Thank you so much Cari for sharing your tips on fitting pants. They look awesome! I'm seeing more ponte knit pants in your future....:) You can follow Cari on Instagram @carikim.
Flat - Curvy - Generous - Which one would you say describes your bum? Mine is curvy - so let me share why this is so important when it comes to fitting pants. It’s all about the crotch - which coincides with your body curves and the length you need in the back - Yep - if you get the crotch fitting your unique body structure just right you can create perfect fitting pants every time.
Hi — I’m Cari and I’m a licensed pant fitting professional with the Eureka! Pants That Fit pattern by Fit For Art Patterns. I sew - but I love fancy and love to sew fancy which is a disconnect because fancy isn’t really a need for this farmgirl so pants are my mainstay. Even though I live in jeans I’ve never had the perfect pair - Didn't believe they exist for me! To fit my hips - I have to belt them. Low rise means really saggy front crotch but the back is usually okay. Mid-rise is just uncomfortable because the belt wants to jab my tummy when I sit - midlife probs. My natural waist is so high - most clothing designers don't make any to sell off the rack. So if you want something to fit — you have to make it yourself!
Five years ago Connie Crawford came to town - aka teacher - author - patternmaker for Butterick patterns etc. - she told me my crotch depth was 2” longer than the “average.” That gave me hope - at least I knew what the problem is now!
So I set out to achieve the perfect fit. I drafted a pant pattern from Suzy Furrer’s book Building Patterns: The Architecture of Women’s Clothing. I had great success …. mostly - I added the 1” to the front and back between the waist and the crotch - as Suzy instructed - which totaled the 2” I was told by Connie I needed - except - now they were too baggy under my bum - while crawling up my …. in the back at the same time. I didn’t quite know how to fix that so as my sewing buddy Mary would say, ‘they’re a wadder!” Ugh
Then I learned about the licensing training for Eureka! Pants that Fit. I signed up - hopped a plane to Baltimore and spent an entire week learning and using their system with hands-on practice from volunteers everyday.
No more wadders!!
I was sold!! You might be too if you give this pattern a try. Especially if you're looking to unlock the secrets to fitting great pants. We all know secrets don’t make friends so these gals have developed a grid system for fitting where the lines - grid - let you see what you need to do to achieve a perfect fit. That’s why this pattern offers 3 back pattern choices too! Start there - then they’ll walk you through what to look for and how to remedy the problem(s).
So let me share with you the 3 most important secrets to achieving pant fitting success with Eureka!:
• Choose your bum shape - Flat - Curvy - Generous. Your 3 different back pattern options. Choose only 1 of the 3. Different lengths for different curves!
✅ This is all about the length of the crotch area.
• Choose your size based on your fullest circumference. It’s most likely your full hip but I’ve had several clients where it’s their abdomen. Use the larger of the two measurements - Abdomen or Hip.
✅ This is all about the rise front to back - covering not crawling either.
• Make a mock-up with the grid marked on it so you can “read” the lines first.
✅This is about you finally getting that perfect fit. It will be SO worth it!
Everything is completely outlined for you with a detailed instruction booklet that’s included with the pattern to help walk you through every step - from mock-up - to fitting issues - to your customized finished pant. The pattern is available from XXS = 32” hip to an XXXL = 60” hip. The size range comes in two different packages: XXS - L and L - 3XL each $25.00 plus postage. If you want to give this pattern a try send me an email ckloschen@gmail.com and I can get one out to you asap!
I know you’re thinkin’ just show me the pants — My latest make was a challenge to my sewing group which I needed more than the rest of them! Sad but true - I sew for other people and rarely make anything for myself so I challenged myself and my group to make something for our annual sewing expo which was last weekend.
Me in my pants! I apologize the lighting isn’t better with this dark color.
I choose to make ponte knit pants in Graphite Grey from Roz at Sew Much Fabric. I’ve tweaked my Eureka! pattern to fit just right in woven fabric so decided I would cut them out of the ponte knit without any modifications for stretch. The ponte knit fabric is dreamy - stable - a little weighty ( which I like ) and a breeze to sew. It behaves much like a woven although I did use a stretch needle for construction.
Because I’m the designer - another perk of using this pattern - I did a flat front - 2 darts in the back, a tapered leg to the ankle (for something different) - right side invisible zipper (I’m a rule breaker pretty much always) - used a fusible interfacing to stabilize the zip and finished with a faced waist. Seams are stitched on a regular machine and I clean finished the edges with the serger. Simple - easy - quick and super comfy!
Okay - so as I confessed earlier - I break the rules all the time and I don’t always follow my own wisdom. I have to share this with you so you don’t do as I did …. I should've made a mock-up in the ponte knit first ….. because I want to make more ponte knits pants …. Here’s why - - I did have to take in the side seams and I did have to scoop the back crotch a little more to stop most of the baggy bum thing from happening. Which is secret #4 - every fabric is going to react / hang differently so give yourself some fitting room in the fashion fabric when you cut if out. Always try them on and adjust!
Here I’m wanting you to see the extra scooping I made in the back crotch blending to the front to pull the saggy-ness in to stop the wrinkling on the back legs. I had already clean finished the edge so I didn’t bother to trim it out and do it again.
Pants don’t have to be hard to fit. You just need to know a couple of measurements - make a mock-up - understand why they're fitting like they are - know a couple of secrets to perfect the fit - and make the adjustments. The Eureka! Pants That Fit pattern people have done all the work for you and graciously offer their system so you can create perfectly fitting pants too. I want to end pant fitting fear - It worked for me so I know it can work for you too!!