Cutting Line Designs One Seam Pants

[lakestitcher]

A few days/weeks ago, someone posted a tip about eliminating the "sagging seat" in linen pants. I thought it was from Louise but can't find it on either topic.
Something about cutting out the pants, then pressing toward the crotch or inseam, then recut. The linen one seams I wore yesterday had this "sagging" problem at the end of the day. Not a very pretty sight!
I'm about to cut another pair and wonder if anyone else remembers this tip and where to find it? Usually I print out those tid-bits but missed that one.
Any help appreciated. Thanks   

[LisaB]

Lakestitcher, I found the post by BarbW on page 8 of this thread. Here is the quote:

I've made several pairs of OS's & love them all, and I've used mostly linen.  I had noticed that, after wearing them for several hours, the seat would bag out & look not-so-good.  I asked Louise how to fix this. She said to cut the pattern as usual, then press, press press with lots of steam the back crotch/inseam area out on the bias (toward the point of the crotch), then lay the pattern over the 'stretched'  fabric, and re-cut.  This removes some excess.  It worked!  I've made two new linen pairs, and have not had the problem.  I took the black pair on a trip to France recently, and after wearing them all day, they still looked pretty good from the rear.  Thank you, Louise!

Barb, thanks for posting this info. I've saved it in the One Seams folder for the next time I make linen One Seams!

[LOUISE CUTTING]

You beat me to it...I had just found it, too. It is an old men's tailoring trick.

I have been busy getting the various classes separated and into the right teaching bags for Martha Pullen. Next up is the buttons shortly quared away...have been getting the ones ordered from market in and now they need to go into their right colored boxes to go in the van...as many things that come off the list, somehow more things are added....hmmmm???

I am getting in info on the new DVD and something Linda Lee and I have been working on for the past year...make sure you are signed up for my newsletter.

Back to the teaching samples.  later, Louise

[lakestitcher]

LisaB, Barb and Louise.............Thank you so much!!!! I overlooked it not once but twice!  Geez 
It's now printed and safe in my handy-dandy file.

Now... on to my next pair of One Seams! Just love 'em! 

[lakestitcher]

Forgot to ask.....any idea when the DVD will be available? I'm so excited, can't wait. 

[Patti B]

Louise, I attended a session with you at Puyallup once and I thought you gave guidelines for determining the length of crop pants. Of course, I can't find my notes. I vaguely recall that it was something about thirds of the leg length? I'd love some guidance in this area. By the way, do you have any new cool ideas for spiffing up crop pants? tabs? buttons? pleats? Thanks so much.
Patti

[Terri K]

Patti and all,    There is an entire chapter entitled "Balance and Proportion" in Louise's Cutting Through the Clutter Book that gives all of the measurements and ways to achieve the correct proportion for all your garments.     I'm not going to re-type the chapter here because it's copyrighted.    You may already have this one in your collection and just forgot the chapter was there!

I've seen a lot of discussion, and read a bunch of "style books" about wardrobing and combinations.  I have really enjoyed this book and her other one on travel wardrobes because of the incredible amount of information specifically tailored to women who sew.   Highly recommend them both.


 
Added:  I got out my One-Seam Pants pattern instruction sheets.  The instructions (also copyrighted) for determining your proportions for crop pants are in a diagram in the lower right corner of page 2.

[DeniseM]

Hey, Terri: Nice to see you here. 

[Terri K]

You as well Denise!   I'm off to the Waechter's Stitch Cafe - running late this evening because I cooked a nice dinner and the boys were late getting back from their errands to partake     It's been warm here and especially in the 2nd floor sewing chamber - even with a big fan blowing additional air into the room.    Even with the AC,  I'm not making as much progress as I'd like to.    Pressing produces so much heat you know....

