5.2. Parts of the Pants Pattern

Pants Terms Defined

Center Line- vertical line on the front and back patterns that represents the center of the body between right and left sides.

Side Waist Point- the point where the waist seamline meets the side seamline curve.

Waist Seamline- the seamline from the center line to the side waist point.

Waist line depth- an amount determined by the difference between side and center floor-to-waist measurements. This is incorporated in the hip blocks.

Hip depth- the measurement from the waist to the fullest part of seat. This is incorporated in the hip blocks.

Hipline- the line drawn at the hip depth, perpendicular to the center line.

Wedge- the spacing that results when the hipline is cut and spread at the center line to add more length.

Wedging- the process of cutting and spreading the pattern at the hipline to provide adequate length along the center front and center back seamlines of the pants.

Crotch line- the line drawn on the pattern to represent the crotch depth.

Crotch depth- the length from waist to crotch line, measured at the seam line.

Crotch point- extension for width, front to back , between the legs at the crotch depth.

Crotch curve- a curved line that is an extension of the center line (front or back) to curve through the crotch area.

Diagonal- a line drawn diagonally up from the crotch line at center front or back, that sets the depth of the crotch curve.

Grain line- the line drawn in the pattern to represent straight-of-goods. The grainline is parallels to the center line below the hipline, front and back.

Inseam- the inside leg seamline of the pants from crotch point to ankle, front and back.

Out seam- the outside seamline front and back from waist to ankle.

Section X- a section of the back pattern leg to indicate the middle or bend of the knee.

Ankle line- the bottom line of the pants pattern leg before hem allowance.

Reference:

Minott, Jon. Pants and Skirts Fit for your Shape. Los Angeles, Burgess Publishing Company, (.n.d)