Marking and Layout

Hi Rory

I am about to start the trouser making soon (I'm leaving starting the coat until I have completed this) and I have a few questions that have arisen since watching the latest video series....

So please could I get your thoughts on something I decided to do on my fist ever garment attempt - before subscribing to your video series. This is a pair of trousers I was trying to replicate from a three piece suit. My plan was to take measurements off the suit and create a pattern by reference to some drafting formulae in a few books. This proved more difficult than I thought.

Measurements

How is the side seam length determined? Is it the length from the waist (point on side level with line through bellybutton) down to the heel of the shoe? Or is it calculated? I can't quite see how you derived it. My other books seem to reference it to an existing trouser waistband but since I don't have any high rise trousers I'm not sure how to measure this length correctly.

Mark Stitching

I thought it best to start with trousers.....anyway when I practised on spare material I found that sometimes the two layers would shift during cutting.

So I thought about the layout and mark stitching and decided to bast together the two layers of folded fabric and mark stitch everything before cutting. I figured it would help hold the layers together while cutting and then I could separate the layers and snip the mark stitching afterwards. Is there a good reason for not doing it this way? (I know that the loops are a bit long)

Nap

The other question I wanted to ask about was nap. You haven't mentioned it in your videos when setting out the lay. How important is it? How much extra material is needed to allow for this in general if required?

Front Inseam Length

I have seen books mention that the front inseam length ought to be 3/8" longer than the back inseam and that this length should be eased into the section from mid thigh to crotch. I can't see if this is included in your pattern construction. Can you let me know if that is covered in your pattern draft?

My first efforts with my own pattern draft

I would welcome comments on this first attempt which I had to work out myself. No fusing was used at all as the books I was following didn't suggest it. I'm posting it here now so that I can compare it to my attempt using your instructions and pattern draft as soon as I get the time free to do it.