Make a Pattern From Your Favorite
Pair of Pants
BY ANNA ZAPP
...and You Don’t Have to Take Them Apart!
P
ants, pants everywhere but nary a pair that fits! If
you can sew count yourself lucky, you can make your
own! They may take a little time but the outcome will
be well worth the effort.
The first pant pattern I made from an existing pair of
pants was in the mid ‘70’s when John Denver brought
me a pair of beautiful leather pants and asked if I could
copy them, only in denim, of course! I’d make him a few
western shirts and he needed pants to go with them.
You don’t say “no’ so I preceded to measure his pants
down and across, down and across, and transferred
the measurements to the same places on the pattern.
After practicing and polishing this method, I’ve made
hundreds of perfectly fitting pairs of pants for many
clients over many years. (These instructions are an
overview of the method and make for a good threesession class.)
MAPPING YOUR PANTS
FOR A FIRST PATTERN
Instead of buying a
commercial pattern we
are going to measure
and mark a piece of
plain pattern paper. A
commercial pattern will
be confusing.
©
FINDING THE FRONT AND BACK CENTERS
1. Mark the center front and back of your pants by
pinning the inseam and the side seams together
on the ironing board. Smooth out the pants toward
the front and the back, press and mark, (or pin) the
center ft. and bk. up to the hip line. (Ready to wear
pants are aligned this way.)
2. Align a ruler on the center line extending to the
waistline seam on the pants front and back. Mark
with pins or a water soluble marking pen or pencil.
3. Draw or pin horizontal lines (on pants) at the
following places in the following order.
©
(I like to use plain paper
instead of pre-marked
grid paper.) See example:
BEGIN WITH A
RELATIVELY GOOD
FITTING PAIR OF PANTS
“But I don’t have a good fitting pair of pants!” In this
case, use a pair that’s somewhat close. The most
important fitting area is from just below the waist to
the top of the thighs. The waistband fit, width of pant
leg and length can all be altered. (Some of my students
have bought a pair of pants and gingerly marked them
with pins and then returned them, but I didn’t say that!)
*Do not use jeans or sweat pants or any pant that’s
very stretchy!*
Start with the pant back;
Line #1 Crotch Line Draw or mark a line
perpendicular to grain
or cross grain. (also pant
center line).
Line #2 - 3”- up from
crotch line across the
pants.
Line #3 - 6”- up “ “ “ “
1. Launder or dry clean your pants. (If you are using
pleated pants, while wearing, pin the pleats closed
and ignore them.)
2. Check the fit and pin any alterations or changes
necessary for a better fit.
24
Line #4 - 9”- up “ “ “ “
(if necessary)
Line #5 - Draw a vertical
VDTA•SDTA NEWS July 2015 | SQE Professional™
line mid-way between the center line and the side seam
starting from the crotch line and extending upward to
the waistline seam.
6. Measure the inseam and add enough for a hem.
7. Skip down to the hem and measure the front and
back widths.
Lines #6 - #10 Proceed as shown.
MARKING YOUR PATTERN PAPER
1. Lay the lined pattern paper next to the pant back and
begin measuring and marking your pant grid.
©
Horizontal Lines
Measure starting at the center line to the inseam. The
center line is the line of reference. Measure in this order:
1. Crotch line (Center line to crotch seam line at
intersection.)
2. 3” above crotch line (center line to center front seam
line)
3. 6” “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “
4. Waist line to center seam (center line to center seam
line at waist line)
5. Repeat measuring from the center line to the side
seam in the same places.
*From here down you should be able to center the
tape measure on the center line giving you the correct
total.*
MARKING THE CROTCH LINE CURVE
1. Using a French curve define the shape of your crotch
curve. If you do not have a French curve, trace the
shape and transfer to your pattern paper.
2. Measure the crotch length starting from the crotchinseam intersection and measuring to the waistband
seam. Mark pattern.
Please keep in mind that this method goes from
the general to the specific! As you are marking and
measuring, don’t fret over a 1/4” as you will refine the
fit until about the third pair of pants. The third time is
truly the charm!
