Make Pants that FIT from Scratch - Trouser Block Tutorial | LYDIA NAOMI

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If you want to make all types of pants this summer its helpful to create a basic pattern foundation (Pant/Trouser Block) that fits YOUR unique body shape perfectly! I am taking you through the trouser block creation, your ticket to all kinds of styles of diy pants.
I am referencing my fashion school textbook Pattern Making for Fashion Design by Helen-Joseph Armstrong. I referenced the trouser foundation on page 573. I have altered its directions based on my personal experience and what I think will be more understandable for you. www.amazon.ca/Patternmaking-F... (It's a textbook so its pricey, I just got the kindle version which is way more affordable)
Dart intake chart from Pattern Making for Fashion Design by Helen-Joseph Armstrong: drive.google.com/file/d/1A4T0...
I also referenced Alexandra Morgan's hipline dip tip ;) She has a lot of comprehensive tutorials for fitting pants. • Fitting Pants The Crot...
I hope you enjoy!
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How to Pattern Draft in Illustrator: • Create Patterns in Ado...
0:00 Intro
0:55 How to Measure your Body for Pants
2:28 How to Build the Pant Block
3:29 Dart Intake
4:22 Crotch Curve Guides
4:53 Finishing Darts and Waistline
5:26 Establishing the Grainline (also known as Creaseline)
5:41 Hem Width, Inseam and Outseam
6:20 Compare your crotch length with the block crotch length
6:43 Sample 1 + Adjustments
8:17 Constructing Your Fabric Sample
9:42 Sample 2 + Adjustments
11:07 Walk the Pant Pattern
12:31 Sample 3 and Final Comments

[@Jadorelainie]

This is so educational, if my brain wasn't so rejecting of math and measurements it'll be a lot easier hahaha. But thank you for these because they are so rewarding.

[@LydiaNaomi]

Thank you Lainie! I am glad you enjoyed despite the math haha!

[@ml_haskell3854]

THANK YOU!!! I've never seen this drafting business. For forty years, I've hacked away at a Kenmore machine that belonged to my mother, and I had no idea that there is a way to do this that is simple, elegant, and logical. What's more amazing is that I will be able to do it using stuff I already have: tissue paper from CVS, a bedsheet retrieved from my donate pile, a tape measure, and a good pair of scissors. I had to look up 'balancing' a pattern--also brilliant! It explains why I looked like such a ragamuffin in the 80s, and not so much like Madonna or Cyndi Lauper. My plans now include making a SHARP pair of britches! Brava!

[@severine7753]

Fantastic video! So helpful to see your process… finally understanding what walking the seams means

[@sklee1644]

I like the way you explained and fit it afterwards. Easy to understand. Love to see the continuation of the final pattern.

[@lotter690]

THANK YOU! My pants came out perfect after the 1st alteration. Your tip on the crotch length has been the key to many happy pants!

[@mrgarner4796]

Thank you for the 'Real' drafting and adjusting... and the 'why's'. Well done! Nice fit.

[@carolynkallenborn4390]

This is great! I was looking for something detailed and really getting into the fine tuning of fit. Beautiful!

[@damianwisz4772]

Thank you! I'm making my first pattern with this textbook and I've got quite overwhelmed with it. Seeing you make the samples and the extra tips clarified a lot to me!

[@melissagibbs9690]

Very clear tutorial, I will have to watch a few times to make sure I get the tricks that you've shown, as it takes me a while to grasp things like this. Thank you x

[@LydiaNaomi]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Donnadlongino]

Great explanations! This will be so helpful I getting the fit just right. Thanks for sharing all the details of the adjustments.

[@cheekypigg]

Thank You for this detailed tutorial! I’m going to order my supplies so I can make these at home!! I’m so excited

[@sonjanordahl3158]

Love your little fuzzy helper!

[@dusoares27]

Omg this is THE BEST vídeo, it has everything that I wanted to understand about making a trouser. Thank you very very much

[@sandrataylor9122]

Your instructions were very clear. Good tutorial! Thank you!!!

