I learned a lot between drafting pants for myself and drafting pants for Ryan. Specifically, I learned where the crease line should go at the crotch level in order to fit quadriceps. Fitting pants is more than just widths and lengths put together. Your unique body shape is important too. Continue reading to learn more!
Grain Lines
Lots of terms are thrown around when talking about drafting / altering pants. I’ve used the term “grain line” when referring to the center line down pants, which is parallel with the body and perpendicular to the floor. There’s been confusion with the use of the word grain line because, more generally, the grain line refers to the fibers’ direction in the fabric. Lengthwise grain lines are the fibers that run parallel with the selvage edge. Lengthwise grain line is also sometimes called straight grain. Crosswise grain lines are the fibers running parallel with the raw edge of the fabric. Instead of using the term grain line, to refer to the center of the pant, I will use the term “crease line”. If you were adding a crease to your pant this is exact where the crease would go, the center of your pant leg.
Crosswise Grain Lines
The measurements at the ankle, knee, crotch, hip, and waist are crosswise grain lines. These lines must be horizontal and parallel to the floor or level. There is definitely a learning curve when learning how to fit pants, and the only way I’ve learned is through mistakes. One of the major mistakes I use to make is yanking, pulling, stretching, and contorting fabric until the pants “look” like they fit. When you pull on the fabric and stretch fabric, you’ll move the fabric off the grain line. The pants will take on a mind of their own and start fitting oddly as you make adjustments since you are now trying to adjust pants on the bias. Keep cross grain lines parallel to the floor!
Lengthwise Grain Lines
Lengthwise grain lines, including the center crease line, should hang on the plumb. In other words, the lengthwise grain line on pants should hang straight up and down. Most of my fit issues deal with lengthwise grain lines. If the center crease line is off, the pants won’t be balanced, and the lengthwise grain lines won’t be plumb. The rest of the blog post is about getting the center crease line plumb.
A Note About Fitting
The looser you make your pant, whether testing a pattern with a muslin or toile or creating a basic pant block, the easier it will be to keep crosswise grain lines level and lengthwise grain lines plumb. The muslin should lay over the body smoothly without pulling. Everybody has warbles and lumps, and bumps and clothing should gently lay across the body and not be pulled tight. Tight fitting pants are not the way to try and disguise or hide your body. Love your body. Fit your clothes accordingly.
Loose-fitting pants should look just as flattering as skinny pants if everything is balanced and altered properly. Going from loose-fitting pants to tighter-fitting pants is rather easy too. You just take in the side seam below the upper thigh / crotch level and inseam without adjusting the center front or back or the crotch curve / length. Do yourself a favor and stop trying to adjust the fit on tight-fitting pants.
I’ve actually draped pants on myself. It’s an awkward acrobatic challenge when trying to drape the back pattern pieces, but maybe you have a friend or partner that can help? Wear leggings so you can pin / tape the muslin to that without having to go fully naked. It helps to draw the crosswise and lengthwise grain lines to ensure you keep everything level and plumb. Smooth fabric over the body and stop tugging and pulling!
Measurement Points
In my previous post, I describe the locations where I take measurements and how those locations map onto pattern pieces. I like to measure at the ankle, knee, top of the leg (AKA crotch), top of the crotch (AKA hip), and waistband level. I will quickly review the information about measuring at the ankle, knee, and hip. This blog post is mainly about the crotch level.
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