CONNECTING THE DOTS, ADDING DARTS AND SEAM
ALLOWANCES
1. After measuring and marking, connect all of the lines
you have drawn to complete the pattern. (If your lines
don’t align, look for solutions in Anna’s book under
“Trouble Shooting Funny Marks”.)
2. Measure the darts in your pants and draw them on
the pattern paper.
Add the additional amount, width of the dart, to the
side seams, or slash and spread the pattern to create
them, but don’t forget them! If your front was pleated,
allow for a 5/8” to 3/4” dart, approximately 3 1/2” long.
©
5. Repeat
measuring
from the
center
line to the
inseam all
the way
down the
pants until
you get
to the 15”
mark.
©
Continued on page 26
VDTA•SDTA NEWS July 2015 | SQE Professional™
25
Continued from page 25
3. Add seam allowances:
- 5/8” to the center front seam
- 5/8” to the waistband seam-line1” to the side seam
and the inseam
- 5/8” to the center back seam widening to 1-1/2”
seam at the top of the center back.
CUTTING AND PRESSING
1. Cut your muslin pants, using the front and back
center lines as the grain line. Mark your darts and
center back seam line.
Write “Front” on the muslin pant Front, and “Back” on
the muslin pant back.
2. Leave the center back seam open for your fitting, like
men’s wear pants.
3. Press all seams open and press a crease, as if they
were your best pair of pants!
Fitting (Do Not Fit Pants Wearing Panty Hose)
1. Pin the center back closed, then tie a string, a piece
of elastic, or the tape measure at your waistline. Mark
just below the string, tape, or elastic.
2. Choose the right side or the left side of your body to
fit (you only have to fit one side).
3. Adjust the darts.
4. Pin any and all alterations, re-sew and fit again.
5. When you’re satisfied with the fit, re-mark your seam
lines/darts if necessary.
Making the First Master from You Muslin
1. Take the pants apart using only the front and back
pieces on the side you did your fitting. You can either
use the muslin for your new master pattern, or copy it
onto your pattern paper. If you didn’t vary too much
on your original pattern, you may be able to use that
pattern by recording any changes and applying them
to your pattern.
Much more information can be found in my book
The Zapp Method of Couture Sewing, such as fit
problems, style changes, tricks and tips as well as how
to construct garments using ready to wear sewing
methods. Published by F&W/Krause.
I also include how to custom fit any
garment using a commercial
pattern by applying the grid
method, much the same as
making your pant pattern.
It only makes sense to
measure your body in
precise places and adjust
the pattern lengths and
widths at those same
places. Using this grid
method, I never made a
muslin (not even on pants) as
time didn’t allow if a living was
to be made!
26
About Anna Zapp
Anna started sewing at age 12 and was sewing for her
class mates at age 13. She studied tailoring, draping
and design at Memphis U. Anna’s childhood dream
came true, to sew for famous people in 1973, when
she met John Denver in Aspen. She then created
additionally for a plethora of celebrities such as Robert
Redford, John Travolta, Bonnie
Rait spanning 10 years. She
manufactured a designer line of
western wear and owned a retail
store. After closing the western
wear business, she opened a
couture studio and designed
and constructed garments for
the following 25 years. She then
co-invented the Tilt’able and Sure
Foot System, sold the company
then wrote a book about couture
design and construction. e-mail:
[email protected]
Much more
information
can be found in
Anna’s book The
Zapp Method
of Couture
Sewing, such
as fit problems,
style changes,
tricks and tips
as well as how
to construct
garments using
ready to wear
sewing methods.
Published by
F&W/Krause.
Available at
Amazon.
Anna also
includes how to
custom fit any
garment using
any commercial
pattern by
applying her
grid method,
much the same
as making your
pant pattern.
It is coming
to be known
that it only
makes sense to
Photo by Marie Bush
measure your
body in precise places and adjust
the pattern lengths and widths at
those same places. Using this grid
method she never made a muslin
(actually not even on pants) as
time didn’t allow if a living was to
be made!
VDTA•SDTA NEWS July 2015 | SQE Professional™