Part 6: Preparing the Pattern

[@patgottshalk8808]

Your ability to communicate clearly and concisely is GOLD!

[@jacquikerr-bell7850]

I feel utterly prepared to take on my first pants fitting challenge. Your teaching style is admirable. Thank you.

[@Writer10389]

this is BRILLIANT and we're not even halfway through , wow

[@momzilla9491]

Dear Crooked Hem, J Sterns sent me! I must say, that you and J Stern ROCK! She shared your name during her Center Out lectures and between the two of you, I now understand the math behind the side seams and know how to treat the fabric at center front to drape nicely between the waist band and crotch curve! It solves the the cursed Grain Line problem! Amazing! Please correct my summary if I am wrong please? Proper waist measurement is used for the center front/center back inseam. Hip measurement is used for the side seam + calculated extra and the top wedge! Just wow! Thanks forever!

[@thecrookedhem]

It is actually even more straightforward than that! Your hip circumference measurement determines the crotch and inseam size that you trace. The side seam is determined by taking your hip size and adding the calculated extra + top wedge.

[@momzilla9491]

@@thecrookedhem I am just thrilled by the whole process AND not skewing the Grain with the regular adjustments. I went through your lectures 1 to 6 and went back to the beginning. I don't remember hearing that the hip circumference determines the crotch and inseam. Have I missed that, or will that yet come after lecture 6? Is the crotch depth etc one of those calculations like the armhole depth is 1 6th of the bust circumference? Trying to remember? Thank you ever so much!!!

[@thecrookedhem]

​@@momzilla9491 See the 1:16 timestamp in this video (Video 6) for the description of how crotch and inseam are determined by hip size. If you'd like a refresher on how to choose your hip size based on your hip circumference measurement and other body anatomy, see video 5.

[@scarlettha1184]

Thanks so much for these videos, they’re such a great resource! For any petite sewists like me, one thing I noted from attending one of the zoom demos was to shorten at this stage as well. As mentioned in the Part 7 video, you don’t want the hem to be resting on anything during the fitting stage. Given you’ll still be fitting everything in the next step, I imagine you don’t need to be too meticulous about the shortening, just try to maintain the original design in broad terms and then you’ll refine that much further during fitting (you just wouldn’t want to say simply chop off the bottom off bell-bottoms and not have enough room in your toile to replicate the width at the new hem because you cut it off)

[@4Jeeperz]

Wow another great explanation of the TDCO method! I really appreciate you putting in the time to do these videos. I found the article a bit confusing but it's so clear when you explain it. Thanks again!

[@joannemaker1747]

Thanks for taking the time to demonstrate this process so thoroughly. I really appreciate your explanations and was able to help a friend fit her first pants pattern after watching your videos 😃🤩💙

[@KateShaw2]

I love your simple and concise explanations!

[@vicki3220]

Ok. This method is superb, but if it wasn’t for your and Jenny Stern’s tutorials I would have never figured out how to put it into practice. I mean, the information is so scarce and all over the place (Instagram) that I find it totally confusing. Thanks for detailed instructions. I am following your process and am just starting to work on fitting the waistband. I am on a second version because I selected the size I thought it would be close to my measurements but it had so much ease that I decided to go a size down. I hope all that work with copying the pattern pieces and changing them will pay off as I am hoping this will be The Waistband, the one I will use for all my pants. Greetings from Australia. 👋👋

[@carvinganish]

Gosh - this is so helpful and well done. You're giving me hope in the middle of a fitting nightmare! Can't wait to get started.

[@thecrookedhem]

I'm so glad you've found this series helpful! I hope that TDCO unlocks a silver lining for this fitting project, sometimes a change of perspective and a new approach can make all the difference.

[@teeraybee]

So clear and helpful! Thank you! I’m loving your series 😊

[@kandacek63]

Loving your tutorials. Very easy to understand.

[@dianemorrall2687]

This is so good...thenk-you.

[@robyn3349]

Thank you!

