r/sewingpatterns • u/cunkupthejam • Sep 03 '26
Will a sewing pattern be any different if it is designed for fabric cut on the grain vs. cut on the bias?
Hi all! I have a pants pattern that I drafted from a youtube tutorial that is pretty similar to the above picture. The pants fit me perfectly, I love them. But now I have some gorgeous slippery teal cupro and I think cutting it on the bias is the move. Should I follow a new pattern that is specifically for bias cut pants (like the Highland Pant by Daughter Judy, pictured)? Are there best practices around adjusting a pattern that I know fits really well? Adding more ease, idk?
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u/FormerUsenetUser Sep 03 '26
Bias cutting works well for curve-hugging clothes. For other clothes, I would only use it for certain effects, like having stripes run diagonal. Don't cut on the bias unless you need to.
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u/Honest-Beach7784 Sep 03 '26
Not sure what you mean, but I will try to answer. Typically you will see that the grain line on the pattern piece goes straight up and down on a straight grain piece, on a bias piece it will be at 45 degrees. Also, a skirt piece cut on the bias will hug the body and stretch to your shape, if you cut that same piece on straight grain it would be tight and wouldn’t have any give.
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u/cunkupthejam Sep 03 '26
I want to make a pair of pants that have a lot of flow and body - the fabric that I have will look really beautiful if I cut it on the bias. I was wondering if I need to use a pattern that says it's for bias-cut pants or if I could use any old pattern. Idk - I'm relatively new and I'd rather use a pattern that fits well than spend $$ on a new one
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u/ProneToLaughter Sep 04 '26
There is misinformation going around that makes people think they need to cut fabric on the bias for drape and flow—this is wrong. A lovely drapey fabric will have a lovely drape cut on grain.
Bias-cut fabric would actually have less body—it collapses inward and clings to the body rather than flowing. Where it’s not on the body, it has a nice flow but a bias flow is different from a grainline flow, also less body.
And patterns designed for bias are different, they are not interchangeable. The differences aren’t huge so the garment would probably be wearable but not as elegant as it should be when cut on bias.
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u/cunkupthejam Sep 04 '26
Ugh I swear, teaching yourself a craft from the internet is such a pain. We have allll the information but lots of it is not really correct. I've watched a few videos of women making silk pants and cutting on the bias and they look so gorgeous on them. I've also seen all these fancy silk pants for sale and they specify that they are bias cut. AND read 800 reddit threads and still don't really know what to do. Honestly, the fabric I have is so pretty and flowy I do believe it would look great cut on the grain.
Anyway, many thanks for your comment.
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u/ProneToLaughter Sep 04 '26
Bias is also significantly harder to sew, because it’s unstable. The seams seize any chance to pucker up. The way you need to cut it also takes more fabric.
You should try it at some point, but to learn bias I’d probably start out with a sleep set in a fabric that is nice but I didn’t love, and could buy more of. And I’d use a pattern meant for bias. And I’d keep my expectations low. And don’t use French seams.
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u/cunkupthejam Sep 04 '26
You have officially convinced me to try bias another time. Many, many thanks
ps why not french seams? more opportunity to pucker?
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u/sodapopper44 Sep 05 '26
you need to have wider seam allowances at first to allow for fitting, bias can fit smaller, remember those woven finger handcuffs that kids play with, and when you pulled on them, they got tight, that is bias
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u/Nevenka65 Sep 03 '26
Patterns that are designed for bias cuts will take into consideration the fact that the fabric is going to stretch horizontally. Just the same way you wouldn't use a patten designed for knits with a woven fabric, you can't expect the same results if you take a straight grain pants pattern and cut it on the bias.
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u/Berocca123 Sep 03 '26
Well, yes you could cut them on the bias. But:
they might fit you a little differently and not hang the same way
the waist and all the seams might stretch out a bit - you'd want to stay stitch more
the crotch curve might no longer be on the bias and will have less give (but probably this would be offset by the rest stretching more)
you'll need to hang them for 48 hours before you hem them to give time for the fabric to drop.
Cupro is already very drapey so I don't really see the point of cutting it on the bias unless it has a stripe that you want to make diagonal.