adjusting a pants pattern

Be sure you remove the same amount from *both* inner-leg and outer-leg seam at the bottom. And since the leg front is usually a smidge smaller than the back, I would remove say 3/8" from the hem at each side of the front hem, and 5/8" each side on the back hem, if I wanted to remove a total of 2" (for instance) from the hem area. Smaller or lager amount according to how much you want to reduce the width. Mark what you want to remove, then use a yard stick to taper the line to match at the knee or slightly above. If you want a "stovepipe" look, taper to the low-hip.

Why bother? Once you have a perfect pattern it's easy to tweak it for different pockets, waist rise, etc. There really is not that much difference in pants patterns, IMHO.

Beverly

Hi Lisa,

There's no difficulty in what you suggest, I've done it to a pants pattern when the first pair came out like bags round my ankles!

All you need to do is decide how tight you would like them at the ankle, make sure you can get your foot through the proposed hole size, and then adjust your pattern accordingly from knee to ankle. Remember to take equal amounts off the in seam and outseam, and both back and front pattern pieces, and that should be it - don't forget seam allowances.

If you end up with a taper at the bottom, don't forget to mirror this into the hem, otherwise it all goes horrible when you try to hem the trousers.

Have fun! You can always ring the changes with this pants pattern as it is such a good fit, rather than buying other patterns...

Sarah

(Who needed Kate's help to get her pants pattern to fit properly!)

Threads has an article about it online, and the article has pictures, too:

lisa

Thanks, Sarah. I find pants-fitting so intimidating, and I'm always delighted when I get a pattern to fit!

lisa

Great information, Beverly. I guess I wasn't thinking straight as far as needing more pants patterns. I tend to get distracted by the sewing patterns in the books, and really, it's not the pattern I am drawn to but the fabric they're using in the photo, I think. You're right. Why buy more patterns? :-)

thanks for everyone's input! Lots of good information to digest.

lisa

I have made everything from jeans to tailored slacks to pull-on pants from one perfectly altered pattern. And since I know it fits, I don't have to re-invent the wheel each time. AND, I save money... ;-)

Beverly