Hello, all!

I'm working on updating my pants sloper because of recent weight loss -- 25 pounds so far and still dropping!

Here's my problem -- my ab measurement is larger than my hip measurement. That's the way I'm built. I've gotten the waist, ab, and crotch to fit pretty well, but I cannot resolve how to cut down the bagginess in the hips and thighs. I've put a smaller hip measurement in the chart, cut down the hip ease (in the Fitted Pants), even tried a cut-and-overlap alteration on the printed pattern -- can't get that bagginess out! I suspect it has to do with the way the pants drape from the ab area.

Does anyone have suggestions as to getting out the bagginess?

Many thanks!

Hi Barb,

I am hoping someone else will chip in here, but my suggestions are to print an auto or 1/4 scale
of your sloper pattern (assuming you mean you have drafted in test fit pattern as Sloper settings don't allow adjustments.)

You can however then draft (I cannot remember which is closest)
dress/career pants (not jeans or pullons), and see if the ease measurements are similar. Then you can go into Design Tools / Fit or Pants Customizers and adjust hip & thigh ease there.
You may also need to remove just a squidge of crotch extension so you have a nice fall without a wedgie, but also get a little more out of the thigh area. As the Crotch is on the bias, there is usually a little extra to play with. Hope this helps.

Hi, Helen, and thanks for your reply!

I've made adjustments on and printed quarter scale Fitted Pants patterns; discovered that Fitted Pants are the closest to the sloper. I've tried reducing both thigh and hip ease; does not appear to work. I need to get at least 3" out of the hip and thigh areas while keeping the ab measurement intact. My figure drops straight down after the ab.

I'll try reducing the crotch extensions if you would kindly define "squidge"! :-)

Hi Barb, try at most 1/4 inch on the crotch extension. If you are not seeing any changes,
send me your measurements, the saved pants pattern from the folder, and list which of the programs and extra's you own.
I should be able to import and see if I can change on mine. I did adjustments on an old set of measurements (I too am bigger in the ab than hip), and instantly saw changes to the patterns.
hmcbeath@adam.com.au

Aha! A definition for "Squidge"!

One more question, before I get back to printing more test patterns: does the 1/4" come off both front & back crotch extensions (total of 1/2"), just the front, just the back, or 1/4" total for both?

Hi again, if you are finding one (front or back) baggier then I would take from that, otherwise do both evenly. You can cut the seam allowance a little wider and play at moving the inseams from CF/CB to about mid thigh without constantly reprinting, cutting. You could also do 3/16 one 1/16 other. You've probably got the idea!!

H.

I too am bigger in the ab than the hip and have lost a good 30 pounds in the last year. One of the things that I did not think of until recently was that when you lose weight your total crotch length changes. That made a big difference in how my post weight loss pants fit. Before I changed that measurement they were very baggy. The other thing that you can look at is the hip to floor measurement. Sometimes if you raise that it will change the contour of the hip area.

Selma in VA
DS Educator
DS and MPD Pro