The Perfect Jeans: Fitting Techniques for Every Body

Class Preview

Fit your most comfortable, flattering jeans! Learn straightforward techniques for adjusting any jean pattern to complement your body beautifully.

Introduction to Muslin Fitting

Meet Jennifer Stern-Hasemann, owner of her own design studio and your guide to the perfect jeans. Start with the muslin, the base of your design. You’ll learn about common fit issues and how to take measurements.

Adjusting the Pattern to Make the Muslin

Your body measurements and your pattern are unlikely to be the same. Jennifer shows you how to adjust the rise of your jean pattern in the front and/or back. Then she demonstrates how to adjust the leg both above and below the knee, and gives invaluable tips on how to make your muslin.

Rise Versus Sitting Room

The right fit takes time and effort. Jennifer gives you multiple ways to troubleshoot one of the most common problems — allowing for the right amount of sitting room — while also showing you how to adjust pattern pieces and figure out how those adjustments affect fit in other areas.

Adjusting Ease

Muslin too snug or too roomy? Let Jennifer show you how to adjust for ease by letting it in or out, depending on your preferences. Watch as she simultaneously tracks muslin changes to pattern pieces, and see how she treats pockets in the muslin and fitting stage.

Reducing Wrinkles on the Back Leg

Wrinkles on your muslin can mean one of two things: too much length or too much stress on the fabric. Jennifer shows how to add a diagonal pleat to reduce the former and offers solutions for the latter. (Hint: The fabric will point you in the right direction!)

Fitting the Front Crotch

Nowhere is jean fit more important than in the crotch. Jennifer shows how to diagnose and solve for a front crotch that’s too low and one that’s too high. She also shows why it’s best to work in the area below the zipper allowance, rather than making changes at the waistband.

Fitting the Back Yoke & Waistband

Is a bias waistband or a contoured waistband right for you? Jennifer helps you analyze your fit and make adjustments on both your muslin and pattern pieces before wrapping up the lesson, and the class, by turning “sloppy copies” into polished patterns for perfect jeans.