Sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me and I end up down some really deep rabbit holes. This ended up being one of those big rabbit holes. The hole I jumped into was, “What actually constitutes a jogger pant”.
It has almost been a year since I dove into the theory behind center grainline placement and how that impacts the fit of pants. Most of my pants have been entirely self-drafted in the last year until I made the Fibre Mood Constance Overalls. There’s nothing like a well-drafted pattern to help teach you about style!
Fit vs. Style
There are two key aspects to clothes: fit and style. Within fit, I further separate to drape and size. The drape is the first issue I address with any new pattern. In part 2 of this series, I will go over these adjustments in more detail. But simply, here are the questions I ask myself:
- For shirts
- Does the shirt sit on my shoulder and not fall forwards or backward?
- Is the hemline even front to back?
- Does the shoulder seam follow the slope of my shoulders?
- For pants
- Is the center grainline placement correct at the knee, crotch, and hips?
- Do the pant legs swing inward or outward?
- Is the crotch point balanced front to back?
- Is the hemline parallel to the floor?
Once the drape is dealt with, next comes size. Are the pants too small/large anywhere?
The second aspect of clothes is style. This is actually a much broader category. For pants, there are so many different styles, such as: straight, skinny, boot-cut, flare, wide leg, baggy, pegged, stirrup, jeans, cargo, sailor, skorts, sweatpants, culottes, harem, palazzo, overalls, jumpsuit, etc. The style is about ease and shape of the pattern pieces, but drape and size must always be met first. I know how to draft pattern pieces to fit drape and size, but I have limited knowledge of drafting patterns with various styles. I learned a lot about style in the last year just making my Constance Overalls. I learned, even more, when I altered the Grasser leggings. I’ve drawn from these experiences that having a well-drafted pattern is a valuable instructional tool. I knew my self-drafted designs weren’t always right style-wise.
I’m updating Ryan’s jogger pattern that was loosely based off of True Bias Men’s Hudson pant pattern because it has been 3 years. I’ve learned a lot about fitting pants in 3 years. Although Ryan’s joggers are self-drafted, I wanted to compare his pattern to many other published designs to teach myself the jogger pant style. And this is how I find myself writing this post!
Patterns
Here’s a list of all the patterns included in this comparison guide:
Patterns not included, but were considered:
- Wardrobe by Me Rebel Sweat Pants: the cut look very similar to Grasser
- Peek-a-boo Jackson Joggers: there was limited information like inseam length and no line drawings
- Pattern for Pirates Papa Bear Joggers: I nearly got this pattern, but felt it was too similar to the Hudson
- Toby K Patterns Rogue River Joggers: too many extra design features that would be hard to incorporate into this comparison
- And countless patterns on Etsy from designers I’ve never heard of unfortunately
Pattern Information
Jalie has the most extensive size range (2T – GG) and the number of sizes within that range (28). Many of the patterns offer different styles: shorts, capris, and full-length, but Jalie only provides one length for their full-length jogger. Luckily, their one length would be considered “tall”. Grasser has the most length options, 8 total. Grasser pattern is available for multiple heights, and within each height, there are two length options. Green Style and Sinclair offer short, regular, and tall lengths to their pattern pieces. True Bias has the fewest size options, a relatively small size range, and only one full-length option drafted for someone 6’0″.
When I plot the hip measurements along with the sizes for each pattern, this really shows the size range and amount of grading. True Bias, Green Style, and Jalie for the most part have very consistent and even size grading. Grasser and Sinclair have a big gap between their bottom sizes and top sizes. Grasser grading jumps between RU 52 and RU 54. Sinclair has a big difference between US 42 and US 44.
Comparison Size and Method
For each of these patterns, I selected the size associated with a hip measurement of ~42 inches and choose the longest length possible:
- Grasser No191, size 56, height 188-194 cm, Version 1
- True Bias, 36
- Green Style, XL, 34″ x-long inseam
- Sinclair, 42/L, tall
- Jalie, AA
When aligning the patterns, I aligned them horizontally at the hip level. Quickly, the 5 horizontal levels from the bottom up are ankle, knee, crotch, hip, and waist. The crotch level is at the bottom of the crotch curve. The hip level is at the start or top of the crotch curve. Center grainline placement is based on the hip level and is measured as the distance from the center. The reason I aligned the patterns at the hip level is that the placement of that level is fixed on the body. The waistband and bottom of the crotch curve are not consistent and can change based upon style and preference. Besides being aligned at the hip level, the pattern is also aligned vertically at the ankle.
Self-Drafted Pattern
Here are some of the key features to Ryan’s pattern that determines how the pattern will drape:
- At the hip level, the front grainline is 5-½ inches away from the center and the back grainline is 4 inches away from the center.