Later

Terri 

[Alice in Bama]

Its also in her one seam booklets dont remember if its in book one or two thou
Alice

[Patti B]

Thanks, Terri and Alice, for rescuing me. It's a little embarrassing that it's in the pattern AND in a book I own.  I shall go hang my head in shame (I can read in that position!).
Patti

[khartsell]

I am new to the forum, and think it is fantastic!  I've read every entry regarding the OSP.  I made my first pair yesterday out of a drapey crinkle gauze and *almost* love them....they still need a little tweaking.  I am 5'4" tall, and fluffy.  My waist measurement is 36", hip is 48", crotch is 27 1/2".  I made the straight leg in XL, lowered the waist so the crotch measurement was right.  They are great in the back, but the front just has soooo much fabric!  It looks like a skirt instead of pants.  How can I keep the back the way it is but get some of the extra volume out of the front?  I am planning to lower the front waist a bit next time, it is just a bit high thanks to my high hip fluffiness.

I can see that there will be many pairs of these pants in my future, as soon as I get the kinks worked out.  Thanks for the pattern, and the forum!
     Katie in Eureka CA

[Linda 75142]

Bring this subject back to the top.  Maybe Louise will be able to respond in between all that she has going on right now.

[vtmartha]

They are great in the back, but the front just has soooo much fabric! 

I would like to ask the same question except the other way around.    Mine are great in front but baggy in the back (upper thigh).  Would slicing through the pattern at the crotch down the length of the pants and overlapping it a bit take care of this?  I guess I would then have to add to the crotch length at the back waistline.  I will probably try this unless I hear otherwise.

[adab]

I see that many of you have used linen for one seams.  I purchased some black linen, mid-weight that the saleslady said would drape nicely after pre-shrinking.  It hasn't softened as much as I would like after 2 washings and dryings in the dryer.  Is there anything that you ladies have done that helped soften linen? 
Thank you for your time and experience.

[Susan in Saint John]

"Extreme washing" is an option which I have used.  There were instructions in Threads April/May 2005 which used Dawn hand dishwashing detergent--the original stuff if you can find it--and hot machine wash/machine dry, several times.  The problem with black is that you don't want to lose the colour.  I've only done it on lighter colours.

[khartsell]

I am posting this a second time in hopes that I'll get a response.  I know summer is busy and people are out and about instead of on their computers!  Anyway, here it is:
I am new to the forum, and think it is fantastic!  I've read every entry regarding the OSP.  I made my first pair yesterday out of a drapey crinkle gauze and *almost* love them....they still need a little tweaking.  I am 5'4" tall, and fluffy.  My waist measurement is 36", hip is 48", crotch is 27 1/2".  I made the straight leg in XL, lowered the waist so the crotch measurement was right.  They are great in the back, but the front just has soooo much fabric!  It looks like a skirt instead of pants.  How can I keep the back the way it is but get some of the extra volume out of the front?  As an update to the original post, I tried them again taking a 1" tuck in the front of the pattern from top to bottom, but when I made them the hips were way too tight.  I guess I need to take in the front above the crotch seam to be narrower (not so straight), but remain the same at the hipline.  In other words, shape them a bit to come in at the front waist. Can I do that without making them come out weird?
I can see that there will be many pairs of these pants in my future, as soon as I get the kinks worked out.  Thanks for the pattern, and the forum!
     Katie in Eureka CA

[Susan in Saint John]

I notice that you've got a 12" difference between your waist and hips.  In the pattern instructions, there is information on how to add "darts" through the waist casing to remove excess fabric.  Personally, I sew in a back dart to remove excess fabric but you have to make sure you still have enough fabric at the waist to get the pants on and off.  Basically, you can dart out all of the ease so you still have your hip measurement at the waistline.  There are several places you can add darts:  back, front, where the side seam would be, centre front seam, and centre back seam.  In any case you are going to have 12" of extra fabric at your waist.

I wonder if you put your elastic in evenly around your waist, i.e., quartering the waist and the elastic.  Alternatively, you might want to have a lower fabric to elastic ratio at the front than at the back but you have to watch that you don't take the grain line off the side of the pants or they will hang oddly.  On the pair that you have made, can you see if the grain of the fabric is bending towards the front or back at the waist?  You may have quartered the elastic and pants but you might need to mark a side seam location on the elastic and on the pants instead of applying the elastic evenly.

You could, I suppose, shape the waistline more with darts but then you would have to add a zipper.  The pants would be more work to make but you would retain the wonderful drape that these pants have.  This is a pattern well worth perfecting.  I have always used the tapered leg version and it may fit a bit differently than the full leg.  You might compare the pattern pieces to see if the tapered has less fabric in the area that is giving you this problem.