[@pamroberts9218]

I absolutely love your top! Great content. Thank you!

[@melaniearden998]

This is great! Thank you, Lydia. ❤

[@moniquemcgrath506]

0:48 omg lol bless.. thank you for the energy!

[@sonjanordahl3158]

Thank you so much for this video. I want to start designing my own pants this is incredibly helpful.

[@kaytiej8311]

This is excellent. Thank you for making this make sense!

[@Neko-gm1zp]

Thank you so much for this video. For some reason I struggle with understanding the trouser patterns and no one explains it well enough for complete beginners so this was helpful!

[@ryanej.9284]

This was so helpful! Thank you so much for creating this tutorial. It is so empowering to have access to someone breaking this information down to start my own projects! I look forward to more content and AI pattern development videos soon!

[@anokheejandhyala1074]

THANK YOU!!! Your channel is amazing

[@phls11]

Your video is so comprehensive😯 thank you for your sharing🥰

[@saranilssontorstensson8793]

I´m super excited! Thank you so much!

[@kimberly8099]

I appreciate this video so much. I followed this and the block came out perfectly first go. Thank you for sharing this info. I've tried many attempts at many different methods to make a personal pants block and gave up. Im on holidays and was motivated to try it again. I followed this tutorial and, for the first time, had great success. Thanks.

[@LydiaNaomi]

That is so awesome to hear! It’s so wonderful to have a pant block that fits!

[@mz.kookie8557]

Very detailed but I need a beginner “extremely beginner friendly” version 😞. My brain fogged up after the waist to hem measurement😭

[@LydiaNaomi]

I will do a more beginner version for sure!

[@n.b.3247]

Yes please! I’m a beginner too and would love that 🙏🏻 thank you!

[@chouchoue]

The front and the back have a straight line going down the middle of the leg and you have distances from there. The crotch is like a circle but the "middle part" is brought toward the front. So that "dip" you see, it connects into a half circle and goes under the crotch. Then you need darts, usually mid way in front and back to gather fabric to accommodate the shape from the wide hips to the waist. It's harder to explain than understand. It's really simple.

[@betsyborchers9320]

Yes! I would love to see you actually do it in real time.

[@magdagopaul5225]

Please revisit this video, a year ago I couldn’t understand a word she was saying or what she was implying but now I took it very slow, doing step by step and pausing the video before the next step, it just took a day of focus

[@silverbracelet6]

Super cool, kinda complicated and tedious but I can see why it's important to know when making from scratch. Thanks for the sharing this process 🤗

[@LydiaNaomi]

yeah! I feel like I could have simplified it a bit more by skipping all of those samples. If I had just measured my crotch depth I think it would have eliminated having to make soooo many samples! Let me know if you need clarification :) !!

[@Hannah-lu9bd]

I can't believe this tutorial exists. THANK YOU!!!!!!

[@LydiaNaomi]

You are so welcome!!

[@SeetalMD]

finally its here! thank you babe. lots of love.

[@LydiaNaomi]

Yes haha! More to come! So excited to make pants with you all!!

[@gloriac.266]

dang how did you know I was looking for pant block tutorials o: thanks girl!

[@LydiaNaomi]

Yaay! so glad to help! More to come on pant fit and making pant patterns!!

[@equinox9598]

This is so well explained and this was also fun to watch! Gonna binge your other videos now. ;)

[@LydiaNaomi]

Aww thanks 🙏🏽

[@AlisonBoncha]

Thank you for walking through the process! It looks like you also digitize your pant block so you can print it out...walking through that process would also be amazing! 🤩

[@LydiaNaomi]

Yes I actually built the pant block in illustrator from scratch then printed out each adjusted pant block! I do this with all my patterns :) I will definitely go through this process at some point!

[@riqueoropeza271]

@@LydiaNaomi pleaseeeee walk us through it I’d def subscribe that would be so helpful

[@littlehouseinthebigapple5716]

Omg…. That would be amazing! I know it’s probably a big bother to film yourself doing this, but it would be amazing to learn how to do!

