact us” link so I click on it. In the message box I wrote:

How do I pick a size when my waist is XXL and my hip is S?

Here’s the answer I got:

Thank you for reaching out! I understand it can be a bit tricky when your measurements vary like that. We recommend checking out our general size chart, which you can view here: (a link to the size guide info pop-up).

If you’re still in doubt, please feel free to reply with your complete measurements (bust, waist, and hips) for the specific garment you are interested in, and we’d be happy to check with our production team to help you find the best size.

Looking forward to helping you feel confidently comfortable in your (company name) pieces 😊

Could be a person, could be an AI Bot. I carry on.

My bust is large: 38” – 40”; My waist is xxl: 35” – 37”; My hip is small: 38” – 40”
I was looking at the dressy sweatpant (and gave the link to the pants)

I get a reply back – too fast for it to have been from a person, who would have needed to have taken time first to read my note, then write the response (or to find one of the stock replies – which this is):

Thanks for sharing your measurements! Based on the information provided, I would recommend trying the Dressy Sweatpant in size XXL to ensure a comfortable fit around the waist. The design should accommodate your bust and hips comfortably as well.

If you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out!

Now it’s confirmed I’m dealing with an AI Bot – it’s the “design should accommodate your bust and hips comfortably as well.” My bust has no relevance to the fit of a pair of pants! A person would not have made that comment.

I reach out one more time – curious what the AI Bot will reply:

And what do I do with all that excess fabric in the bum?

I loved the response that followed:

I understand that extra fabric in certain areas can be a bit frustrating. Our pieces are crafted to feel both comfortable and stylish, but I understand everyone’s body is unique. If you’re finding that the fit isn’t exactly right for you in the bum area, you might consider having the garment adjusted by a trusted tailor. They could help modify the fit to achieve the look and comfort you’re after, ensuring that all the right areas flatter you perfectly.

If there’s anything else I can help with, just let me know 😊

I knew before I started the conversation that I can’t buy pants that fit from this manufacturer. I can’t buy pants from any manufacturer which is why I’ve made my own for almost 50 years! At that point I stop.

But I get one more note from the company asking me to rate my conversation. I answer:

The AI Bot was a bit dumb! Didn’t understand a bust measurement was of no use in fitting pants! And completely unsympathetic with my problem – large waist and small bum!

Oh well – I won’t be buying the pants although I’ll look for a similar pattern and adjust it to fit my size. Your pants just won’t fit!

And I get one final note – this time it may be from an actual human – it’s signed (which none of the earlier responses were).

I’m really sorry to hear that you felt the fit of our pants wasn’t right for you and that our initial advice didn’t address your concerns appropriately. I truly understand how challenging it can be when your body measurements don’t seem to match a single size – and I regret that our sizing guidance didn’t provide the clarity and sympathy you were looking for.

Your feedback is very important, and I will make sure it’s passed along so that we can work on improving how we assist with these unique proportions in the future. I hope that when you’re ready to explore more options, we can help you find something that feels just right.

Thank you for giving us a chance, and please know we’re here if you ever need anything else 😊

With gratitude,
Carolina

So while a person may have actually read and responded to me this last time, it still feels like a stock answer.

That’s the end of the conversation – time for me to delete it all and forget about it.

I just thought to myself “this is what we’re going to be facing more and more – bland, generic, responses to our questions when we’re looking for customer service. Much cheaper to program some AI Bot than paying a person to actually interact with customers.”

Too bad I’m not buying anything from Lands End (I’m not buying anything from any US company, if I can help it) – I always call them rather than order online because their operators are so chatty and interesting. You can have a real conversation about where they live, what the weather is like there, how long they’ve been working for Lands End. I’ve made a friend by the time my order is completed. Feels satisfying.

This AI Bot? No way!

Burgundy Pants / Black & White Top

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I’ve finished garment making for now. I just completed (maybe – more about that in a moment) a black and white Ebony T-Shirt top. I took out some of the flare (I could take out more – might do that if I make another one) and widened the sleeves, dropped the arm hole a small amount to relax the sleeves – it worked. Although I lengthened the 3/4 sleeves, I didn’t lengthen them enough! I’m not doing anything about that right now (I have enough fabric to add cuffs, for example) – I’ll wear it a couple of times before deciding whether to change the sleeve length or not.

