Jim, pattern alterations
The feminine silhouette varies a lot under the waist around hips and butt. Two people can get the same hips measurement even if they have a completly different silhouette.
Ex: Someone with wide hips but a flat butt, or a rounded butt and thigh hips can have the same measurement. The height of the hips and the location of the butt (higher or lower) can also play an important part in the way the Jim dingaree fit your bodyshape.
For a pant or pair of shorts or overalls pattern I highly recommend making a toile first. You will be then working from this first toile to adjust the pant where you get ugly folds. That said, it is perfectly normal to have some folds on a pant or pair of shorts: Try your favorite RTW pant and look at yourself in the miror. You'll probably see some tiny folds at the crotch or knees, this is because your pant is not perfectly fitted for your bodyshape which is perfectly normal because it is a lot of work to get a perfect pant! Be kind to yourself and try to avoid the tiny folds paranoia ;-)
- The pattern Jim is available in half sizes, you don't need to grade between sizes because we've already done this work for you ;-)
What is the crotch?
The crotch of a pair of trousers is the curved seam that goes from the waistband center front to the waistband center back. It is made of two parts : the rise (the less curved part) and the curve. The crotch line will determine the fit of a pair of trousers. And a crotch line not adapted to your body specificities might create some issues in the following areas : seat, waist and inseam. You can alter the rise or the curve, or both at the same time. However, I recommend starting by altering only the rise of the crotch as it’s easier to adjust and most of the time, it’s enough to modify the few issues you might have with the inseam, seat or waist area. Don't forget to alter the fly and pockets according to your pant modifications.
How to adjust the back, Flat or round butt:
Your toile is too thigh around your butt at the center back seam and the waistband is dragged to the bottom. You are lucky enough to have a round butt and you need more ease around the rise and curve of your crotch.
- Start by deepening the crotch curve to give more ease at the center back.
- Then, draw a straight line, in the middle of your butt on your back pattern piece, heading to the side seam. Cut the pattern along this line. Determine how many cm you need to add and spread the pieces according to the cm needed. Slide the upper part of the pattern piece to the top to add ease height-wise. Tape the pieces and redraw the crotch line.
The opposite situation might also occur: if your trousers is too large on your butt, you will have to tighten it by shortening the rise.
- Start by drawing a straight line in the middle of your butt on the back pattern piece, heading to the side seam. Cut the pattern along this line. Determine how many cm you need to remove and spread the pieces according to the cm needed. Slide the upper part of the pattern piece to cover the lowest part. Tape the pieces and redraw the crotch line.
How to adjust the front and back:
Some issues need to alter the crotch length a few cm at the front and the back.
The inseam on your toile is extremely tight (it cuts the legs and the waist) : you need to lengthen the crotch at the front and the back.
- Cut your pattern piece along the hip line and place a piece of paper below the pattern pieces. Determine how many cm you need to add and add them between the two pattern pieces.Then, tape the pieces to the paper and redraw the curves of the crotch and the side.
The inseam is too loose: you need to shorten the crotch line at the front and at the back.
- Start by cuting your pattern piece along the hip line. Determine how many cm you need to remove and overlap the two patten pieces. Then, tape the pieces to the paper and redraw the curves of the crotch and the side.
How to adjust the front, round stomach adjustement:
You notice pleats around your navel, the side seams are pulled to the front and you feel a bit tight around the crotch.
- You need to lengthen the front crotch to give more ease around your stomach. Start by lengthening the front crotch:
- Mark on your toile the point on the center front where your trousers are the tightest. Trace a straight line from this point to the side line. Cut the pattern along this line. Determine how many cm you need to add and spread the pieces according to the cm needed. Slide the upper part of the pattern piece to the top. Tape the pieces and redraw the crotch line.
There are a lot of ways to improve the fit of a pant or a pair of shorts if you want to dig the subject a little more you can check these books:
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