[@remainschloe]

Yes! Detailed display of measuring. That part always do me wrong. 😂 Thank you thank you!

[@jacindahernandez5173]

Loved this!! I would love a tutorial on how to make your patterns digital! I never learned this in my apparel design program so that would be so helpful!

[@LydiaNaomi]

Thank you, I will be doing a patternmaking in illustrator tutorial soon!

[@nisamniska5173]

Thank you! It's such a great video, I really learned a lot!

[@LydiaNaomi]

Glad it was helpful!

[@saraumar2745]

You r super talented sis. Love all your videos. keep rocking ❤️❤️❤️

[@LydiaNaomi]

Thank you so much 😀

[@dalegreene5615]

You amaze me with your skill.

[@LydiaNaomi]

Wow thank you Dale! So happy to share what I am learning with you all!

[@MichaelaWagner]

Thank you for this! I just made my first ever shorts pattern with a perfect fit using this block as a starting point!!

[@LydiaNaomi]

Wow, that’s wonderful to hear!

[@comalley4825]

excellent tutorial Lydia, thank you. I really scared of making pants but I want to try making a pair of jeans, so I'll have to get over myself and at least make a start with by making a few (million) toiles! Looking forward to seeing your final version. Catriona

[@LydiaNaomi]

Thank you Catriona! I learned a lot and after editing I wished I could start all over and refilm it to make it more simple for you all! But I am excited to make pants for myself FINALLY!! And bring all of you along for the ride!

[@sydalairys6212]

This is amazing!!

[@vuyox]

Thank you so much for this great content. Love.

[@LydiaNaomi]

You are so welcome!

[@ladysexyd]

Thank You!!!!! I'M SO HAPPY FOR THS VIDEOS I BROUGHT MYSELF A BOOK FOR DESIGNING ,BY HELEN JOSEPH ARMSTRONG VERY GOOD BOOK BUT IT IS NOTHING LIKE WATCHING YOU DO THE PANT BLOCK FROM SCRATCH YOU ARE VERY HEPFUL IN ALL YOUR VIDEOS. I HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOUR VIDEOS EVERYDAY TAKING NOTE. I FOUND YOU HERE ON YOU TUBE NOV.22,2021 , AND I AM SO HAPPY I DID.

[@LydiaNaomi]

Welcome Darlene! Thank you for watching!

[@sopranoxpiano3855]

Wow this is amazing!! I feel like I might actually adventure into a custom pant like this now! 🤗

[@LydiaNaomi]

Yes please do! I will have more videos in regards to pant fit and making pant patterns!

[@jeanne4281]

It is really a great video, showing the fitting problems thank you so much

[@LydiaNaomi]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mandydobosz6343]

Fantastic depth yet every day language ❤

[@amadeagottlieb]

I did it! Wrapping paper, scotch tape, Crayola markers, a yardstick and a calculator were all I had on hand when I watched your video and the light bulb came on. I never understood drafting a pants pattern until you explained it. Thank you!!

[@LydiaNaomi]

That's so amazing! I'm happy to hear it!

[@radostinageorgieva632]

Best pattern making tutorial I have followed! At some point I wasn't sure what I was doing and some of the measurements got me confused but the final result fits like a glove from the first try! The only thing I need to adjust is to move the back dart a bit. THANK YOU!

[@LydiaNaomi]

Oh that is awesome to hear! So glad it fit like a glove!

[@bowardwoward]

SO helpful and easy to follow!!!!!!

[@LydiaNaomi]

So happy it was helpful for you Betsy!

[@_vrocks]

This was amazing! I haven’t tried it yet but the video looks so concise and to the point. And I also appreciate the visuals from both the digital pattern and your try on mistakes. Thank you! Do you have a video like this for tops?

[@maythu1739]

Very detailed. I love this video and your sweet voice. Your cat is very cute too!

[@LydiaNaomi]

aww thanks so much May!

[@littlehouseinthebigapple5716]

This was amazing!

