After I made this pair of shorts as a wearable muslin, I noted that I thought I needed a little more length in the torso. I made the pair below (in Andover Dream Weaves ikat, which is definitely a shirting weight) and blithely added half an inch to the top edge below the waistband, thinking that would fix the tugging of the crotch.

Readers, I know better. I ended up with shorts that still pull in the crotch but also hit my ribcage and are a little saggy at the waist to boot. (These were a straight size 10, versus the 10 graded to 8 at the waist of the last pair.)

I knew I needed to do something with the crotch curve but this is why I don’t make pants–fitting adjustments are hard and how it all hangs together is such a mystery. But! I found this cheat sheet from Closet Case Files, took a deep breath, and made a half inch adjustment to lengthen the crotch. I also narrowed the waist at the side seams a little, ending up between an 8 and a 10.

BOOM.

These are the first pants I’ve made in 12 years of sewing that fit me well and that I like to wear. They are the only pants I WANT to wear in this heat–wide legs + elastic back = heaven. And I love the ikat “twinky stars,” as my brother would say.

Now that I’ve cracked the PANTS CODE I have two more pairs planned out and am eyeing another pattern from the same designer. Because I can make pants now!

Details:

  • Emerson Pants from True Bias, lengthened two inches + mods as noted above
  • Ikat from Fancy Tiger Crafts
  • Immeasurable delight that I made pants that fit