Hoping someone can offer a suggestion here.
I have reworked my pants sloper to make the crotch fit better. That part is great. Fitted pants are good too...except.,,
My problem is now that once a waistband is added, my pants now come too high above the waist-
I fix this by chopping off the top 1-2" of my pants at the top before adding the waistband.
Is there a better solution to this?

I don't want to alter the inseam & crotch shaping if I can help it. It has taken me years to get this far as I am a pear shape with a sway back & relatively small waist.

I'd really like an adjustment for final height of waistband once attached. Is that possible
Thanks
Tris
Latest update

In tools theres an options, to shorten the waistband so its not as wide,I have to do this all the time, as im short waisted and tilted too.

Tris, I am of the opinion that if the crotch and the inseam are fitting like you want them to and all you have to do is chop off the waistline a little bit, chop off the waistline or use a 1" seam allowance at the waist until you can get to an educator who can measure you fully ( if that is possible ).

Where we place our waistband is a very personal comfort issue,i.e., some like the top of the waistband to be at the true waist, some like the bottom of the waistband to be at the true waist, some just use a facing and not a waistband. A lot of that depends on your "dunlops disease", you know, how much your belly has dunlopped over your belt.

Personally, I like the waistband to act as a belt, giving me the same (almost) "X" figure I have always had. My midriff is only 5 1/2" tall, so I make a 1" waistband. The feeling of that waistband/belt makes me hold my tummy in. Without that reminder to suck it in, I let my muscles go and look like I'm five months preggers. On a 5', 145lb., post menopausal woman, it isn't a pretty sight!

You can also make the waistband narrower than the one that comes with the pattern. Fiddle around with what you have before you start changing your measurement chart. When you decide to tackle that, check your floor to waist straight and conformed, remembering that some pants draft to the straight and others draft to the comformed. The fitted pants draft to the comformed ( experts correct me if I'm wrong). Make sure you are taking the measurment correctly. Look at the manual or order the CD for more instructions.

Have fun and send pictures, Kelly

quote:

Originally posted by ttcreations:
My problem is now that once a waistband is added, my pants now come too high above the waist - I fix this by chopping off the top 1-2" of my pants at the top before adding the waistband.

Is this a problem on all waisted patterns? If so, recheck all measurements from waist, adjust where necessary.

P. 16 of DS Manual: HINT: If you have used different sizes for the upper and lower body, please check the waist measurement that is generated by Dress Shop™. The program does not know whether your waist is the upper body waist or the lower body waist or something in between.

In measuring instructions, p. 31 of DS Manual: You could tie elastic around your waist before you start bending. Wherever the elastic settles is where the waist line of your clothes will also. Bend forward to see where you crease in the front. You may need to hold your finger at the bend to find the spot to mark. Bend to each side and mark. The side is usually definitive. Your back waist almost always falls in the “small” of your back (where your “sway” is).

quote:

I'd really like an adjustment for final height of waistband once attached.

You'd need to be Samantha the witch and twitch your nose, unless you just want to fold it over, and I'm sure that's not what you're looking for.

Dresses skirts tops all have the waist where I want it.
I guess what I want is a permanent way to make the top of my waistband at my waist (measured).
I mainly have this problem in the front. Not as bad in the back. I have been making a wider seam allowance when attaching my waistband.
I am at present using the V waist at 1" (2.5cm) which helps a bit.

Thanks for all the suggestions. i huess I'll just keep doing what I am doing.
It sure would be nice though to have an option to make the top of the waistband at "waist height" or some arbitary figure of my liking.
My only other option is to buy Low rise set, but I hate those in RTW.

Tris

Posted 01 October 2005 07:57 PM
Dresses skirts tops all have the waist where I want it.
I guess what I want is a permanent way to make the top of my waistband at my waist (measured).
I mainly have this problem in the front. Not as bad in the back. I have been making a wider seam allowance when attaching my waistband.
I am at present using the V waist at 1" (2.5cm) which helps a bit.

------
Theres a little problem with that..unless YOU change your measurements.

There are three basic opinions of where a waistband should sit and it depends on which user you are talking to what her personal preference is.

Waist band top sits at waist, waist band center sits at waist, waist band bottom sits at waist.

Way back when we asked users where they wanted it.( years ago!) and we counted the responses and did what the largest group asked for.

YOU can adjust your floor to waist and rebalance the crotch and get what you want.

but you have to change the chart. yech..

You can make a narrower waistband.
You can choose a no waist band finish.

IT is all a matter of personal choice.

Every pattern must have a starting point.
we selected one based on user requests.

If we change this for you 500 complaints will come in for others.

Plus I need to remind everyone here its a CHANGE being requested.

