Remember these? (Please ignore my deathly sick look...)
Well, they just happen to be pants made for a stretch woven. Sure, they're the jeans version of leggings, but note that I made those with denim that barely stretched. I mean, it doesn't stretch at all which is why I haven't been wearing them lately...
For kicks, I took out the pattern. Egad, that seems almost "sloper comparison-esque".
Here's what my altered version it looks like:
Seems that I had to a) lengthen the denim leggings at the hem but I didn't shorten them in the rise tremendously much and - note this with interest! - I actually raised the waist-line twice to get them to sit at my real waist.
And here are the relevant pieces of the Claudia pattern overlaid:
Fascinating, yes?
There's not a tremendous amount of difference between these curves. Sure, there's the need for refinement in length and depth - and the first try might not work perfectly - but I am starting to see how this pattern is not cut for an Amazon.
This bonus photo shows that the length of the Claudia pant is about 0.5" longer than the denim leggings sloper, but that's before any refinements...
So that's where I'm at right now. Strangely grateful for a sloper of sorts, to potentially have saved me from slicing and dicing the Claudia (I traced it! It wouldn't have been a disaster!) in accordance with a loose-fit pants sloper designed for wovens.
Whatcha think?
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I think is amazing that any of us *ever* find clothes that ft, regardless of whether we sew or not! I've had this experience many times and it never ceases to astonish how different my body is from the patterns I use. It also makes me assume that professional drafters (people like Kathleen Fasenella) really do employ a knowledge base of ways to draft a pattern to fit the largest number of people and these subtle techniques (such as the J vs. L shaped crotch curve, one of the few that is well documented) never make it into the vast array of home sewing patterns, aside from a few exceptions such as Style Arc and Kwik Sew who are known for their RTW drafting.
ReplyDeleteI know. It's actually shocking. I mean, when we can't even find patterns to fit, what's the hope of actual RTW fitting?? Just went back and read Ann's post on the J vs L - I must have read it before but it didn't stick.
DeleteApparently, the J curve works better with closer fit, stretch fabrics...
I'm definitely on the L end of the spectrum with the woven pants. Vogue doesn't use the L, only the J. So it's hilarious that I managed to figure out - with a Vogue pattern that has become my woven, loose-fit sloper - that I needed the mother of all Ls!
Wow. Scratch my comment on your last post. I need to talk to you before I dive into the Elle pattern, which I'm planning to work on in April.
ReplyDeleteI must have been replying to your last comment as you left this one :-) Isn't it bizarre. I almost can't accept it but the math doesn't lie. I mean, I've made and worn those denim leggings often - and I think they could sit a little HIGHER on my real waist.
DeleteGood for you K! I can't wait to see how these turn out. I'm dying to make some leggings/jeggings. I own two RTW and I think I could get a better fit with my own version . . . Again, I'm dying to see the result!
ReplyDeleteWell, stay tuned Pam. :-)
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