For great fitting pants, Begin at the crotch, or How I got rid of my under the butt wrinkles!

The prevailing wisdom is that you start your fit with the waist and side seams. I can get the side seams hanging straight down the center of my legs, and not pulling front or back and the waist even and parallel to the floor, and no darts in the front, and I still have wrinkles right under my butt! Well, then, take it out of the back at the inseam. That shortens the crotch extension and now I can't sit down and have panty lines! AND I STILL HAVE WRINKLES UNDER MY BUTT! Then I read somewhere that you deepen the scoop in the crotch by 1/8th or 1/4 inch and try it on and keep doing this until you are satisfied. Well this time, I decided that since the crotch fit is always what ruins my pant fit, I will start with the crotch. I want to make a pair of gaucho pants to wear with boots this fall. I have Butterick patteren B4861.

I began by tracing off the pattern pieces. I marked the seam allowance. Then I took a flexable ruler that will bend into any shape and molded it to my back crotch. The intersection of the crotch and inseams should be at the middle to front of the vaginal opening. So I placed the end of the ruler there and shaped it up the back crotch. I then laid the ruler on the pattern with the end at the inseam and crotch SEAM line, NOT the cutting line. You can see that there is a large difference between the ruler line and the original line. I drew along the inside of the ruler. There are 2 things to note. One is that the ruler curves back in. This is because I have a sway back. If I sewed the seam angled in like the ruler, I would have way to much material in the middle of my back. I need LESS at the center back not more. So if I angle the seam the opposite way, I will decrease the amout of material up the middle of my back. This actually pulls the seam into the dip in the back at the waist and eliminates the need for the extra dart. The other thing to note is that the original pattern allowed for a 3 1/2 inch crotch extension. I know that mine is 4 and 1/2. After I drew in the new crotch line, the extension is now 4 1/2 inches!

Now I measured my seam allowance and marked my new cutting line. I already knew that I would need some extra at the hip and waist so I left an inch along the side seam in that area. It is possible to pin fit at this stage, but I can't do it very well by myself, so I cut the pattern out of some muslin and sewed the front center and back center seams and the inseams and crotch seams. Then I pinned the side seams and tried it on. NO UNDER THE BUTT WRINKLES!!!!! For the very first time, I had pants hanging straight off my butt!!! I did need some extra at the side but no more than I would have anyway. I marked my new side seams and cut out the fashion fabric. I am ready to sew!!!

A disappointing evening (or why I should have listened to my Husband)

Last night we drove into downtown Dallas in the rain and rush hour traffic. It was a LONG drive considering that there was a Mavericks game right where we were going. We followed some friends of ours to the West End Pub. My husband and I don't usually frequent pubs. Its not that we don't enjoy a drink and conversation. We do. It's just that we really prefer to eat a good meal with our drinks and be in an atmosphere where you can hear each other without shouting. We were there to introduce a widower friend of ours to a single female friend of the friends we went with. Our male friend lost his wife a year and half ago in a very tragic and freak motorcycle accident. She was hit by a pickup truck and killed, while he sat on his motorcycle and watched helplessly. A couple of weeks ago, he told my husband he is finally ready to get back out there and try again. He wanted me to introduce him to my single friends. He said he really trusts my judgement. My husband told me to stay out of it. I don't have a lot of single friends and the ones I do have are all in relationships at the moment. However, one of my friends has a very close friend who is single. Half in fun, I asked her, how about this women for this guy? To my surprise she responded, that's a possibility. So yesterday morning, she called to say that her friend would like to meet this guy, could we all get together for drinks at this pub because her man had to be there for some charity event. I called my husband. "Stay out of it" he said. I called our male friend. "Sure!" he said. "I'm not doing anything". My husbands assistant emailed during the day saying that this guy was really excited about the evening. So there we were at this pub. It was very loud. It was hard to talk. My throat began to hurt. The charity party that was supposed to happen never seemed to get started. The people we introduced seemed to get along fine. Then suddenly, our male friend stated that he was very tired and was going to go home. It was after nine, we had not eaten. Lets go get some food, we said. The single woman quickly bowed out saying she was too tired and wanted to go home. The single man said it was a long drive back to Ft worth. The two couples decided we would rather eat closer to home than in Dallas. So back into the car and a 30 minute drive through the rain to a restaurant a few miles from home, we went. It's a place we often go with this couple. Its busy, but not real loud. The food is good and you can have a conversation. I think we were all disappointed with the way the evening went. I know I was. This is a really nice guy. I wish I had listened to my husband. If I do it again, I think I will just ask the woman if she minds if I give him her number and let them take it from there. At the very least, I'll suggest a different place to meet.