Black/White Flared Top

I like the weight of the fabric, a knit, but with more heft than a t-shirt fabric. I have no idea how well it will wear – I have a hunch I will be dealing with pilling. It wasn’t a cheap fabric (even though it’s a synthetic without any natural fibre in it) so I won’t be surprised if I have to shave it after wearing it; whereas the fabric in the burgundy top has a slightly polished surface and it shouldn’t pill at all.

No doubt about it, the quality of fabric, even “good” fabric, is not the same as say 25 years ago. The integrity of the weave, the stability of the fibres, have deteriorated. When I make or buy something I want it to last a good while. I hate garments that make it through one season and then look shabby and need to be thrown out.

I finished the burgundy corduroy pants last week. I adjusted the crotch depth (I removed 3/4″ from the back panel which seems to have eliminated the fold that occured on the teal pants).

Burgundy Pants
Teal Pants

The reality is, even if I’ve made the pattern before (sometimes many times), each new garment is still a muslin! There are always adjustments to be made. The fabrics hang a wee bit differently. There’s more or less stretch in one fabric which changes the fit. Good thing what draws me to making clothes for myself is the challenge each new garment offers!

Yesterday and Today

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Dark Teal Corduroy Pants/Jeans
Closet Case – Ebony T-Shirt/Dress

I’ve been busy sewing. Yesterday made this pair of corduroy pants/jeans (which I’ve been wearing all day – they’re very comfortable with a waist that’s large enough but just snug enough with the help of a bit of elastic in the back, they aren’t pulling down which means the crotch depth is good). As you an see I used a fly front which let me shape the sides just a bit (can’t shape them much because I don’t have hips and my waist is almost the same measurement as my hips). I no longer bother with inside pockets – the top pockets work just as well and look OK. There are also two back jeans pockets and as always, the dart down the centre back to give the legs/bum a bit of shape.

Back View

There’s a jeans back yoke to shape the top hip area which works quite well. There is still some bagginess just below the bum which I suspect I could get rid of if I brought in the back crotch about an inch – I’m not going to do that on these pants. The fullness doesn’t show when I wear a tunic length top. However, I will try that with the next pair – a dark maroon to go with the Ebony T-shirt.

Today, I cut out and zipped up the flowing tunic top. Simple to make – stitch the shoulders, add the neck facing, sew in the sleeves, stitch the underarm and side seams, finally hem sleeves and bottom. Two-three hours work. I lengthened the tunic by 2″ adding an extra 1 1/2″ to the front. In previous iterations of the tunic I found it tended to hang shorter in the front than the back – this time I have managed to even it up.

I love having a dedicated coverstitch machine – it makes hemming garments (and other projects) a snap. That precise double row of stitching which covers the hem edge on the inside gives the garment that commercial finished look and it’s so easy to do. My advice to people who do a reasonable amount of garment sewing is to buy a good mechanical serger without a lot of bells and whistles, and invest in a separate coverstitch machine as well, rather than an expensive serger with coverstitch which takes an annoying amount of time to convert from serging to coverstitch and back again! The two machines will likelky cost lest than that fancy serger. My covertitch machine just needs threading (which is very simple) and it’s always ready to go.

Tomorrow I will cut out the magenta corduroy pants and get those whipped together over the next few days.

The Latest Iteration

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Here is the latest pants iteration – pull-on pants in a rayon batik I bought in Bali in 2014!

I redrafted the pattern again – adding 1/2″ to each side seam (front and back) which has given me a bit more room to sit down in. The crotch is also a bit wider in the back and extends closer to the knee which gives me slightly more fullness on the inner thigh which is helping the fabric fall straight from my bum and the inseam hang correctly.

