11. Trousers Draft

TROUSERS CUTTING

Preliminary Trousers-cutting System (Fig. 199)

The preliminary trousers system illustrates the drafting of the topsides. The tops are plain without pleats, but with a dart suppressing the waist over the prominent hip bone in front.

The measures for trousers are taken by seating the customer on a chair and then measuring up from the chair seat to the point where the tops of the trousers are required in the waist. The side-seam length is taken from the same point at the waist to the length desired, and the difference between the two measurements is calculated as the length of leg. Waist and seat measures are taken in the usual manner, the waist fairly tightly and the seat measure easy. Widths of leg at the knee and the bottom are a matter of style and subject to variation each season.

Measures for the preliminary draft are as follows—

• Waist = 26 inches.

• Hips = 37 inches.

• Side-seam length = 40 inches.

• Body rise, measured from the chair level to the waist line = 11½ inches.

• Leg length is the difference between the body rise and the side-seam length = 28½ inches.

• Knee width = 25 inches.

• Bottom width = 24 inches.

The last two measures are ample in width for all ladies' trousers except for, perhaps, beach pyjamas.

• Working scale = half the hip measure = 18½ inches.

To draft—

Commence by drawing the construction line from X.

• 1 from X = the body-rise quantity plus ½ inch for turning in the tops.

• 3 from X = the total side-seam length = 40 inches plus ½ inch.

• The knee position is located at 2, half the distance from 1 to 3 plus 2 inches from 3.

• Square out from the above points.

• 4 from X = the hip level = 8 inches below the waist line.

• 5 from 1 = one-fourth of the seat measure plus ½ inch for two seams.

• Square up from 5 to 6 to intersect the line squared out from X.

• The front fork quantity from 7 to 5 = one-sixth of the scale plus ½ inch.

• 8 from 5 = ½ inch.

• Join 8 to 6.

• 9 from 5 = one-sixth of the scale.

• Square down from 9 to locate points 10 and 11 on the knee and bottom lines.

• 12 from 10 = one-fourth of the knee measure net.

• 13 from 11 = one-fourth of the bottom measure.

• 14 from 11 = one-fourth of the bottom measure.

• 15 from 10 = one-fourth of the knee measure.

• Line from 4 to 16.

• Measure from 6 to 17 one-fourth of the total waist circumference plus ½ inch for seams.

• 18 from 17 = ¾ inch for a dart at the front waist.

• 19 from 6 = ½ inch.

The above are the construction points of the top-sides and to superimpose the lines proceed as in the second diagram in Fig. 199.

• Shape the fork run from 19 to 7 in a gradual curve, making point 20 from 8 equal to half the distance from 5 to 7 as a guide point.

• Shape the inside leg seam from 7 to 15 and 14 and the bottom edge run from 14 to 13.

• Shape the side-seam from 18 to 4 and continue down to 12 and 13 from 4.

• Shape the waist line from 18 to 19 and reduce the quantity shown from 17 to 18 from the dart at 21, making the dart 6 inches in length to point 22.

This completes the draft of the trousers topsides.

THE UNDERSIDES

To produce the draft of the undersides (Fig. 200), the location of the seat angle is decided and fixed as one-fourth of the waist measure up from 5 on the line from 5 to 19.

• 23 from 5 for the seat-angle location = one-fourth of the waist measure = 6½ inches.

For trousers intended for walking and smart wear, point 24 is located at one-third the distance from 5 to 7.

This point requires variation to suit the different purposes for which bifurcated garments are intended, as will be seen in the future drafts of riding breeches and jodhpurs.

• 25 is located from point 26, which is one-fourth of the waist measurement plus 2 inches from the seat angle line, the 2 inches of increase being taken up by two ¼-inch seams plus 1½ inches for the back waist dart. 25 is 1 inch above the waist line from 6 to 18 (Fig. 199).

• 27 from 26 = one-sixth of the scale for the position of the back waist dart.

• Reduce the quantity allowed for the dart equally each side of point 27 to 28 and 29.

• Square down from 29 to 30 - 6 inches.

• Shape out the back dart from 29 to 30 and 28 to 30.

• 31 from 23 = half the hips measure plus 2 inches for ease and seams, i.e. 20½ inches, less the distance from 4 to 16.

• Shape the side-seam from 26 to 31 and in a gradual run to meet the topside seam run at 12.

• 32 from 25 = ¼ inch of seat seam spring.

• By pivoting from point 15, sweep from 7 to 33 the stride-room quantity of 2 inches.

• 34 from 15 = 1 inch for the four seams necessary.

• 35 from 14 = 1 inch.

• Shape the inside leg seam from 33 to 34 and 35.

• Shape the seat seam from 32 to 23 and 33 as shown to complete the drafting of the undersides for plain-top trousers.

Both darts are to be sewn out in the marks or otherwise a seam is cut inside each sewing line.