Summertime in Texas

Summer came early this year. Its been Texas hot, only it started earlier than its supposed to. We know we will have to deal with 100+ degree heat for at least 10 -20 days a summer, but when it starts in early June, you know you're in for a long one. Every spring, I can't wait for the last frost so I can plant my many containers of flowers and foliage. I dutifully water every day, even as it gets hotter and hotter. Finally, during the dog days of August, I give up and let the Texas heat burn them up, unwilling to subject myself to the daily sweat soaking you get from the 10-15 min it takes to water them all! This year, I am determined to prevail. I have begun working out every morning. When I am finished, I rinse off with a quick dip in the pool. This morning, instead of hurrying back in doors out of the heat, I took my towel and sat on the edge of the far side of the pool in the shade. Suddenly, I became aware of a distinct sound. It is the sound of summer in the hot dry southwest. The sound of cicada bugs in the trees. The sound took me back to my childhood, and hot, dry afternoons in Arizona. I relaxed, and began to splash my feet in the water, revelling in the moment. Suddenly, the 100 degree morning didn't seem so bad! I began to actually see the beauriful garden around me, and the home my husband and I built to raise our children in. I noticed the beautiful little blue flowers under the tree I was sitting by. I watched a butterfly enjoying a trumpet vine flower. I looked up into the huge blue dome over me and gave thanks for my life and family and home. Finally, reluctantly, I gathered up my towel and returned to the house and the chores therein. I know some people don't like the sound of cicadas. but for me they are the sound of carefree childhood summer!

Families

I'm back in my sewing room after a short family vacation. 19 years ago, I married my soul mate. I had a 12 year old son. He had a 10 year old daughter and a 6 year old son. I read somewhere that it takes 7-1o years to put together a blended family. We definitely found that to be true. The kids are all grown and gone, now. One is married. One is married then divorced. All are college grads. One lives in Maryland. One lives in Austin. One lives with his wife in Dallas. We all met in Austin the day after the 4th of July. There is this FABULOUS water park just south of Austin called the Schlitterbaun. We spent the whole day there. What fun! The original part of the park is built into the hillside along side of a river under grand old trees, so the lines for the rides are in the shade. Also, the rides may take you right into the river. Maybe the highlight of the day was when my husband and our oldest son decided they were tired of bumping their bums on the bottoms of the rides so they were going to ride the raging rapids on very small child size innertubes. We all tried to tell them the tubes were too small, but to no avail. Sure enough, they couldn't stay sitting on the tubes! Finally, they came bumping down the rapids, sitting on one tube and holding on to one or 2 others! It was hillarious! I am sooooooooo glad our daughter (who lives in Maryland) had the idea that she wanted to do this. On the way back to the hotel, our oldest remarked that for a little while, he felt like he was 13 again. I said this time it was way better than when he was 13. Back then, I felt soooooooooo responsible for everyone, that I couldn't really enjoy an outing like that. This time, I could just relax and enjoy it. It was soooo much fun!!! I want to go again!!! Love you kiddos!!! And next time, we'll START on the scary rides!!!

