This is fabulous info! Couple of thoughts -
Originally Posted by
MsEithne
I just used a hospital scrub top that vaguely fit the specific person I was sewing for, took it apart to use it as a pattern, measured the person, adjusted my pattern and made a test set out of the cheapest woven fabric I could find.
Great idea. I do this with a lot of clearance RTW (ready-to-wear) that I buy off the rack. Saves the fuss of making a muslin and adjusting the fit; if it fits well off the rack, it will fit well custom-made, as long as I choose appropriate fabric.
Originally Posted by
MsEithne
Once I had a good pattern, I copied it onto mat board so that I could just lay it on the fabric and draw around it using tailor's chalk (the triangular sort). It's a lot faster than pinning or pattern weights.
I like to copy the pattern onto freezer paper, then just iron the freezer paper onto the fabric and use my rotary cutter.
Originally Posted by
MsEithne
My other "secret" for comfort in the pants was to put a gusset into the crotch seam. I flat felled the seams.
Now *this* is something I'd like to know more about. Did you use a diamond shape, set pretty much center at the X seam in the crotch?