[@LydiaNaomi]

Thank you!

[@danazakzok8431]

YAYYYYY IM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!

[@LydiaNaomi]

Yaaay lets make pants together! Let me know if you need any clarification for the tutorial!

[@MvSh6520]

You’re the best! Thank you!

[@LydiaNaomi]

I hope you enjoy! let me know if you need any help!

[@ruthdorsey8764]

Hello I'm a beginner your tips were so very helpful and I'm feeling more confident with your measurements..

[@LydiaNaomi]

Yaay thats great!

[@glitzyeyezz5252]

I followed your video and got a fit that is 90% accurate. Thanks to you. My brain went 🤪 for a while and then came back to life for the rest of the video 😅 Thankfully I noticed the extension comment and corrected.

[@Bruh-pl1cj]

Watching from Malaysia. Thank you so much.

[@sarahvee6211]

This is so helpful omg thank you so much

[@LydiaNaomi]

Yay so glad to here!

[@lizy8940]

Love this

[@pietra.mp4]

you are such a sweetheart, love your voice, so talented!!! 💙💙💙 beautiful

[@LydiaNaomi]

Thank you so much!!

[@emilyrosenzweig9946]

Super super helpful!!!

[@oluwasumbolaaluko6322]

Lovely tutorial Thank you

[@LydiaNaomi]

Glad you liked it

[@uzmaagha4203]

Brilliant!

[@helenweatherby1694]

Excellent. Thank you. Your assistant is cute.

[@GoingGreenMom]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@jaehwyioniekiddos410]

Thankyou so muchh

[@vanessaarmstead5444]

I just discovered you...thank you I think I can do this.

[@Annsfashionstudio]

Great video. Your drafts look really good. Would love to see more on how you make a pattern on illustrator.

[@LydiaNaomi]

Thank you! Stay tuned, i will be doing an illustrator tutorial in a few weeks!

[@Annsfashionstudio]

@@LydiaNaomi That is wonderful to hear!! THank you

[@LydiaNaomi]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJ7ah2qdob53i5o this is my new video on how to draft on illustrator, dropping at 2pm May 26 EST

[@Annsfashionstudio]

@@LydiaNaomi thank you so much. (The new video is private )

[@LydiaNaomi]

@@Annsfashionstudio Yes its dropping today at 2pm EST May 26 :D

[@daseineschaf]

I just drafted my pattern today and your tutorial was really useful and clear! Thanks a lot :D I just had major issues with the crotch fit, it was waaay to big!

[@LydiaNaomi]

You may have got my extension confused. The front extension is 1/16 of your entire hip girth. So if your hip is 40, divide 40 by 16 and that is how much your have to add for the front crotch extension. The back extension is 1/8 of your entire hip girth so, again, if your full hip girth is 40, divide 40 by 8 and that is your back crotch extension. I need to correct that in the video.

[@daseineschaf]

@@LydiaNaomi oh yes I think I used the double of these... Thanks for the help!

[@sarathchandra3831]

Thank you very much

[@LydiaNaomi]

You are most welcome!

[@ashs5032]

I had to rewind several times because I got distracted by that cute void cat on the screen haha. Even with that though, and I serious lack of knowledge, it was easy enough to follow. So thank you sincerely!

[@iregretcommenting]

Is there a part 2 or video showing the final product? This was super helpful and makes me a lot less scared to try making pants!

[@umzionline]

Loved the video. Can you please explain the process for plus sizes with bigger stomach area and smaller back. Thanks

[@Captain5mmhook]

Hi Lydia! Thank you for the amazing tutorial. I love math and this made a lot of sense. Can you please explain how to figure out the length and the angle of the darts?

[@LydiaNaomi]

OH that is awesome that you love math! I like it but I am not that great at it beyond simple math haha. What is the difference between your hip and waist measurement?

[@Captain5mmhook]

@@LydiaNaomi thank you for your reply! It’s approximately 25 cm.