I had intended to create a fly front on these pants but this fabric is soft and drapey so I folded the fly addition back and cut along the centre seam to make a straight front seam. I did want to shape the sides a bit but the waist on pull-on pants has to be as wide as the hips, so an elastic waist it is.

I made more work for myself with these pants – I basted the four panels together so I could try them on and assess the fit. I set up the waistband, then fit the pants to the waistband and it seemed I was probably close to the fit I wanted. Then I took apart the side seams so I could properly add the front and back pockets to the flat panels, basted them back together, and finally serged everything – in the order I would normally use for constructing pants. Just took longer.

Next time I’m not going to need to do the basting – this pattern is pretty close. For winter pants I am going to want the back to be shaped under the bum somewhat so the back dart will return, as will a fly front opening (which will allow me to taper the sides at the top).

I have to say, after all these years chasing a pattern and strategies for making pants that fit – I think starting with the straight monpei rectangles, building in the crotch triangles, adding a waistband, has got me closer than anything I’ve done before. I no longer have a “shapely” body – I’m straight, and flat, and dumpy! The peasant pants, based on two rectangles, gives me pant shapes on the grain of the fabric, with enough fabric where I need it and that hang straight from the fullness of my bum (given what little of it that I have).

I’ve actually learned more about making pants, particularly pants for myself, from this series of experiments, than I have for the past 30 years. I’ve drafted a pant sloper in the past, but the part that was missing, that I didn’t see, was pants are based on two rectangles based on a hip measurement and garment length from waist to hem (with seam allowances and hem added)! By adding a crotch based on the crotch depth measurement to one side of the rectangle, you get the curved shape around the hips, bum, and between the legs you need. You can add further shaping, if necessary, by removing fabric from beneath the bum with a dart down the back of the leg. You can remove fabric from the centre back and the top of the side seams if you have to to accommodate a curvy body shape. But you start with your hip measurement and crotch depth, which sets you up to draft the rectangular shapes that are the basis of the garment! Didn’t know that before.

My next attempt will be in corduroy (which has a small amount of stretch) – for fall.

Monpei – Revisited

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The Start Of A Drafted Pattern

I decided to take the Monpei idea further and create a “pants” pattern from it – two rectangles – one each for the leg front and leg back. Instead of the triangular gusset I grafted the crotch triangles onto the rectangles (10 1/2″ x 40″), curved the crotch additions using a French curve, raised the centre back by 1″, took the centre back in by 1 1/4″. I also added “jeans” pockets. The waist I finished with a facing and elastic at the top.

At some point in the past I had bought this Sandwashed Cupro Blend fabric online from Blackbird Fabrics.

Cupro is a ‘regenerated cellulose’ fabric made from cotton waste. It is made using the teeny tiny silky cotton fibres, known as linter, that stick out of the cottonseed and are too small to spin. The linter is dissolved into a cuprammonium solution, which is a mixture of copper and ammonium, dropped into caustic soda, then spun into fibre. Much like Tencel and Modal, cupro is a plant-based material that is chemically processed to produce the resulting fabric.

Cupro is said to have all the positive qualities of silk: it’s silky-smooth and drapes just like the luxurious material. 

https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-cupro-fabric/
Top Tucked In

Not the most flattering photo but I wanted to show more of the top of the pants and how they fit – I tucked in the t-Shirt. The pants fit rather well both front and back.

Front
Side
Back

The finished pants hang/drape quite well – no pulling at the front crotch, the side seam is straight, the back hangs nicely from the bum. I purposely hadn’t pressed the centre front/centre back to allow the drapey fabric to fall where it wanted. However, it turns out there is absolutely no give to the cupro fabric so when I sat in the pants they pulled tightly across my lap and wrinkled a lot.

This is, after all, just another experiment – I’ve ended up with a wearable muslin (although I can only wear the pants one day then they have to be washed – pressing alone doesn’t eliminate the wrinkles).

So how do I change the pattern to reduce that amount of wrinkling? Obviously by adding a bit of fabric across the front. That’s what I plan on doing next – I will add 3/4″ to the body portion of each side seam, along with a fly front as well as shaping the side seams so the top fits without elastic (although I may still want/need elastic in the back).