[@christinemartin9933]

So enjoying this, thankyou

[@staceyorr3057]

This is so excellently done. When can we expect part 7?

[@thecrookedhem]

Should be soon! I'm working on it now.

[@donnawoods442]

This is so good😀👍💕

[@Annie261.]

Excellent!

[@donnabrisbois7714]

Apologies if this was already mentioned and I missed it. I have a question on darts or pleat markings. They are usually a different placement and/or different size depending on what size you are making. Which dart would you use… The one that matches your hip pattern size or a different one if your waist is different?

[@thecrookedhem]

Good question! Choosing your dart or pleat can be a compromise between your waist and hip measurement. If there is a large difference between waist and hip size, you can choose a dart or pleat that is in the middle. For example, if you trace a size 12 for your crotch and inseam, but a size 20 for your side seam, then you could use the size 16 dart/pleat. When you are fitting the toile, darts and pleats are relatively easy to reposition if you need to adjust.

[@momzilla9491]

This was a great question! Thanks for asking, and thank to our dear Crooked Hem for answering with direction!

[@kellischumacher2509]

Such a good series! I’m curious as to how you would handle a pattern with a yoke instead of a back dart?

[@thecrookedhem]

Good question, and I plan to do a video at the very end of this series on how Top Down Center Out can be applied to different designs like jeans with a yoke. The short answer is: 1) you would fit the waistband as you usually would, then 2) fit the yoke to the waistband, and 3) fit the half-pant toile to the yoke + waistband. A little more involved than a design with pleats or darts but still doable. Miriam Janechek (@Mirzydotes on Instagram, co-host of the upcoming Top Down Center Out live session) is the person who I originally saw experimenting with this variation, and many others have also been successful with it.

[@taliluna3746]

Question... Extending the dart lines out/up creates a MUCH larger/wider dart. How is that accounted for when you make up the muslin? In traditional alterations you would move the dart point up and keep the dart size. Also, would the reason for adding the extra to the top side seam be that following the side seam line and the center seams are making the waist smaller as it goes up.

[@thecrookedhem]

Good questions! I’ll start with the second one - yes, that’s certainly one of the impacts of adding the wedge at the top of both front and back pattern pieces. You are giving yourself a little extra fabric to work with if you need it. For your first question: Yes, extending the dart legs does increase the dart intake at the top. But there are a few things to keep in mind: First, we are working with a half-legged toile when fitting, so if the waist circumference on the toile doesn’t reach your center front and center back because the darts are too large, then they can easily and immediately be re-adjusted. Second, think of the extra fabric added to the top of the pattern as being adding into the seam allowance along the top edge. You may not necessarily use all (or any!) of it, but it’s there if you need it, and the extended dart legs are really just there as a reference line. If you prefer, you can baste or pin the darts closed only up to the top of the original pattern piece, and leave them open above that line. You will finalize the dart length, intake, and position during the fitting stage.

[@cathykeller4569]

I have a question...do you also add fabric to the crotch/inseam line (the size 12 line) or just to the outside seam and top-of-pattern? I don't recall you specifically mentioning that but the final diagram does appear to be a bit larger. This whole series is SO clear and interesting! I can't wait to give it a try!

[@thecrookedhem]

There's no extra fabric added to the inseam or crotch when using TDCO. If you find that you need more cross-body depth (the distance between center front and center back), TDCO recommends that you go up a size or two in the crotch and inseam of the pattern. Conversely, if you need less space, you can go down a size in the crostch/inseam. In many cases, you can seam rip your existing toile, mark the next size larger or smaller for the crotch/inseam, and go from there. If you are at the top of the size range and need to go up to a larger size, you may need to grade up the crotch/inseam seam lines (but not the whole pattern). I hope to make a video about this soon!

[@cathykeller4569]

@@thecrookedhem Thank you! This technique looks great and your explanations are so clear!