[@dunjam.3250]

Great Tutorial, I really want to try this because finding the perfect trousers seem impossible 😅 hopefully I won’t loose motivation during assembling as a beginner 😂

[@LydiaNaomi]

You can do it!

[@MrAlexandraJane]

Wow, this is amazing and EXACTLY what I've been looking for, I could cry from happiness. How do you determine what your dart intake should be? I'd like to make a trouser block for myself and my boyfriend so I imagine they will be very different haha

[@LydiaNaomi]

I am so happy this is helpful to you! Let me know your waist and hip measurement and I will tell you the dart intake suggestion 😊

[@MrAlexandraJane]

@@LydiaNaomi My natural waist is 33", my high hip is 41.5" and my hip is 43.5" (sorry it took so long to get back to you! And thank you!)

[@LydiaNaomi]

@@MrAlexandraJane you have a 10 inch difference so you can do the same dart widths as me. Since your high hip isn’t too far off your hip you may find that shortening the darts a bit may help. But you’ll have to test it first :)

[@user-kr1sd4cl3n]

KITTY!!!!

[@ragivyas8292]

Love the tutorial! Could you please help me calculate my dart intake? I have no idea how to do it? :)

[@LydiaNaomi]

Sure! What is the difference between your waist and hip circumference?

[@glittergwyn]

This was really detailed and I'm going to try drafting this. The place where I'm currently learning, keeps front and back the same and i know from just looking at existing pants that the crotch length fr front and back has to be diff, so I'll try this. I wanted to know whether adding a waistband (abt 1.5 inches) affects this drafting. Shld we measure crotch length from top of waistband or excluding it.

[@latoyawarren3036]

Hi Lydia. Could you pls assist further with determining dart intake pls. I love this video! Thank you for your time and effort in sharing your wealth of knowledge 😊

[@LydiaNaomi]

Here you go :D drive.google.com/file/d/1A4T0g4FDc2ThZWVS_XtbggZnCJWPjcts/view?usp=sharing

[@zeehuss7275]

Ive seen so many pant tutoriaks and I keep coming back to this video coz it covers everything. very very perfect and professional. I've a question.. If someone don't wear their pants on waist, and prefer a little bit lower, do I still have to draft it from waist?

[@LydiaNaomi]

I think you could draft from lower but it's easier I think, to draft from the waist then just measure down on each line however much you want to lower the waist. That's what I do ☺️

[@fehmidanoorani8667]

Thanks ma'am

[@fehmidanoorani8667]

Waiting for your next clip

[@j0nayblade]

wonderful video, I am currently in the process of making pantalons that can accommodate suspenders. the modern clothing retailers within my reach skip the bit between the waist and the hips (I think because its cheaper and men don't know how comfortable suspenders are). I think I need to alter a few things to this method (I need excess width for suspenders) but this video taught me many things. should result in a cleaner silhouette than altering an oversized pair by lowering the crotch(gaining height of the band/length of the rise). any recommendations on things that I should do different than the method in this video as I am making this for trousers worn by man?

[@LydiaNaomi]

so if I am understanding correctly you want a higher waist pant for suspenders? I think maybe mens trousers have less of a deep dart on the waist, it just all depends on your measurements. If you follow this according to your measurements you should be ok :)

[@deborahkraft659]

Thank you for this! I struggle with the front part of the crotch line. I get little diagonal lines upwards towards my hip. I guess it is too much fabric at some point and not enough at another? Or maybe I need to adjust the way the curve goes?

[@LydiaNaomi]

Yess its probably not a long enough crotch point, try lengthening it :)

[@rosecraft70]

Thank you so much for this video 🙂 I really like to design my own clothes but I don't know how to start. Is there any book or course that can help me learn to draft patterns? Do you have any suggestions?

[@Tigertame4]

she mentions one at the begining of the video. I looked it up and it is very expensive.

[@ryanej.9284]

Could you possibly so a qucik video on the best way to set you Illustrator toolbar up for the most streamline process of working?