We can 1) ignore requests and do nothing ever..
2 honor user requests and tick off hundreds of others
3 explain it.

I chose #3 to this particular request...and hope it helps.

Kaaren

Until I read that skirts are in the right spot, I thought that your fix would be to try changing ALL the floor to waist measurements and the inseam by the same amount.

Obviously, you must "save as" a copy of your measurements under a new name like "lower waist" before you start changing things. Use this new measurement set to experiment.

Print out 25% versions of sloper or fitted pants front and back. Label them as original measurements.

The alteration is as if you cut off the 1 inch from the top of your pants all around
Now try subtracting the 1 inch (or whatever the amount is all around) from floor to waist - front, back and side and from inseam. Also don't forget to subtract the 1 inch from the crotch length front&back. You know what you have done to shape your crotch shape and if you need to change anything else, like breaks in the crotch tool.
Do 25% printouts again, labeling them as "new measuremnts".

Compare by lining up hems of old and new and placing on a light box, sunny window or computer monitor with mostly white screen.
You should see the difference in lengths.
Now try lining up the crotch seams. Are they very close? If you can't tell, try 50% print outs of just that area.

If everything looks good, sew a quick pants sloper to check again.

Good luck. I have found the shape of the outer seam may change slightly and the crotch shape may change slightly when changing the length this way.

Deena, in Houston

quote:

Originally posted by ttcreations:
Fitted pants are good too...except., once a waistband is added, my pants now come too high above the waist-I fix this by chopping off the top 1-2" of my pants at the top before adding the waistband.

quote:

Originally posted by ttcreations:
Dresses skirts tops all have the waist where I want it.

Tris, could it be that the solution lies in the difference between FTW Straight and FTW Conformed measurement on your measurement chart, particularly the front? Consider this from a Sept. 8 post by Bob Clardy:

quote:

[T]his is a difficult question to answer as many patterns are developed as variations of others. Here is the list of the core patterns that use either straight or conformed measurements:

Fitted: Floor To Waist Conformed measurements are used with all closely fitting pants patterns, including: Fitted Pants and derivatives (such as low-rise fitted, hip-hugger fitted, boot cut fitted, etc.); Slim Fit Pants and derivatives; Jeans; Leggings; Tapered Pants (and tapered boot cut). There are other derivative patterns, but they are harder to

Casual: Floor To Waist Conformed is averaged with Floor To Waist straight in these casual fit pants patterns: Semi-Fitted Pants and derivatives; Smooth Front Pants; Bell Bottoms.

All skirts and loose fit or comfort fit pants patterns are drafted using Floor To Waist Straight measurements.

If you are curious about some pants pattern that is not listed, the type of fit will tell you where it goes - Fitted, casual fit, loose or comfort fit.

DressShopBob
(Bob Clardy)

Diane,
thanks for your insight here.
I think, since the Floor to Waist conformed measurent only seems to effect fitted pants etc & not skirts, that reducing this measurement might actually be the answer.
Back to a new 25% printout to compare.
Here's hoping that this is what I need!!!!!
i think it is.
Thanks again Diane,
Tris

Hip Hooray, Hip hooray!
Diane's method of reducing my conformed waist measurement was a winner.Thank you Diane, you have made me so happy
My waist by the way is tilted to the front.
By reducing the Conformed Floor to waist I now have a pattern with a tilted waist that fits me.
I have made the sloper & recut my last disaster to the new pattern. I spent the afternoon sewing my pants.

This works better than the V waist method as it also alters the tilt of my abdo measurement.
For the first time ever I have a pair of pants that fit me properly. The thighs fit & I don't have any skirting in the front. Nor do I constantly feel as if my pants are falling down.

Just for anyone's information
By the way. by adjusting the crotch shaping (F&B2) using the crotch tool & not forcing it to use my measurements (click NO), My crotch measurement did actually increase in length!
Therefore to get shape i had to gain length which is why I had to change the conformed waist measurement. By the way all my floor to waist measurements have been rechecked a zillion times, They have never varied. I have used different measurers too.
My Shirts are brilliant as are skirts. I have not tried a one piece dress yet though.

I had this same problem and I fixed it by shortening my FTW front measurements...which then made me have to rework my crotch as well...it took me a few months. It fits just like I want it now..BUT...when I make a skirt I have to ADD that amount back with a pencil because if I don't the skirt hikes up at center front. I know it makes no sense, but you just have to find what works for you and do it that way.

quote:

Originally posted by Michelle:
...when I make a skirt I have to ADD that amount back with a pencil because if I don't the skirt hikes up at center front. I know it makes no sense, but you just have to find what works for you and do it that way.

Michelle, make another measurement chart so the pattern will draft to the different measurement you're adjusting for the skirt.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Diane Day,