[@hayleyreid8808]

These videos are so helpful, thank you! I’m so used to perform major pattern surgery and then wondering why I have completely screwed up grainlines. One thing I feel slightly lost about starting with this is regarding length. I have extremely long legs, I’m working on the adams pants which I want to make ankle length and my inseam is a full 10” longer than the pattern. Would you still advocate for making this change after the toile despite having these measurements to hand?

[@thecrookedhem]

Thanks, I'm so glad the videos are helpful! Top Down Center Out recommends lengthening after the toile stage so that the hem of the toile does not rest on your foot or on the floor, which can affect how we interpret the drape and balance of the garment during the fitting stage. I typically lengthen the leg after fitting the toile because then I can do all the adjustments to the pattern at once, but it's totally up to you. I could see an argument for lengthening the leg before the toile if there is a very large discrepancy in inseam measurements, like your example. So in that case, it might be helpful to lengthen beforehand so that you can see what an ankle length design would look like on your body/proportions. So if you can lengthen the toile leg and still keep it up off of your foot, and that's what works best for you and your fitting process, then I'd say go for it!

[@ruthc.6192]

Yes, as TheCrookedHem mentions, you want to use your judgement, and be guided by the design. I could see this being an issue for a pant with not much ease in leg circumference. When sewing the toile, make sure to sew one seam allowance away from the cut edge, the extra added here (at the side seam) should give you sufficient to accommodate changes.

[@cking7382]

I am loving this series and excited to get started but just need to clarify something about when your hip size is never included in adult patterns, and usually about 3 - 4 inches greater in circumference. I am petite with hips at 29” and with a 25” waist. Are you saying not to go forward with this method because I can’t start with a pattern in my hip size? There is a lot of info about going up in sizes, but I haven’t found anything (yet) about the opposite direction. 😊 thanks very much!

[@thecrookedhem]

Yes, you can definitely use this method for fitting if your hip size is smaller than what's on the pattern. However, you will need to perform an extra first step, which is grading the crotch curve and inseam of the smallest size down to your desired size. There are a variety of ways to grade patterns, and there are many resources online to help learn how to grade. I would love do a video in the future about a "quick and dirty" way to grade the crotch and inseam for use with TDCO, but in the meantime I recommend having a quick browse online to see what resources speak to you. Once you have a pattern that's graded down to your size, you can absolutely use the TDCO workflow to fit your toile.

[@cking7382]

@@thecrookedhem thank you so much - I will try to find something online but I’ve been grading patterns down for awhile and find it challenging to drop down that much from the smallest size available which is why I went on the search to draft my own pattern and then came across your videos. I really like the idea of keeping the pattern designer’s design integrity with this TDCO method. I will try to grade just the crotch and inseam next so I can use TDCO. Thanks again and would absolutely love to see a video on that grading!

[@amysheridan4496]

Another great step by step video. What do you do if your pattern has a fly front? Just fold it out of the way even with the center front cutting line?

[@thecrookedhem]

Yep, you could fold it out of the way or even trim it off for the toile as you describe. You will sew a seam line marking the center front of the toile (coming up in the next video!), so that will be the main landmark that you want to pay attention to when you are fitting.

[@sharonnickels2788]

I have been watching all your videos on TDCO method of pants fitting. I first saw it in the Threads magazine. I was wondering if there is a book or booklet or something that has all the instructions written down? I haven't found anything yet. Thank you for these videos. Your explanations really make me want to try this method.

[@thecrookedhem]

I think the Threads magazine article is the best written resource for now, and it has all of the basic steps to get you started with TDCO. If you follow Ruth Collins on Instagram (@ithacamaven), I believe she will be publishing a written booklet very soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

[@sharonnickels2788]

Thank you. I went back and read the article. It made so much more sense after watching all your videos. I can't wait to try this method--after Christmas!!@@thecrookedhem

[@tiffanythomas7181]

Thank you for these videos - you’re a very talented communicator! I’m curious if you have any thoughts around how to use this method for pants patterns without side seams like the Persephone pants?

