halfmoon 101 JEANS | blending sizes + adjusting the rise

Adjustments on this page: BLENDING or GRADING BETWEEN SIZES SLASH AND SPREAD/OVERLAP TO ADJUST TORSO HEIGHT   Adjustments in other posts: - Crotch adjustments - Knock knee and full thigh adjustments

written by Anemone (Anne) Harris

In this post, I'll walk you through a couple common adjustments on blending sizes and adjusting the rise of your halfmoon 101 JEANS. When sewing pants or jeans for ourselves, it's common to have to make a fitting adjustments to get the garment to fit our bodies just right. Use the links above for tips on crotch modifications and making adjustments for knock knees or fuller thighs.

BLENDING or GRADING BETWEEN SIZES

If your waist, hip or thigh measurements landed in different sizes you can blend between sizes. Blend your center front (and back) seams smoothly from one size at the waist to another at the hips.  

Example - Blending to a larger size at the hips: 

Don't forget to make your blending adjustments to both the front and back pattern pieces! You can also blend out to another size at the thighs. 

SLASH AND SPREAD/OVERLAP ADJUSTMENT FOR TORSO HEIGHT

Cut the pattern along the rise lengthen/shorten line.

To lengthen add a piece of tissue or scrap paper, taping to one edge.   Measure away from the lengthen/shorten line by the amount of length you wish to add, drawing a parallel line to mark this.  Tape the other half of your pattern piece along this line, aligning the side seam of both pieces. 

To shorten you would follow this same process but overlap the pieces by the amount you wish to shorten.

Mark the new cut lines by blending smoothly between the changes from your lengthening or shortening.  

Trim off the excess scrap paper.  

You need to lengthen or shorten the front and back pattern pieces equally, so don’t forget to also adjust your back piece by the same amount.  You should also adjust your fly pieces to add or remove the same amount.

For help on adjusting your halfmoon 101 JEANS pattern for knock knees or fuller thighs, go to this post.

For help on adjusting the crotch height or depth and scooping the crotch (for example, to avoid, ahem, 'camel toe'), go to this post.

Anemone (Anne) is a lover of all things garment sewing and fabric.  She especially loves pattern testing and occasionally going down fitting “rabbit holes”.  Nothing is quite as satisfying as understanding the cause and figuring out a solution to an interesting fitting problem!  Anne lives in Saskatchewan, Canada with her spouse and their two adorable (and hilarious dogs).  You can follow her sewing adventures on her Instagram account @sewanemone.