- The center grainline is balanced at the ankle and knee for both the front and back pieces. In other words, there is the same length on either side of the center grainline at the ankle and knee.
- At the crotch level, the inside is longer than the outside to accommodate the shape of Ryan’s upper quadriceps.
Here are some style features:
- The front leg is 1 inch more narrow at the knee and ankle than the back pattern piece. This is a style feature I’ve learned makes a HUGE difference in how pants look.
- The waist should have little to no ease and extra ease is added to the hip and crotch level to make them roomy and comfortable to wear.
- The legs are tapered quite a bit, reduced by 3 inches from the knee to ankle. And for the most part, the taper should actually be pretty consistent from the crotch level to the ankle and not just from the knee to the ankle. In other words, you should be able to draw a straight line from the ankle to the crotch level instead of drawing one line from hip to knee and then another line from the knee to ankle.
Grasser No191
The size selected for comparison is 56, height 188-194 cm, and the length option is Version 1. Remember the two patterns are aligned horizontally at the hip level and vertically at the ankle.
What’s the same in terms of drape and size?
- The back grainline is 4 inches from the center.
- The back crotch width is longer on the inside than the outside.
- The center grainline is nearly balanced at the knee.
What’s different in terms of drape and size?
- The front grainline is 5 inches instead of 5-½ inches from the center.
- The front crotch level is the same, 6-¾ inches, and is not wider on the inside.
What are some of the style features?
- The rise (i.e., waistband placement) is nearly identical, with a little extra length added to center back.
- The crotch level is lower.
- There’s shaping applied to the leg, and it isn’t just a straight line from the crotch level to the ankle.
- There’s extra ease added to the back side seam from the waist down to the knee.
- The front leg is narrower than the back leg.
- At the knee is it 1-5/16 inches narrower.
- At the ankle is it 1 inch narrower.
- The front and back legs taper differently from the knee to the ankle.
- The front leg tapers 2-9/16 inches.
- The back leg tapers 2-7/8 inches, which is 5/16 inches more.
True Bias Men’s Hudson
The size selected for comparison is 36. Remember, there were no length options for the Hudson jogger.
What’s the same in terms of drape and size?
- The front and back crotch width is longer on the inside than the outside.
What’s different in terms of drape and size?
- The center grainline is placed too far away from the center for both the front and back pieces. The front grainline is 6 inches instead of 5-1/2 inches from the center, and the back grainline is 5-7/16 inches instead of 4 inches from the center.
- The center grainline is not centered at the knee. There’s an extra ⅝ inch on the front inside and an extra 1-⅛ inches on the back inside. This will significantly impact the drape and balance of the garment.
What are some of the style features?
- The rise is lower, especially the front rise.
- The crotch depth is nearly identical and doesn’t have a dropped crotch like the Grasser pattern.
- The back leg is tapered more from the crotch level to the knee and doesn’t form a straight line from the crotch to the ankle.
- There’s less ease overall and the joggers are going to be more fitted.
- The length is not long enough, but that’s expected. The Hudson joggers were drafted for someone 6’0″ and Ryan is 6’6″.
- The front leg is narrower than the back leg.
- At the knee is it 1-3/4 inches narrower.
- At the ankle is it 2-1/4 inch narrower.
- The front and back legs taper differently from the knee to the ankle.
- The front leg tapers 2-7/8 inches.
- The back leg tapers 3-3/8 inches, which is 1/2 inches more.
Green Style Iron
The size selected for comparison is XL with the 34″ x-long inseam.
What’s the same in terms of drape and size?
- Only the back crotch is wider on the inside, 9-¼ inches, than the outside, 7 inches.
What’s different in terms of drape and size?
- The center grainline is placed too close to the center on the front piece. The front grainline is 4-⅜ inches instead of 5-½ inches from the center.
- The center grainline is placed too far away from the center on the back piece. The back grainline is 5 inches instead of 4 inches from the center.
- The front crotch width is the same on the inside, 7 inches, and outside, 7 inches.
- The center grainline is not centered at the knee. There’s an extra ¾ inch on the front outside and an extra ¼ inches on the back outside. This will significantly impact the drape and balance of the garment. Remember that the Hudson had extra width on the inside. These have the extra width on the outside!
What are some of the style features?
- The rise overall is lower.
- The crotch depth is nearly identical.
- There’s less ease at the calf and some shaping/curvature.
- The length is nearly perfect.
- The front leg is narrower than the back leg.
- At the knee is it 1/8 inches narrower.
- At the ankle is it 3/4 inch narrower.
- The front and back legs taper differently from the knee to the ankle.
- The front leg tapers 2-3/4 inches.