I’ve already pulled from my stash a piece of rayon I bought in Bali in 2014. It’s another drapey fabric which should result in a comfortable loose-ish garment. What I’m aiming to accomplish is a reasonable fit so I can make corduroy and wool (yes I have several gorgeous lengths of flannel I bought at Britex in San Francisco in 2015!) pants for winter.

On to the next experiment.

Monpei Finished

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Just finished the pants. Simple to make, and I can tell these are going to be VERY comfortable!

I was careful to make the crotch gusset long enough that the inseam is straight. The pants are cut from two rectangles; two triangles (which become the crotch gusset) are cut from the top/sides – I couldn’t do that because my waist is the same as my hips. So I cut the two rectangles (leaving them as is) – I merged the front and back leg into a single panel – so no side seam – but making sure the centre of the panel was on the straight of the grain. I also merged the two crotch triangles into a single long triangle with the vertical of the triangle on the straight of grain so I end up attaching a single gusset, rather than two triangles (a narrow one on the front inseam and a wider one on the back). The widest part of the gusset triangle is positioned at the crotch depth position in my case 12″ at the back/11″ at the front. [Click here for full instructions on how to make a montpei. (Click here for the original instructions.)]

When I tried on the basted panels (with crotch gusset sewn in) I could tell the centre back was going to be too short (I could have adjusted it by dropping the crotch gusset but instead I added a back yoke (2″ at the centre back grading out to the sides); I left the front crotch depth as it was. (I also took in the waist 2″ at the centre back – I didn’t need the extra fabric to pull the pants on.)

Because I wanted to add front pockets to the top of the panels I added them at this point; however they should have been sewn on while the panels were flat – to stitch them I measured 3 1/2″ from the centre crotch line marked it with a Frixion pen, turned the pants inside out so I could stitch the pockets with the panel “relatively” flat. Because the monpei have no side seam, I stitched down the side that would have been included in a side seam.

I created a facing for the waistband, attached it, strung elastic through the sleeve that created. I finished by top stitching the doubled over hem.

Done.

Here are the pants with my shirt tucked in so you can see how the top fits and the pocket detail which is hidden when the top is on the outside.

Although these pants have an unfitted straight leg, they fall nicely from my bum. The wider leg is easier to sit in, and the hip, while snug, is plenty wide enough to permit bending over.

BTW, I finally figured out how to get a reasonable photo of myself – I have a tripod which I set up so I didn’t have to focus the camera on my phone, I just had to press the shutter button on my watch – letting the camera remain focused and steady! (Duh… Don’t know why I didn’t occur to me to use the tripod before. Makes getting side and back pictures much easier!)

Because these montpei fit so well, I’m going to take the time to draft a sloper with the two crotch gusset triangles integrated into the inseam thereby eliminating the gusset (as they are on a regular pants pattern). I will adjust the centre back taking it in at the waist and extending the back crotch depth. My inseam seems to be about 26″ in these pants. I will set leg length at 26″ + 1″ for the hem. I’m curious to see how these would turn out in something like a light weight corduroy.

The finished fit is definitely the best I’ve encountered so far! This may be the starting point for any pants I want to make for fall!

On Fitting Pants

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Donna DeCourcy wrote me today

“I look forward to your progress on pant fitting. Currently, I make all my own clothes and am frustrated by pants. I enjoy your blog immensely and finally changed my password and made the roundabout route to get back to finally making and leaving a comment!”

I answered her:

  • jmn Donna, pants fitting and making is difficult and frustrating because you’re working from a flat piece of paper and you’re trying to create a garment that is curvy in a number of different locations that are different on every body, and your body changes constantly!
  • You can’t count on a pattern you got to work once to work with a different fabric that has a different weight or a different amount of give (stretch). You can’t know for sure a pattern you made six months ago will fit you today! Unlike a top or a dress or a skirt which fits more loosely, pants (particularly today’s styles) fit closely, so there’s not much forgiveness in fitting – they fit and are comfortable, or they’re not and you start over again. 
  • I’ve been chasing patterns and ideas for fitting pants for at least 30 years! At the moment, the closest I’ve come to getting a pattern to work is “Top Down, Centre Out” which fits the waistband first, then drapes the pants pieces from that, making the adjustments in the toile/musin as you’re making the pants.
  • That’s why I just make “wearable muslins” (prepared to discard the project) because as far as I’m concerned each new pair of pants (from the same pattern) is still a work in progress, never a sure thing.