Louise checks this list regularly and posts answers to questions like yours.  Within a few days you'll probably see a post from her with the "real" answers.

[LOUISE CUTTING]

Dear Katie,
I will help you tomorrow night...I need to pull a pattern and they are still packed in the truck. We are setting up the second convention in 2 weeks tomorrow and just finished driving from Chicago to Kansas City today...kinda hit the wall. so I will be back with pattern in hand so i have all the measurements in the different sizes in hand.

We Drove from Orlando to Chicago on Monday and Tuesday, set up on Wednesday at the ASG on Thursday...opened up on Thursday night and all day Fri-Sun. Drove here today and set up is tomorrow. Convention is Wed-Sun. I fly to Huntsville for Martha Pullen on Sunday and teach there until the follow Sun and then fly home on Mon...home on only Tuesday, and fly to Tulsa for the retreat with Linda Lee Wed through Sat...I think...I'm working on a need to know and it isn't Tulsa time just yet.

but I will be back tomorrow night...till then, Louise

[LOUISE CUTTING]

I am going to p[rint fast...I have been thrown off about a dozen times tonight...I hate when you have to go through all of this stuff at hotels to get on the internet...so here goes.

 

My waist measurement is 36", hip is 48", crotch is 27 1/2".  I made the straight leg in XL, lowered the waist so the crotch measurement was right.  They are great in the back, but the front just has soooo much fabric!  It looks like a skirt instead of pants.  How can I keep the back the way it is but get some of the extra volume out of the front?  As an update to the original post, I tried them again taking a 1" tuck in the front of the pattern from top to bottom, but when I made them the hips were way too tight.  I guess I need to take in the front above the crotch seam to be narrower (not so straight), but remain the same at the hipline.

Try along the horizontal hip line from the center front to the center back cut all the way along the line...but not through the center back. Overlap the upper portion over the lower portion of the pants about 1" at the center front going to nothing at the center back...this will remove the excess fabric you are seeing.

Let me know if this is the way it is looking on you, not too much volumn vertically.  if it is vertically, how Susan in St John is correct about the darts.

Keep me posted if this is what you are looking for. The convention starts tomorrow at 8:30am and goes to 10:00pm...so I might not get back here until the next day (that means I have no idea what today is..) I know it is nice weather in kansas City, but that is about all.

[khartsell]

Thank you for the suggestions about removing some of the volume in the front of the pants.  I have my daughter in law and grandbaby visiting this week and am off to see my parents next week so I won't have a chance to try them until I get back--but I will definitely try them!  BTW I did make sure the elastic was applied evenly, and I did put some darts in the original pants, but I will mull that part of the pattern over some more and see if more or larger darts would help.

Thank you again for the pattern, and the help!

[pbrenneraz]

I'm a world class lurker around here, but not much of a poster ... but I could not stay quiet today.  I finally finished my one seam pants - I don't know why I was dragging my feet... I LOVE THESE PANTS!  I followed the directions for the crotch length (don't ask what my husband said when he saw me with the measuring tape through my crotch  )  and they fit well and even better, they look GOOD.   I could probably tweak the pattern a smidge to make it more perfect, but I don't think I'm going to bother. 

I have to admit, I used a navy blue tencel that was not my favorite (I thought that if I didn't like the pants, I wouldn't have used a favorite color).  When I tried them on, I realized that I have several blouses in my closet that the navy works with.  Why did I wait so long!!???  I definitely won't be waiting to make the next pair.

Thank you Louise for a great pattern and directions!

Patty

[Terri K]

Patty, I second everything you just said, especially

and they fit well and even better, they look GOOD

   

I knew it after my husband gave me the ultimate complement - he said your butt looks good in those pants.

[mom2five]

I have this beautiful piece of oddball silk that I'd like to make some One Seams with.  I need to line them because it has a somewhat open weave and I'm considering a silk charmeuse.  Any thoughts on this?  Would it make them too hot?  I live in Texas so I don't want something I can wear for only two weeks out of the year. 