[@thecrookedhem]

Thank you! Yes, for patterns with no side seams, you could temporarily add a side seam for when you make your toile. I just made a toile for the Pomona pants and I added a side seam that was parallel to the grain line. This temporary side seam will allow you to add or remove circumference from the toile as long as you do so evenly from waist to hem, so your final side seam after fitting will still be straight and parallel to the grain line. This would allow you to effectively size up or down in hip circumference as you are fitting. Then when you go to transfer your adjustments to make the final garment, you would tape the front and back pattern pieces together again, removing the side seam for the final garment. Keep in mind, however, that designs with no side seams will limit the number of options you have to work with when fitting, and all of the contouring between hip and waist must be handled by the darts/pleats/center crotch seam. So it may take a bit more tinkering and experimentation to figure out the right combination of adjustments than designs that have side seams. I may have a video on this in the future!

[@tiffanythomas7181]

@@thecrookedhem thank you!! I’ll give this a try 😊

[@ceciliadietzler1789]

@@thecrookedhem thank you SO MUCH for this-- I have been stuck on this for ages!!

[@thecrookedhem]

@@ceciliadietzler1789 Glad it's helpful! 😃

[@LaurenHirsch-b2r]

When you extend and then connect the center front/back with the side seam (7:15), do you replicate the shape of the top of the pattern piece like you do on the side seam? This is such a wonderful series! Thank you so much!

[@thecrookedhem]

I'm glad you are enjoying the series! I generally do not replicate the shape of the top of the pattern piece when I'm cutting out my toile fabric, I just cut a straight line from CF/CB to the side seam along the top edge. However, I do trace the original outline of the pattern piece (including any shaping along the top edge) and sometimes also the waist seam line onto my toile fabric for reference. I usually need to change that shaping along the waist seam line, so I don't use it during fitting, but I like to have it as a reference point when I'm transferring my changes back to the original pattern pieces.

[@LaurenHirsch-b2r]

@@thecrookedhem Thank you for such a thorough reply :)

[@tinanassar9431]

Great video! What if there is a zipper? How do you handle placing it on the pattern?

[@thecrookedhem]

Good question! When you are making your half toile, you will omit the zipper since you can just step in to your half pant. However, you can draw the placement of the zipper on the toile so that you can visualize where it will be in the final garment -- there should be dots or other pattern markings indicating zipper placement. If you are using a pattern with a fly front, then you may also need to determine where the center front line is on the front pattern piece, so that you can use this line during fitting to align with your center front. Most well-drafted patterns will indicate where the center front line is with a notch at the waistline, otherwise you may need to read the pattern instructions carefully to determine where the center front is (it's usually aligned with the zipper teeth, so you will need to determine where the zipper is placed and what seam allowances are used). If you REALLY get stuck and have a hard time figuring out where center front is on your pattern, you can always construct a full toile (with a zipper closure), and use that for fitting instead. The drawback of a full toile is that you will not be able to visualize the ease in the crotch seam as easily, and you will have to make adjustments to both sides of the pattern as equally as you can, which some folks find to be a little more challenging. So it's up to you what works better with your fitting process.

[@tinanassar9431]

@@thecrookedhem Thank you so much! I am getting ready to give this a try so this was very timely. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question and so thoroughly. I am trying the Peppermint wide leg pants pattern and I had assumed the fly edge was flush with the center front. I will have to check this out more closely. Thanks again!!

[@_dollypocket]

thank you for your clear and generous videos!! Q about the darts: do you trace the darts from the size based on the waist or the size based on the hips? thank you!

[@ithacamaven5476]

Either can work-general advice is to go with the size associated with the waist because it is the spacing of the dart along the waistline between center front and side seam that is key.

[@thecrookedhem]

@_dollypocket I agree with what Ruth said. I usually go with the darts that correspond to the waist size. You can also reposition the darts during fitting if you find that you want a different spacing.

[@littlenalaful]

Love your videos, thanks for explaining this method so clearly. Just one question though: Do I trace the shaping elements in my hip size?

