Follow these step-by-step instructions to create your very own sloper for pants! Use this as a basic block for simple patterns, or alter it for a more personal style!
Materials Needed:
- Pattern paper
- Pencil
- C-thru ruler
- Tape measure
- French curve or hip curve
Measurements:
For this Pant Sloper, I took my measurements for my natural waist (the smallest circumference), your natural hip circumference (the widest point), crotch length taken from front waist to back waist (measuring tape placed between legs from the location you took your waist measurement), desired pant length (natural waist taken at your outseam (outer leg)), crotch depth; while sitting, stand a ruler next to your natural waist to the chair determining your crotch depth. After making this pattern be sure to cut and sew a muslin fit sample, drafting patterns is a complex process and a fit sample will help make adjustments and alterations you can transfer to your pattern after changes have been made.
Dividing your measurements:
- Waist divided by 4 =
- Add 1/4″ for FRONT WAIST
- Subtract 1/4″ for BACK WAIST
- Hip divided by 4 =
- Subtract 1/4″ for FRONT HIP
- Add 1/4″ for BACK HIP
| My Measurements: |
| Front Waist: |
| Back Waist |
| Front Hip: |
| Back Hip: |
| Crotch Depth: |
| Desired Length: |
This tutorial’s photos are based on the upper area of the pant; waist, hip, crotch, etc. For length extension and widths there will be instruction later in this post.
Line A-D will be your waist to crotch depth +3/4″ for ease.
Line C-D is your hip-drop (the length from where you took your waist measurements to your hip, typically this is between 7-9 inches) OR 1/3 of length A-D.
*Not shown in the photo is adding your length, from Point A to Point B (which represents the hem) use your outseam/desired length measurement. Label the ‘Knee’ as Point E on this line which is the halfway mark of Line A-B
Back of Pant:
Line C-F, Line D-G, and Line A-H are your Back Hip plus 1/4″ ease.
Join Point H to Point F to Point G.
Mark Point X as halfway point of Line G-H.
Back rise extension measure Line G-D and use 1/2 that length as your Line G-I.
Front of Pant:
Line C-J, Line A-L, and Line D-K use Front Hip plus 1/4″ ease.
Join Line L-K and mark Point X at halfway.
Front rise extension:
Measure Line K-D and using 1/4 of that distance mark Line K-M.
Darts:
On the back from Point H, mark 3/4″ towards Point A as Point N.
Point N-O is your waist measurement plus 1”.
Find the center of Line N-O and place a mark, on either side 1/2″ away, place your dart legs.
Back Dart length is 4” connect dart legs to this extension to finish the dart.
From Point L, use front waist measurement plus 1” as Point Q.
Mark center of Line Q-L as front waist dart, 1” wide, 1/2″ out on either side as your dart legs, 3” long in length.
Back rise:
Draw a 2” diagonal line from Point G, this will become your slope for the Back Rise. Using a French curve, connect Point N to Point X, join Point F to the diagonal line Point T, and end by blending the curve to Point I. Raise your Back Waist 1/4″ from Point N.
My red line blends to my blue line after Point F for my corrected Back Rise slope.
Front Rise:
Repeat the process from Point K with a diagonal line that is 1-1/2″ long. Using your French curve, join Point L to Point X, curving from Point X to Point M and touching the diagonal line extension
Drop the front waist 1/4″ and blend the Front Rise from Point L to Point X, curving from Point X and touching the diagonal extension, ending with a slope at Point M.
On Line A-B, mark Point X, which is the halfway point of Line A-D length.
Mark the halfway point of Line I-D and Line D-M as your crease, which is also your Straight Grainline.
Extend 1/2″ front Point M and extend 1/2″ from Point I.
From Point D, mark out on either side 1/2″.
Blend from Point C to either mark opposite of Point D, blend using a subtle slant of your hip-curve.
Using the hip curve, blend Point O to Point X, repeat for Point Q to Point X.
From your grainlines on the Back and Front of your pants, you will extend based on your desired length.
On either side of your BACK grainline, extend 4-1/2″ for a straight leg style pant.
Repeat for FRONT grainline at desired hem 4” extended from either side.
Trace your Back and Front patterns separately and add seam allowances:
- ½” is typical for the Rise and Waist
- 1” for the inseam, outseam, and hem to allow for alterations
I really loved using these instructions, but I found the lack of precision confusing. For example, in drawing point O the instructions indicate to use the waist measurement, but the half waist measurement of the particular side should be used. There are a few other similar discrepancies throughout the instructions. I am still ending up with an amazing base to create a sloper from. Thank you!