garment design & construction 1 - trouser block

A Technical Foundation - Women's Wear Pattern Cutting

Trouser Block

Trouser Block

Waistline around ‘belly button’

Hipline 20cm under waistline

Length Waistline To Ankle

Measurements Required

Crutch Line 7cm under hipline

Thigh measurement

A Technical Foundation - Women's Wear Pattern Cutting: Trouser Block

EASE = Ease of movement

When creating patterns you need to add EASE into actual body measurements so you can move in the garment

BUST LINE = 4cm (BREATHING)

WAIST LINE = 2cm (EATING)

HIP LINE = 4cm (SITTING) THIGH =

4cm (MOVING)


Equipment Pattern paper, ruler with a straight and curved edge Pencil, (rubber)


Begin with drawing a grid. CB line, waistline , hipline and knee line. Measure your whole leg length from waistline and continue the CB line down to the hemline

Continue line down to leg length to obtain the hemline


Trace back skirt block onto the grid.

Trace front skirt block, aligned at the hipline, knee line and hemline.


Draw the Crutch Line. 7cm under the hip line CONTINUE line past the CB and CF


Trousers from a Skirt Block

A skirt flows down the sides of your body, where as trousers going between your legs need to have an extension down the centre of the block to create the inside leg seams.

This is added at the Crutch Line. Measurement is obtained by measuring your THIGH.

Small Thigh - big space between legs = small measurement. This needs less extension.

Big Thigh - small space between legs = larger measurement. This needs a longer extension at the crutch line.


Hipline

Crutch Line

To make trousers you need to extend the crutch line to be your thigh measurement plus ease of movement.

This creates the curved crutch seams, and inside leg seams.

The inside leg of trousers sits towards the BACK and never in the centre of your body on trousers. 2/3rd are at the back and 1/3rd at the front

Divide your hip measurement in half THIGH MINUS HALF HIP = total extension of crutch line required to fit your leg.

2/3rd back leg extension PLUS 2cm ease 1/3rd front leg extension PLUS 2cm ease

EXAMPLE HIP 90cm/2 = 45cm THIGH 51cm 51-45cm = 6cm

BACK = 4cm +2cm ease = 6cm FRONT = 2cm + 2cm ease = 4cm

C B

C F

CRUTCH LINE

Extension Formula


Extend crutch line OUT from CF

Thigh Minus half hip = total extension of crutch line FRONT = 1/3rd plus 2cm ease – Example shows 4cm

FRONT LEG

Join crutch line extension to the hipline with a deep curve


FRONT INSIDE LEG SEAM

Join crutch line extension down to knee line. Curve inwards

MINUS 1cm at knee line position.

Take this minus 1cm down to the hemline.


BACK INSIDE LEG

Extend crutch line OUT from CB

Thigh Minus half hip = total extension of crutch line

BACK = 2/3rd plus 2cm ease Example shows 6cm

DEEP curve inwards, minus 1cm at knee line

Continue straight down to hemline.


You now need to displace the top of the back skirt to add in room for your bottom.

DRAW A LINE UP from the hipline at the CB.

NO change at the side seam.

Add around 3-4cm, depending on how much your bottom protrudes outwards.


Place the skirt block on the NEW line and re-draw the top, including the dart


RED line shows new top back of the trousers


SMOOTH the side seam by extending 2-3MM’s at the hipline to make it straight down, connecting to the crutch line.


CENTRE BACK CRUTCH LINE

Join the crutch line extension point to the new displaced top of the back with a deep curve.


SIDE SEAM

Minus 1cm at knee line on the side seam, back and front.

Take the line down parallel to the hemline. Reducing inside and outside leg seams at knee line down to hemline.


TROUSERS FROM A SKIRT BLOCK

RED dotted line is original skirt block


Cut out finished skirt block

FITTING SAMPLE Add 1cm seam allowance around: CB and CF crutch lines Inside leg seams, back and front Outside leg seam, front and back

NO NEED waistline or hemline for a fitting sample

Add NOTCH Marks – two at CB, hipline, knee line and zipper notch 2cm above HL at side seam.


Cut out trouser block fitting sample.

Fold fabric in HALF, align selvedge (natural edge) together against the edge of a table.

The bottom is where the fabric was cut in the shop.

WEIGHT down or use pins to cut.


Cut into notches 2-3mm which will help you sew.


Mark darts in for sewing, a pencil mark or use a pin at the bottom of the dart.

Or if you are new to sewing draw the dart line lightly with a pencil to help you sew.


1. Sew all 4 darts2. Sew CB crutch seam together3. Sew CF crutch seam together4. Sew outside leg LEFT side seam

from UNDER the zipper notchdown to the hem

5. Sew right left outside leg seamtogether

6. Sew inside leg seams to finishtrouser fitting sample

LEFT outside leg seam is left open at the top where the zipper goes for fitting purposes


Try trouser sample on. Front Darts = should sit comfortably around your stomach Thigh – bend your legs, there should be enough ease of movement but not too big.


Back trousers should reach the waistline and fit around your bottom Back darts should stop at the top curve of your bottom.


If the trousers do not fit over your bottom nicely adjust the amount you added in at the back hipline.

Too small = add more Too big = remove

If trousers are too big or too small at hipline and waistline adjust at the side seam. You can also reduce or add to the dart width for a perfect fit.


FINISHED TROUSER BLOCK Confirm your block onto card for repeated used. Sample above shows the knee and hem lengths quoted on it also.


A Technical Foundation, Women’s Wear Pattern Cutting · ISBN-10: 1849634718

· ISBN-13: 978-1849634717

Concept to Creation; The Design Process · ISBN-10: 1849635730

· ISBN-13: 978-1849635738

A Technical Foundation - Menswear Pattern Cutting · ISBN-10: 1784551236

· ISBN-13: 978-1784551230

garment design & construction 1 - trouser block

Education