I can’t buy pants that fit well, but I have learned many lessons from sewing a million pants that fit kind of well. Perhaps, I have sewn slightly less than a million pants, but I have sewn a lot! I’m still on my journey to learn how to get an awesome fit on a pair of pants but I do have some sewing secrets to share. 

All month, I’ll be writing about my experiences sewing pants, sharing tips and showing off a few new ones, too! I’ve decided February is “For the Love of Pants” Month!

1.Pants are easy to sew, but hard to fit.

I bought a lot of pants patterns, but it took me a while to work up the courage to try. I should have tried sooner because pants and even jeans are not actually very difficult to sew! If you have a few years sewing experience, I think you could tackle pants and jeans making no problem. Plus there are many courses, sew-a-longs, You Tube tutorials and books out there to give you a boost along the way, now. 

While jeans aren’t difficult to sew, they do present other challenges. Pants can be tricky to fit.  Of course, this depends on your body-type, how the pattern was drafted and how picky you are about fit. I have actually sewed a lot more pants than are pictured here but some were real flops for my body-type. There was nothing wrong with the pattern itself. And I don’t count all the time spent sewing pants and jeans as wasted. 

For example, these Open Studio Shop Pants are stacked with fun detailed topstitching, pocket shapes, barrel legs and my all-time favourite fly and waistband construction methods. They still weren’t difficult to sew, even if the fit isn’t absolutely perfect. Remember that something can be easy and still take some time to sew.

2. Many of the pants you sew won’t fit, but keep making them. I learn something new Every. Single. Time.

In reality, I learn so much from each pattern in terms of techniques, how I like pants to fit, and what materials I like to use. For example, I pattern tested the Sloan Joggers by Made For Mermaids and this opportunity taught me something really important. I was asked not to modify the pattern except for length. I have not sewn a pants pattern without drastically changing the crotch curve in a long time.  

Here, I was not supposed to. I was a good tester and played by the rules. I only added an inch of height all around the hips to bring the rise up to my preferred waistline. Well, guess what? The crotch fit pretty well. 

Turns out I have been making big changes to the crotch curve when many times all I needed was to add height. Furthermore, I learned that my rise was a lot longer than most people my height needed and that I carry a lot of my “shortness” in my legs. When I later went to sew the Closet Core Onyx Pants, I knew this information and made adjustments accordingly. Wouldn’t you know? Those Onyx Pants fit me on the first shot like a glove!!! 

3. Stop being harder on the fit of me-made pants than store-bought pants. 

I’m trying to change my thinking process and move away from perfectionism. I bet you’ve worn store-bought pants that fit you worse than some of the pants you made. When we make pants, we are really looking for problems. The most helpful tool for me has been to take a video of myself moving around and walking in the pants from all angles, and not looking at it until a few days later. I find a lot more “fit issues” acceptable after a cool-down period.

4. Whether jogging pants, leggings, skinny jeans or wide-leg trousers, I have THE SAME fit issues!

However, some styles, like wide-leg pants are way more forgiving. What a time to be alive if you’re going to sew pants for the first time! Wide-legs are in and they are not nearly as difficult to fit! This is a great place to start. I suggest focusing on getting the front and back rise to the right height and enjoying your on-trend trousers. You can probably translate that knowledge of your rise to the next style you choose to sew. 

Take these Megan Nielsen Flint Pants. They fit a little snug in the back rise but otherwise the fit is alright and totally wearable. Come back Monday to read all about the lessons I learned making these and two other pairs of “jeans”.

5. Pants making is a long game for some people… like me! 

I like to take breaks and time to reflect so I can improve my next pair. Sometimes I don’t go past the muslin stage and that’s okay.  Sometimes I let my pants sit for a minute so I can come back with fresh eyes and a kinder heart. One day, I’m going to get there. I get closer every time I try.

6. Since I’m shorter, and fat, I need to make SUPER drastic pattern and fit adjustments sometimes.

Compared to what conventional fitting resources suggest, I need much more dramatic changes when I make adjustments to a pattern.  Many books suggest starting with a quarter inch. That is a joke for me.  A quarter inch  isn’t going to cut it. And that’s okay! Experiment until you find what you need to do and be aware of how your body might be different than what a resource was written for.

7. Just make the muslin. 

Suck it up. Make a muslin of the pants you want to make and do it in a very similar fabric, ideally the same, as your intended final garment fabric. You’re not saving any time unless you have excellent pants luck.  If you do, I envy you.

8. Traditional pants fitting resources are not body positive or body neutral. 

Some of the names of fitting adjustments might sound a bit harsh and judgemental: flat butt, round pubis, full belly… the list goes on, trust me, I have a “dowagers hump” when it comes to fitting tops. Just ignore those names because they mean your body is just different from how the pattern is drafted. The adjustments you need have no moral value.

Traditional fit adjustments ask you to “read the lines” to see what adjustments you might need. Come back Thursday for some of my favourite pants fitting resources.

Top Down, Center Out

But hold on, there is a new method in town! This year I also tried the Top Down, Center Out method developed by Ruth Collins and one of the biggest advantages of it to me is that there are no judgmental labels put on your body parts. It is a totally different approach in many ways and I still need more time to play with it. I am not sure if I am in love with the actual method, yet, as it is so different from how I first learned to fit. I find it a little bit cumbersome to execute without help from someone else and a little bit exhausting in the preparation and decision making department. However, I think it opens up a lot of new avenues, including a more body neutral future for pants fitting. It is an exciting time in the sewing world!

9. Trying a lot of pattern companies is really helpful. 

Do you need a really rounded hip curve? Love Notions might be for you! (In my experience.) Do you need a straighter hip curve? Closet Core might be for you. (In my experience.) Not sure? Try out a lot of different companies until you find the shape that works.  I am at the point where I look at a pattern and can tell if I am going to have to change certain lines on a pattern to get it to fit me. The A0 or copy shop pattern files are really helpful for this because you can zoom out and see the shapes of the pattern. Keep making pants until you know which shapes suit you, too. Eventually you will find a company with a block that is a relatively good fit for your body. Notwithstanding, always expect that some adjustments will be needed.

10. I probably need some wrinkles so I can sit in and move comfortably in my pants.

You can fit a pair of pants so well that you won’t be able to sit without straining or busting the seams. Fitting pants is a game of give and take.  How much comfort are you willing to trade for less fold-lines? Be real with yourself and expect some lines in your garment.

Come back next week for a write up on 3 jeans that I sewed and learned a lot from. I will also post a list of my favourite pants fitting resources and some I haven’t tried yet, but find very interesting. And for the love of pants, enjoy your sewing journey!