Neuroscientist + Curious Mind + Passionate Maker
Over the past few years, I've been pretty unsuccessful in making myself a pair of hard slacks that I liked selecting styles that don't spark joy. The Cass Pants from Make by TFS? I do NOT like pleats on my body. Before that, self-drafted trousers with pleats. What was I thinking! Persephone? I do NOT... Continue Reading →
I'm writing this blog post because I want to feature a fellow maker doing some incredible work, and I don't want their efforts to get lost in any ol' blog post. I obviously have my own method and approach to fitting pants, and how I think about drape. The one aspect of pant fitting I... Continue Reading →
I've covered a lot about balancing pants from left to right, but I haven't talked about balancing pants from front to back. The purpose of this post is to talk about something I've not seen discussed, and that is about getting the crotch point location correct. I will show you how to find your crotch... Continue Reading →
Center grainline evenly bisects at knee level. I'm researching how different pants are styled, and I realized I never officially explored how the center grainline placement at the knee level impacts fit and style. It has been almost a year since I talked about the center grainline or crease line placement at the hip level,... Continue Reading →
I used a pattern not available anymore to add a polo shirt collar to Ryan's standard t-shirt pattern. You can download the collar and button band pieces by clicking the button below, but obviously, the pieces are just for Ryan's size. Download Pattern I want to document the method since the original instructions were translated... Continue Reading →
After my last few blog posts about fitting tips and tricks when drafting pants, I need to show how I actually draft pants. After drawing dozens of patterns, I do have "my method." If you need to read my other posts about fitting and measurements, here are the links: How to measure for pants Crease... Continue Reading →
When you are on a path of discovery, the best advice is often the last to be found. My blog is intended to reflect my journey as I learn more about sewing, knitting, and baking, so things will feel out of order. If I were writing a book, this blog post would probably be one... Continue Reading →
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!... Continue Reading →
Ryan and I teamed up and developed a task manager / visual schedule to help us manage life. This is what we came up with. Click on the "Download Files" button below. Download Files Helpful Details File Format The cards are designed in Adobe Illustrator. The mockup boards are an Adobe InDesign file. Card Size... Continue Reading →
As fall and winter approaches, I need to sew pants with wider legs. I've done a lot of hiking this year, and it shows. I got thinking about how to widen pant legs and what happens to the grain line. How do I add width to pant legs and maintain the placement of the grain... Continue Reading →
My mission on "handmadephd" has been to explore and share my daily creativity with the hope that I can spark creativity in others. I've tried to keep my blog genuine, supportive, and about community. To that end, I have been open about my methods, process, fit issues, size, etc. so everyone can have access to... Continue Reading →
Here are the details about how I went from my pattern pieces to a digital, printable pattern. Many stores that offer printing services will also offer large format scanning of documents up to 36". It's not always easy to find on their webpages, but here are a couple of links for people living in the... Continue Reading →