[@ithacamaven5476]

Generally tracing the darts/pleats in the waist size or a size in between is preferable but it does not make much difference and is something that can easily be altered in the toile

[@littlenalaful]

@@ithacamaven5476 thank you! Yes, I figured it wouldn't really matter in the end. I'm so excited to make my first pair of pants using this method!

[@LaurenHirsch-b2r]

In a pattern like the Pomona Pant, where there is no side seam, how would you recommend using TDCO?

[@thecrookedhem]

For patterns with no side seam, you will want to introduce a temporary side seam for fitting the toile. With Pomona, you will want to draw a straight line approximately where the side seam would be. Exact side seam placement relative to your body does not matter, just make sure it is a straight seam and parallel to the grainline so that your fabric doesn't warp too much -- I actually just used the grainline itself at the cut line for the side seam since it's about in the right spot. Then trace a front and back pieces using your new side seam. Add your extra fabric along this temporary side seam as TDCO instructs. When you are fitting, you will be able to add or subtract fabric from the side seam to change the circumference of the pant leg, but remember that you will need to add/remove fabric evenly all along the entire seam if you want to be able to close it up again in the final garment. So for example, if you find that you need an extra 1" of hip circumference, then you will add 1" of fabric along the temporary side seam from waist to hem. When you are done fitting, you will transfer your changes back to your pattern pieces, then tape the front and back pieces together again to create one single leg pattern piece as per the original design. Keep in mind that the Pomona pants will have some limits in terms of how much you can fit them -- this is simply due to the way they are drafted, these limits exist no matter what fitting method you are using. The lack of a side seam means you cannot add any contouring or shaping along the side of the hip or leg. The fold over elastic waist band construction will also limit how much you can change the rise separately in front and back -- generally it will be easiest to add or remove rise length evenly all the way around the pants. Hope this helps!

[@LaurenHirsch-b2r]

@@thecrookedhem Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and helpful reply. I have made Pomonas in a few sizes before, so based on the information you shared, I may just adjust the rise and save the TDCO fitting for pants with a side seam. It seems like there is more flexibility with the fit on these, and I worry I may end up spending so much time on fitting that may not even translate to the end result. I'm going to choose my size based on my hip measurements and adjust the rise based on the pairs I have made in the past. Thank you for your help!

[@jeannestetzer2107]

Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, but how would you add to the top for yoked Jeans. Would you at to the top of the pant leg before the yoke? Or would you add to the top of the yoke? Or both?

[@thecrookedhem]

This is a great question, and I hope to have a video on how I approach this type of pattern in the near future. In short, I think you could go about it either way or do both simultaneously, as there are multiple ways you could approach a yoked design with Top Down Center Out. I've seen folks add extra fabric to the top of the yoke to fit the yoke to the waistband, and then add fabric to the top of the pant legs to fit the legs to the yoke. Alternatively, I've seen others treat the yoke + pant legs as one and only add to the top of the yoke. My general advice would be to do what works best for you and don't be afraid to experiment a little during the toile stage!

[@jeannestetzer2107]

​@@thecrookedhem Thank you. I'm going to try a little of both. I want to keep the overall depth of the yoke that I love so much in the design.

[@prosie1968]

I printed out a full belly adjustment for a pattern, is that not necessary?

[@thecrookedhem]

When fitting with Top Down Center Out, one determines the adjustments that are needed once the toile in is on the body, and not before. See part 8 in this series for more: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5nMZ6ShZbylp9U

[@prosie1968]

@@thecrookedhem I have watched them all, I just have a hip Size 16, waist 26 so thinking of conventional fitting has me a little turned upside down. I’m excited to try this as grading that is quite a challenge.

[@sewzolamarie7527]

I'm not understanding why we need to add 2" to the top? I'm short-waisted and this is definitely NOT what I need; i.e., extra crotch length or depth!

