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From: SummersEchos
Date: 11-22-2006, 10:30 AM (1 of 6)
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My GD who is 3,5 yrs old is built like a twig. Her measurements are 18.5 18 18.5. Her height is 38". I have no problem making her dresses, jumpers ,skirts and even shorts. Now with the cold winter coming my DD wants some fleece pants. Now I am not a fan of sewing with fleece and do not sew with it much, but am having a dickens of a time getting a basic pair of pull up pants to look good on her. I am using the micro fleece but they still seem to look ill fitting. Any suggestions as to what I may be doing wrong?
Summer
FREE FALLIN |
User: SummersEchos
Member since: 09-29-2004 Total posts: 884 |
From: AndreaSews
Date: 11-22-2006, 01:19 PM (2 of 6)
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I can imagine how that would be a challenge. At her size, she's wearing toddler/early preschool size clothes, and so the patterns are made to have a generous bottom so they can accommodate a diaper. Go up a size for length, and they slim down only slightly and lengthen considerably. Still a baggy fit all around for Miss Twiggy, right? I think you'll need to do some fiddling with the patterns, and eventually you'll have drafted your own pants pattern in the process: You could probably make the whole leg narrower. Then the crotch. To adjust the back pattern piece, Measure from the side of her hip to the center back and have her sit down (the measurement grows). Now add 1/2 inch (which accounts for 1/4 of the added ease of the total pair of pants), and add 5/8 to each end for seam allowances. If you do this at 3 levels across her bottom, you can mark those measurements against the pattern and connect the dots to change the crotch curve. I think you'll find it a smaller pattern piece in the end, and one that won't be baggy and she'll feel comfortable wearing. Of course you'll customize the length before you cut the fabric out, and the front adjustment will be easier than the back. Now, the biggest challenge in all of this, in my opinion, is getting the little goose to hold still! That's always a stumbling point. Good luck!
Andrea
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User: AndreaSews
Member since: 02-18-2005 Total posts: 1007 
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From: mommydionne
Date: 11-22-2006, 08:35 PM (3 of 6)
I'm much lazier than Andrea  I would just find a pair of her pants that fit well now and trace them off and make an elastic waist, I do this all the time for my kids as they are all sticks (except for Luke, he actually has a bum ) It is also really hard to find clothes RTW for the thin ones...To alter a traced pattern from a fitted waist just trace straight up from the place where the pants start to taper and cut the waist straight across. PJ pants are good to copy, and often have a slimmer fit. Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838 
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From: AndreaSews
Date: 11-22-2006, 11:24 PM (4 of 6)
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Oh, Jeanette, I like your idea much better! If there's a pair that fits well, then by all means, trace away! Plus, it's way easier to _say_ what to do than to actually do it, wouldn't you say?
Andrea
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User: AndreaSews
Member since: 02-18-2005 Total posts: 1007
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From: blackie
Date: 12-02-2006, 06:58 PM (5 of 6)
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My daughter is 4 1/2 and also tall and thin in the waist (she has a 20" waist, same as her brother who is 2 years younger). Often I am making a 5T length with a 2T waistline for her. For my thin children, I like patterns with a flat front (either with a mock fly or real one - obviously with fleece you'd use a mock fly) and an elasticized back waist. Basically you would take half your granddaugther's waist, subtract an inch or two, and cut out that length of elastic. Put it through the back casing. If you sew through the elastic (my preferred method), make sure to make an even shorter length as it will lose some stretch that way. Ottobre has a lot of patterns like this. I also have used a DIY pattern for something called "flat pants" (http://home.pacbell.net/kapleo/blog/domesticspherepatterns.html) which use a big rectangular gusset and so are quite baggy in the crotch. I found these pants great for both my big-bummed boy (who also sported a cloth diaper in addition to his cheekage) AND - due to the baggy nature of the backside - I thought it looked cute on my non-diapered kids, too! I made them up in cotton but think fleece would be nice too. Here are some views where you can see the bum I speak of... Definitely not a style for everyone, but I think they are *so* cute! I made these pants 3 Halloweens ago and both of my kids have worn them a lot!   A picture of the backside. see the mundane life of a housewife.
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User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 594 |
From: Miss Spring
Date: 12-08-2006, 05:02 PM (6 of 6)
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When Im sewing for my kids I always make them try the clothes on 50 times before I add the elastic, snaps, button ect. That way I can take in the sides and the crotch. A few years ago I made a pair of pants for my youngest. I look hours taking in the sides and had them perfect. My mom then told me to take them apart and use them for my pattern. I tried just tracing them but I dont have that tallent....lol I did as my mom said and it worked out great. I made her a dozen outfits with that pattern and she was always dresses so cute. One night we had to leave the house in a hurry and I didnt have time to press one of her "handmade" outfits and she had to go out in public for the first time in her life in RTW clothing and the whole time I felt like the worse mom ever....lol Glad I got over that one. Today I even took her out in an outfit that I bought at the dollar store  I feel like that loves diaper commerical.
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User: Miss Spring
Member since: 05-03-2006 Total posts: 87 |
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