Winter is lasting extra long this year. I was going to put off this project until autumn, but then I remembered I may want some warm baselayer joggers for fishing and camping this summer in the Uintas. So, a few months ago, I tested the Brassie Joggers with Browzwear. The fit was really close to perfect on the avatar. I needed to narrow the front and back grainline by 0.7 inches. Interestingly, as you will read below, I altered my version similarly.
Analyzing Style and Fit
The pattern doesn’t have official images, so I’m borrowing from one of the many pattern testers. The joggers have three different rises: low, medium, and high. Each rise option has 6 different leg lengths: shorts, long shorts, Capri, ankle length with cuffs, and two different ankle lengths with no cuff (30″ and 32″ inseam). All leg variations have a tapered leg. In addition, the pattern includes two types of side pockets: a curved pocket or a zippered pocket. The waistband is a straight elastic band, but the center front is significantly lower than the center back, which gives the waistband a curved look.
In terms of fit, the joggers obviously have a fitted waistband. The back torso and hips will be contoured but not tight. Depending on the body, the front torso will be anywhere from relaxed to skimming the body. The vertical ease is minimal on these joggers, and the bottom of the crotch curve should fit near the body. The pant legs are relaxed from the hips to the knees. However, the legs from the knee to the ankles are slim and tight.
Materials and Notions
I used Polartec® Power Grid™ 9110 OR for my joggers, purchased from Ripstop by the Roll. This fabric can be found on garments like Patagonia R1® Fleece, Mountain Hardwear Polartec® Power Grid™, and Burton [ak] Helium Power Grid™. For my zippers, I used YKK #3 7-inch nylon coil non-separating zippers from Wawak.com.
Determining my Size
Body Measurements
| Size | Waist | Hip | Mid Thigh | Calf |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | 22-23 | 32-33 | 17.75-19.5 | 11.5-12.5 |
| C | 24-25 | 34-35 | 18.25-20 | 12-13.375 |
| D | 26-27 | 35-36 | 18-75-20.5 | 12.75-14 |
| E | 28-29 | 37-38 | 19.5-21.25 | 13.25-14.5 |
| F | 30-31 | 39-40 | 20.25-22 | 13.75-15 |
| G | 32-34 | 41-43 | 21-22.75 | 14.25-15.5 |
| H | 35-37 | 43-45 | 22-23.75 | 15-16.25 |
| I | 38-41 | 45-47 | 23.5-25.25 | 16.25-17.75 |
| J | 42-45 | 48-51 | 25-27 | 17.5-19 |
| K | 46-49 | 51-54 | 27-29 | 18.75-20.25 |
| L | 50-53 | 55-58 | 29-31 | 20-21.5 |
| M | 54-57 | 59-62 | 31-33 | 21.25-22.75 |
My current body measurements are a 36-inch waist, 44-inch hip, 24-inch mid-thigh, and 16.5-inch calf. However, if I account for my anterior tilting pelvis, my hip measures 46 inches. Therefore, I should make a size “I” based on my body measurements. The waist will have extra room, but that’s fine.
OH NO, THERE ARE NO FINAL GARMENT MEASUREMENTS
The pattern, unfortunately, does not come with a final garment table, so I used the Adobe Acrobat measurement tool to confirm some measurements.
For the waist, I measured the waistband. Not shown, I also decided later to measure the top of the pants to compare with the waistband circumference. For the hip, I tried to find the widest part of the hips, which is roughly level with the top of the crotch curve. The hip level changes for each size, so I’ve shown where I measured for the smallest size, “B,” and the largest size, “M.” All the other sizes are measured between these two levels. For the mid-thigh, I measured at the “Shorts” level. For the calf, I measured at the “Capri” level.
The waistband (“O”) has negative ease compared to the top of the pant pieces (“X”). If you are trying out this pattern and are on the upper end of the sizes, give yourself enough room for the waistband. You can always remove the length from the waistband piece. However, it is harder to add length; you’ll have a pieced-together waistband. The joggers are drafted to have more room than the recommended body measurements, but I think the waistband isn’t drafted well for the larger sizes.
I wasn’t sure where to take the hip measurement, so these pattern values are incredibly crude. Aside from the inaccurate measurements, the information I derive from this figure is that the final hip measurement of the pattern will be close to the suggested body size, and if you want more ease, just go up a size.
I am unsure why I see a deviation in fit across the sizes? I recommend adding extra material along the side seam if uncertain about the mid-thigh fit.
The calf will be tight across all sizes and gets tighter the larger the size. I noticed on my first muslin that the calf had negative ease, so I had to undo the stitches around this area to try on my joggers. It’s a sensory thing for me, but I hate joggers that bind to my calves.
Pattern Version
I am sewing the version with:
- High Rise
- Zippered pockets
- Long length (approximately 32-in inseam)
- No cuffs
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