[@thecrookedhem]

Think of that extra fabric on the top as a kind of "buffer zone" that serves a number of purposes. First, it gives you something to grab and physically hang on to while adjusting the pants (imagine how annoying it would be to pull on the toile just from a 1/2 inch seam allowance -- not fun). Second, that extra fabric protects the waistline seam from getting stretched out as you are fitting. If you are tugging and pulling on your toile waistline using a small seam allowance, it's highly likely the fabric will warp and fray along the edge, potentially warping the seam line as well, which will interfere with your fitting. Adding extra fabric along the top prevents any distortion from happening near the seam line and gives you some peace of mind. Finally, for folks who need it, that extra length is there to add to the rise if desired. Not all of us will use the extra length, of course, but everyone will benefit from a little extra fabric to protect the integrity of the toile.

[@sewzolamarie7527]

@@thecrookedhem Thank you for the explanation, I appreciate it! I'm still not sold though. . . the method is almost like Palmer/Pletsch Pants for Real People tissue fitting, except you're making a toile and using that. Yes, using a basted toile would be much better than trying not to rip your pattern as you attempt to fit one leg! I understand trying to follow what the designer intended, unfortunately, I'm so used to wearing tight-fitting jeans that anything with that much ease feels so baggy to me and I usually have to constantly pull my pants up at the waist! Very frustrating! But I see that if I fit the waistband first, I might not have the falling down, baggy pants issue with the extra ease at the hipline. I also have only a 3" difference between hip and waist and so that's always been an issue to fit with my short-waist. Ergo, I live in jeans that "fit" around my hips but are too tight in the waist! If I purchase jeans to fit my waist, the hip and bottom are HUGE and are just too baggy all the way down. Thank you for all these very well-done videos on this topic!

[@sewzolamarie7527]

@@ithacamaven5476 I've watched all the videos I could find on your method and understand that you are trying to sway us away from thinking about our bodies in a negative way, but rather to look at it more from how to "build a relationship between the pattern, design and the way the pattern is graded". Yes, focusing on the waistband first is different than Palmer/Pletsch, but using the half-pant is not. You're just taking it a step further by making a muslin out of the half-pant pattern and fitting that. Whether someone chooses to think of the fitting process as adding or taking away inches is up to them and not about some obscure "building of a relationship between pattern and design" that still may take several muslins to get the fit as they want it for their bodies. As an experienced seamstress, I have fit many muslins on others, just not on myself. I hadn't watched ALL of the videos I could find nor read the Threads article when I wrote my initial comment about not needing more crotch length and giving an example of what I go through when trying to find jeans to fit my body. Yes, I now have seen and understand why adding inches at the top and sides to your muslin is the difference in the TDCO method. I had planned on trying it; however, after reading your snobbish comment, I'm having second thoughts. (You also responded to a friend of mine who had legitimate questions with a "trust the process" comment instead of actual help which was very off-putting.) No, I won't be joining Instagram any time soon and I started listening to your podcast, but couldn't get into it. I found Jen Stern's videos the most helpful as to the reality of still having to sew up many muslins and I found this channel as the best explanation of your "theory".

[@mariejessie]

At 4:24 you begin discussing the process when the waist size is greater than the hips. Yet in the example you give in the chart at 4:44 the waist is not larger than the hip size, but is larger than the waist size the pattern was designed for, and then you go on to describe how to accommodate for the larger waist. So, is this process not really used for when the waist is bigger than the pattern is designed for?

[@thecrookedhem]

The example I shared had a waist size larger than the hip size according to the size chart, however in that example the waist circumference was still smaller than the hip circumference, as you point out. This calculation described in this video can also be used if the waist circumference is larger than the hip circumference (e.g. waist circumference 52 inches, hip circumference 48 inches). The strategy for calculating how much to add to the side seam is the same in either case; the objective is to 1) determine what hip size to start with, and then 2) determine how much extra fabric to add to the side seam of those pattern pieces to be able to wrap around the waist.

[@ithacamaven5476]

p54 in Threads #218 has the basic details, what Stacey is showing here is a shortcut showing how to take advantage of the lines on a multi-sized pattern

[@fiberchick]

Thank you!