Seeking the Holy Grail

When I semi-retired from Nursing about 8 years ago, I returned to sewing with much enthusiasm. Having obtained a Top of the Line sewing machine and serger, I wanted to learn to use them to the maximum potential. I also felt that since RTW is so available and basically affordable, that in order to make it worth my time and effort, whatever I sewed should be at least as good or better than something I could by at an upscale shop. To that end, I became immersed in trying to get the perfect fit. My husband refers to this as "seeking the Holy Grail"! I tried 3 different computer programs for pattern making with varying degrees of success, but was never really happy with the results. With one program I actually had the perfect pants. Then the programmer upgraded the program and with the upgrade, the pants were broken. Unfortunately I had gained wt and could no longer use the pattern I had obtained. I tried another popular program. I printed out a semi fitted top. Out came a square, boxy shirt with darts. I then printed out a fitted shirt. Out came the same boxy pattern, just with HUGE darts. Maybe I didn't give it enough chance, but to me these patterns have very little sophistication. I prefer Vogue!!! Then I did some beta testing for a new program just starting out. After spending a year and a LOT of money and still having nothing to wear, I decided to learn to alter patterns and maybe even make my own to fit. So I went to Oregon and took fit from Palmer/Pletsch. I learned a lot and came back with several patterns ready to sew. I am continuing to learn and explore and experiment. Much of my blogging will be about that, I am sure!
Over this last weekend, I ran across an article in Threads, Nov 2006 about shoulder fitting problems. I used their suggestions, and taped a piece of gridded paper to the wall. Although my husband was less than excited, he did assist me by tracing around my shoulder line! I then attached this to my cutting table. Now, theoretically, I can lay a pattern on this, matching up the neck and center seam and be able to alter the shoulder slope to fit mine. One more tool to use in the search for the Holy Grail!!! The picture to the right is Vogue pattern V1021 which was fitted to me at the Palmer/Pletcsh school.

Welcome to my sewing room!

I'm Joy. And this is my sewing room. I started sewing in Jr. High school. I sewed almost all my clothes in High School. After college and a short lived first marriage, I supported myself and child as a nurse, which left little time for sewing. A couple of years into my second marriage, we bought a new home. We couldn't afford custom made drapes. Out came my old friend, the sewing machine! It was a simple, very basic machine. It did a straight stitch, a zigzag and a basic buttonhole. It had an all purpose foot and a zipper foot. But it made some beautiful drapes! Finally, in 1999, the old machine died. Off I went to replace it. I really had no clue what to look for in a new machine, but I stumbled into a shop that sold Vikings. I test drove the Designer II, and could NOT believe how EASY it was to sew on this machine. Of course, I left the shop with one! The next summer I retired from Nursing after 25 years. Then I really got back into my sewing. I added the embroidery module and a serger. As all the children left the nest, I took over one of the bedrooms, and eventually moved my sewing room to the bonus room at the top of the stairs. I talked my husband into letting me take a 4 day seminar in Portland, Oregon to become a certified Beginning Sewing Teacher with the Palmer/Pletsch method. I came home and imediately taught my beautiful DIL to sew. Then I started another class with my next door neighbor and another friend. I am currently looking for more new students to begin another class. I also returned to Portland to take a course in Fit.In the mean time, I am adding to my sewing room and to my knowledge of sewing. One of the things I love about sewing in the 21 century is the wealth of info on the internet. I have learned much from others blogs, ect. I love seeing what others are doing, and love getting feedback when I post something I have done. I don't know if anything I have to say is all that important, but I hope maybe I can inspire someone with my musings. To that end, I will begin my blog. I hope you will enjoy! I do have a frequent companion in my sewing room. Let me introduce you to my cat! Maj spends most afternoons in my computer chair. If I want to use that chair, I have to perch on the very edge! Maj and I will try to share with you on a regular basis, what we are trying, doing, succeeding, or failing at! Talk to you soon! Oh, yeah, if you would like to take sewing lessons, Email me at joyrhall@gmail.com.