[@SeetalMD]

Ok f it! I’m going to try this!!!! Trying to being productive here

[@LydiaNaomi]

YOU CAN DO IT!!! 👏🏽🙌🏽🥳

[@pamkenniston2128]

This was somewhat helpful since i just purchased this book and have no pattern making experience. However, more explanation about what and how to walk the pattern - especially if you do not have a computer program available - would be valuable, if this is a necessary step.

[@saranatalie13]

Hi! I was wondering how big my darts should be if I have a 7” difference between my hips and my waist? And should they always be 3” in from the CB/CF? Thank you for the tutorial!

[@LydiaNaomi]

Here you go :D drive.google.com/file/d/1A4T0g4FDc2ThZWVS_XtbggZnCJWPjcts/view?usp=sharing

[@rana21679]

Really well done. If possible, I have a model that I am tired of and need your help to make the pattern. How do I send you the model... I will be thankful to you

[@jennywang6719]

Hi, thank you so much for this video! I have a question regarding the first sample you made. I made my block and it fits perfectly EXCEPT for the two flaps that stick out of the sides of the hips (like in your first sample). I know you said you corrected this in the block creation, but I'm wondering if you can walk me through how you did it? I tried to take in the hips slightly and it didn't seem to work...Thanks for any help you can offer :)

[@LydiaNaomi]

Hi Jenny, that happens because the curve is too high. Put your sample on inside out and pinch and pin the seams where it is sticking out, then either measure it or place it against your pattern and trace it out so that it fits your hips right :)

[@beatrizhernandez7090]

Traducción al español x favor, gracias x compartir, excelente explicación!!

[@mlrsolutionsrugani7594]

When do you recommend walking the pattern/block” - before your first muslin or after all the muslin/samples you’ve tweaked “to perfection”?

[@LydiaNaomi]

Walk it right away I would say, or at least before your final sample, but right after you draft, its best so that you don't have to worry, and walk it every time you make adjustments that could mess with the seams matching ☺️

[@alanhaenni]

Nice explanation. How does the process change for men's pants? Thanks

[@LydiaNaomi]

I would have to look into that but, you would basically follow the same process just have much shallower darts as men have less curves *typically*

[@palmina77italiana]

I love this thank you so much :) Your NAME is gorgeous also ....will it be the next HIGH FASHION BRAND :) XO

[@elementgypsy]

I have tried to make a good pants pattern before, but now that I sew better I really want a good pattern for me with the darts. I want to make wool lined trousers, pajamas, wide leg beach pants and shorts. I never get the back butt right and crotch. I also still have trouble with shape of sleeve cap. I love sewing!!! Getting better.

[@reginamg20]

So I lost all my slopers that I made in school and now back to sewing again full force and I miss having that as a tool. Will you please help make a bust sloped and possibly a sleeve sloper ?

[@LydiaNaomi]

I plan to make a full block series eventually! I still have my blocks but I need to make some that fit me perfectly so I will do some tutorials!!

[@beatrizhernandez7090]

Nos puede regalar como imprimir los patrones? Gracias x compartir!

[@eshamaharaj9372]

Love your top ,show us how to draft pattern thank you

[@LydiaNaomi]

Coming soon!

[@sujathbanoth6991]

This is amazing. I was looking forever for pant tutorial thankyou so much. Can you please suggest any good college or school, or the school you are studying because i'm planning for studying further in this field.

[@LydiaNaomi]

Wonderful! I went to Ryerson in Toronto Canada, its a pretty good program. I know there are a lot of schools in the states and in Europe but I didn't really look at them as I wanted to stay in Canada. I wish you the best on your fashion school journey!!

[@sujathbanoth6991]

@@LydiaNaomi thank you :)

[@ataraxiastemple]

hey Lydia! back with another question- do you think that this pattern would work well to make a plus size pant block? it’s worked perfectly for me after the tweaks i’ve made since the last comment, so i would love to use this for her if it could work. best!

[@LydiaNaomi]

I think it will, you just may want to add a bit more ease to begin with - you can always take away ease after testing it on the person. Have fun!