- The back leg tapers 3-3/8 inches, which is 5/8 inches more.
Sinclair Lakeside
The size selected for comparison is 42/L with the tall inseam option.
What’s the same in terms of drape and size?
- The front and back crotch is wider on the inside than the outside.
- The center grainline is nearly perfect for the front piece. The front grainline is off only by 1/8 inches.
What’s different in terms of drape and size?
- The center grainline is placed too far away from the center on the back piece. The back grainline is 4-1/2 inches instead of 4 inches from the center.
- The center grainline is not centered at the knee. There’s an extra 9/16 inches (over 1/2 inch) on the front inside and an extra 3/8 inches on the back inside. The extra width on the inside is similar to the Hudson, but the amount is different. The front Hudson piece had 5/8 inches extra, which is slightly more than 9/16 inches. The back Hudson piece had 1-1/8 inches extra, which is a lot more than 3/8 inches.
What are some of the style features?
- The rise of the center back is the same, but the rise of the center front and hip is significantly lower.
- The crotch depth is higher.
- There appears to be more shaping from the crotch to the knee. The leg tapers quickly to the knee. The pattern looks more like leggings and less like joggers.
- There’s less ease throughout the leg for both the front and back pieces, giving a more fitted look.
- The length is perfect.
- The front leg is narrower than the back leg.
- At the knee is it 1-3/4 inches narrower.
- At the ankle is it 1-1/16 inch narrower.
- The front and back legs taper differently from the knee to the ankle.
- The front leg tapers 2-13/16 inches.
- The back leg tapers 2-1/8 inches, which is 11/16 inches less than the front. This is different than all the other patterns where the back leg tapers more than the front.
Jalie Henri
The size selected for comparison is AA. Remember, there were no length options for the Henri jogger.
What’s the same in terms of drape and size?
- The front and back crotch is wider on the inside than the outside.
- The grainline is center at the knee level!
What’s different in terms of drape and size?
- The center grainline is placed too close to the center on the front piece. The front grainline is 4-9/16 inches instead of 5-1/2 inches from the center.
- The center grainline is placed too far away from the center on the back piece. The back grainline is 5-1/2 inches instead of 4 inches from the center.
What are some of the style features?
- The rise is nearly the identical.
- The crotch depth is identical.
- There’s a little less ease overall.
- The legs taper in a straight line from the hip to the ankle just like my self-drafted pattern.
- Even though the pattern was drafted with one length, the length is perfect.
- The front leg is narrower than the back leg.
- At the knee is it 3/4 inches narrower.
- At the ankle is it 1-1/4 inch narrower.
- The front and back legs taper differently from the knee to the ankle.
- The front leg tapers 3 inches.
- The back leg tapers 3-1/2 inches, which is 1/2 inches more.
Summary
No pattern has the same grainline placement for the front or back pattern piece. For the front pattern piece, the distance from the center to the grainline ranges from 4-3/8 inches to 6 inches. For the back pattern piece, the distance from the center to the grainline ranges from 4 inches to 5-1/2 inches. The center grainline placement impacts how the entire garment drapes from your body, so it is essential to get the placement of this measurement correct for your body. Center grainline placement that is too wide will cause the pant legs to swing inwards, pull at the crotch area, and you’ll be tempted to pull up at the hips. Center grainline placement that is too narrow will cause the pant leg to swing outwards, cause the fabric to pool at the crotch, and you’ll be tempted to pull your pants up from the center.
When I drafted my joggers, I guessed how much I should taper the legs. I also guessed whether the taper should be the same for the front and back pattern pieces. I tapered by 3 inches for both the front and back pieces. All the patterns, except for Sinclair, tapered the back anywhere between 5/16 and 5/8 inches more than the front piece. The Sinclair pattern was the only pattern to taper the front more than the back. I’m not sure what conclusions to draw from this. The difference in tapering is so small that I’m inclined to think having the taper the same for Ryan’s pattern is OK. Ryan has larger than typical calf muscles and usually needs extra space anyways. Not tapering more on the back would give him room for his protruding calves.
Another way to analyze the taper is to measure the difference between the front and back width at the knee and ankle. There’s an extra inch at the knee and ankle for the back piece for my self-drafted pattern. All the patterns except for Green Style have more ease at the knee level (> 1 inch). I’m not sure why more than an inch is given to the back piece at the knee level. What particularly stands out is True Bias’ pattern with 2-¼ inches extra on the back piece compared to the front piece at the knee. That’s more than 2 standard deviations away!!
Final Thoughts
Before I make any general comments about the patterns, I will hold off until I write parts 2 and 3. For part 2, I’ll show you what alterations I have to make. The alterations fix the drape of the fabric only. Until next time!
HandmadePhD 
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