Terri, that's funny.  When I finally got the fit right my husband made the same comment.

angel

[vtmartha]

So how do I get that comment?  My husband says they are too baggy below the butt. 

[LyndaC]

I use silk charmeuse often for lining.   ANY silk would be cool, and I have found the wrinkling to minimal to nonexistent. 

Perhaps you should consider just making a pair of Oneseams out of the silk charmeuse, folding down the top waistband until you have a small, 1" waistband, and inserting a narrow elastic in the waist casing.   Now you have a pair of silk liners that you can wear with ANY of your Oneseams and they match perfectly!

[mom2five]

oooooh, great idea!  Thanks.

angel

[Terri K]

Posting a really neat pair of One-Seam Pants with the patch pocket with belt carrier that is included in the pattern.   I cropped these and love Louise's RTW techniques for this pocket.    See these with a sampling of my new Shapes pattern wardrobe on that pattern topic.

* You can wear a belt or sash pulled through the carriers at the top of the pockets.   I don't have a belt on.   I cut one inch off the top of the waistband portion so used one inch elastic.

[Susan in Saint John]

Terri,

Do you wear a belt with these?

[sdBev]

Now this is what I think is classic, but current. You look fabulous, comfortable and cool.  The third layer, jacket? is perfect!

ETA: ending "]" in image code

[Terri K]

Thank you for the complement my fellow recent retiree SD bev! I have been retired one year since July 07.   

The roofers were tearing our old roof off all day today.   They're good local kids so I fed them ham sandwiches and chicken quesadillas for lunch.   They said - you don't have to do that, and I said - what else do I have to do?   I had grilled lots of chicken Saturday night anticipating more dinner guests (son's college friends on way back to school) than actually showed up.   So I fed these guys.   They'll be back tomorrow.

This evening I'm working on a cotton stretch pique By Popular Demand jacket.   I think that is the greatest little jacket pattern and am always impressed with Louise's, Sandy's and all of the ladies I see at the shows many interpretations of it.   

[sdBev]

Thank you for the complement my fellow recent retiree SD bev! I have been retired one year since July 07.   

..

My retirement date was May 29, 2007.  Just a few short weeks before your own.  I had to rethink my sewing.  I decided I wanted to look pulled together, instead of thrown together, classic a little romantic, but my more casual life style needed to be accommodated.  There are several sewist on this list that are recently retired and soon to be retired (also there are several who have been retired for quite a while).  I swear my ears perk up when I see the posting from any of these people.  I'm so eager to know how the others are handling the change.   

[Terri K]

My style hasn't changed much since retiring, the main difference being that I don't need to wear the business attire.   I used to travel a lot and also what I wore day to day obviously depended on the situation.  If I was doing something like inspecting a site under construction, I dressed different than holding formal meetings.    Clearly the stress level is much lower and took some getting used to when high stress was the norm for so many years.

I was at Waechter's yesterday and wore my newest One-Seam pants with the pockets and got lots of complements.   I thank those few who have posted here.   They were doing black and white for the windows and asked to put the black/white Shapes outfit in the window.    You need to check out the latest Sew Beautiful magazine for the back to school kids clothes the Waechter's team put together, also black and white with red accents.   Gorgeous sewing and those kids garments are in the windows too.

 

[LOUISE CUTTING]

It is always a boost to a designer when you see one of your patterns walking down an isle at the Sewing Expos and here is photos....Unless I am teaching or in a vendor hall at a show, I am usually in my studio or office working and don't get to interact like I used to in the store with customers and see what they were wearing. It is wonderful to see what you are all doing. Please keep it up and post more pictures.

If all goes well, when I finally get off the road, I will be starting to sew all the 'step-outs' for a DVD devoted to all things One Seams that I hope will be out next year. Of course, life always seems to get in the way. But I finally see Nov-Dec as my time to get many things accomplished...like getting to sewing...now, I'll go check out Shape chat, then off to work...till later, Louise 

[Debra Wallin]

Hi, I'm new to the list and I am interested in getting the One Seam Pants.  Thought I'd ask if anyone had a preference over Booklet One or Two to accompany the pattern?  Thanks, Debra