I added another comment later:

Monpei #2

This pair of pants is a Monpei: Here’s how I made them: https://jmncreativeendeavours.ca/2021/07/25/the-japanese-monpei/

You might want to give this idea a try. It’s surprising how well they hang on me! I’m about to make another pair from some Japanese katagami fabric I’ve had for a couple of years.

Ahead Of The Curve

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I’ve been making clothes for myself for decades. I stopped being able to buy pants that fit without alteration since my early 40s; hence my long-term quest for pants patterns and techniques for fitting pants that would yield me something that fit me. My top measurements are closer to a single size although for the past decade I’ve avoided fitted shirts, t-Shirts, etc. because my waist has slowly, but surely, increased and that affects how any top I might make will fit.

I was laughing a couple of weeks ago with MaryAnn (a sewing pal) about a FBA (Full Bust Adjustment), saying what I need more is a FTA (Full Tummy Adjustment). She got up, went into her sewing room and returned with a book:

Book Cover

Everything you want to know about fitting patterns is here and if your question isn’t answered in the book, it will be found in Jenny’s blog: Cashmerette Sewalongs + Tutorials. Her foray into garment making for largish women is very informative. Her learning to make garments for herself led her into pattern making for curvy women. She’s recently introduced pattern sizes from 0-16 (the original sizing was 12-32). These simple, generally unadorned garments are suitable as a place to start for anybody. She wants women to look good in their clothes and to feel somewhat stylish.

While the book explains the complete range of adjustments in great depth, Jenny starts by describing “grading” – how you use today’s multi-size patterns to fit the different parts of your body. My challenge is I’m right between her smaller sizes and the larger sizes. With a size 12 bust, a size 20 waist, a size 8 bum, I can’t actually work within a single size range. I’m about to write Jenny to ask her advice concerning which size range I should be working in. I’m guessing because I’m a smallish person she’ll recommend working in the 0-16 range and grading my waist beyond the pattern rather than working in the 12-32 range and grading beyond the pattern to fit my bum. I’m going to take the basic pants pattern from the back of the book and size it to fit me (it’s a 12-32 pattern) to see where I get with it. If I’m able to get a fitting muslin using a graded sloper based on this pattern, I’ll be able easily to design whatever features on want on my pants from there.

Let you know how I get on!

Denim Pants

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Trying to take photos of the pants I’m modelling is so difficult. Not great photos but adequate to show how the pants fit.

Front
Side
Back

I finished the denim pants (made from the same pattern drafting I used for the white linen ones this morning. This was a test run to see whether I could use the pattern sloper without making any further adjustments. I could. The nips in the waist I’d taken worked out fine. The length was good. The front fits in the crotch without pulling, the side seam is perpendicular to the floor, the back falls straights without being baggy. I can sit in them confortably. The back crease is really a seam incorporating a dart under the bum (which is now in the right place).

I did add elastic to the back yoke because when I sat down the back pulled down. With the elastic the pants seem to be staying in place.

I’ve ended with a cross between Jeans and Trousers – I’ve used a jeans pocket (not a slant or inseam pocket used for trousers), incorporated the back yoke used to fit jeans at the waist, a fly front for easy access; but I’ve added the back dart down the centre of the pants, a straight leg, with limited top stitching that’s de rigueur for jeans, finishing the hem with a single top stitching, giving me a simple look more like trousers.

With my fingers crossed, in a couple of months, I will use this sloper to make some corduroy pants for the fall. That will let me purge some of the winter pants in my closet; some of which have been fitted and refitted many times as the years pass and my shape changes. This fit should last into the fall.

Let you know how I get on!