Explains why most indie (and newer commercial) patterns aren’t truly graded. It’s not just darts and crotch seams: patch pockets are often the same size no matter the size of one’s rear. I was surprised the other day that the Butterick skirt I’m also making has a graded/sized pocket, though the side pockets are the same for all sizes.
A straight pant with a 42" waist and 60" hip would need 14" reduction for 4" of wearing ease. (Using a fabric without stretch, a pattern without pleats.)
Same pant pattern, fabric, and ease for someone with 28" waist and 38" hip would need only 6" reduction to maintain a 4" ease (which might also be reduced to maintain proportions).
For the pant needing 14" difference that has the standard 6 darts, plus side seams and center back and front seams there are a total of 10 points at which to taper between hip and waist. The greater curvature would need deeper darts and be placed further apart, not necessary in graded ratio of a pant with a smaller waistband.
For the pant with only 10" waist-hip difference, one could reduce by 1" at each point (though in practice, some bodies will need deeper darts in the back darts and CB seam with straighter darts and less depth at hip and CF seams)
So yes when draping or custom fitting a pant, the darts would be of different sizes. Especially if one started with a properly fitted the crotch, then worked from the center out. ;-)
Ah, perhaps I was thinking of big or little darts? Given the numbers you propose, 14 inch versus a 10 inch difference the dart size would be different only if there is the same vertical distance between the circumferences. So if the person with the 42" waist and 60" hip was much taller than the person with the 28" waist and 38" hip, they could end up with the darts being more similar because the center and side seams would take on more responsibility for the reduction in circumference.
Explains why most indie (and newer commercial) patterns aren’t truly graded. It’s not just darts and crotch seams: patch pockets are often the same size no matter the size of one’s rear. I was surprised the other day that the Butterick skirt I’m also making has a graded/sized pocket, though the side pockets are the same for all sizes.
Very interesting! Are you thinking one would expect to see darts changing with grading?
Let me try to work the math.
A straight pant with a 42" waist and 60" hip would need 14" reduction for 4" of wearing ease. (Using a fabric without stretch, a pattern without pleats.)
Same pant pattern, fabric, and ease for someone with 28" waist and 38" hip would need only 6" reduction to maintain a 4" ease (which might also be reduced to maintain proportions).
For the pant needing 14" difference that has the standard 6 darts, plus side seams and center back and front seams there are a total of 10 points at which to taper between hip and waist. The greater curvature would need deeper darts and be placed further apart, not necessary in graded ratio of a pant with a smaller waistband.
For the pant with only 10" waist-hip difference, one could reduce by 1" at each point (though in practice, some bodies will need deeper darts in the back darts and CB seam with straighter darts and less depth at hip and CF seams)
So yes when draping or custom fitting a pant, the darts would be of different sizes. Especially if one started with a properly fitted the crotch, then worked from the center out. ;-)
What about the vertical distance between the circumferences?
Wouldn't that be addressed in properly fitting the crotch seam?
Ah, perhaps I was thinking of big or little darts? Given the numbers you propose, 14 inch versus a 10 inch difference the dart size would be different only if there is the same vertical distance between the circumferences. So if the person with the 42" waist and 60" hip was much taller than the person with the 28" waist and 38" hip, they could end up with the darts being more similar because the center and side seams would take on more responsibility for the reduction in circumference.
very revelatory approach!
Thanks, It can be useful to look at things with a different perspective!