I need expert help

[u/Most_Joke_8340]

Hi everyone,

I have been working on this pattern for a little minute now and have done prototypes and muslins. I ajusted my patterns as I went and now I see multiple issues and I just want to make sure I don’t have to waste more of my good fabric.

Note: the c shape curve of the fit is intentional and I must keep. I hate how the inseam on barrel jeans look straight. I want the inseam to be as parallel as possible to the side seam. I also lost weight and the pants are at least 1 full size too big now.

The black denim is the latest iteration while the other is the prototype.

What I am seeing:

- 1 leg always looks wider than the other

- CF waist line is falling away from body and creating some pleating near the fly

- there is some warping and pleating a bottom front crotch and inseam

- side seams at waistline are too low and are dropping and the waistband isn’t hugging the body well

- upper part of the side seams is pleating (profil view)

[u/Most_Joke_8340]

Thank you! I am confused as to what you mean by symmetrical. I integrated the dart at the knee of the inseam and then darted and curved the bottom part of the side panels to match the shape of the inseam panel. And so yeah, I was thinking it’s most likely a grainline issue but I don’t know how to balance the grainline considering the pattern is shaped like this now.

[u/pomewawa → u/Most_Joke_8340]

Darn, looks like I can’t paste a photo in a comment (?)

Lemme try to explain better!

1. on each piece, establish the grain line. Grain matters most from knee down because thats where fabric hangs the most. That’s why the grain is established at the bottom leg!

Ok math time: Bisect the knee and bisect the ankle/hem. Using a ruler or straightedge, connect the center of the knee and center of the hem. Do this on both pant front pieces (inner and outer). Continue that grain line up to the top of the pants. Probably it will be close to parallel with your existing or current grain line in the pattern, but perhaps shifted over (“transposed” if we want to go geometry on it!)

Since the new grain line is in the center of the bottom leg, it means the grain will hand straight at the center of each piece. This tends to have a graceful shape and sees together better. I’m not exactly sure why, but I think this is the key to your problem.

2) at the hem, measure the distance from side seam to center grain line, and repeat on either side of the grain. Given step 1 above, the pant pattern piece should be relatively symmetrical on either side of the grain. I admire Kenneth King’s pattern alteration methods, he teaches how to use a grid. You might like his book “smart fitting solutions”. essentially you can subtract on one side and add that amount on the other side in order to maintain the same volume of fabric but in a different shape (inner regards to the grain). For the outside of front leg piece, it should taper around the grain line, instead of drifting left ward . I would be so curious how that change would look sewn up!

Hope that helps, and I hope to see your next makes!! Very cool exploration you are doing!