Pegu Pants: Selecting the Right Size

Have you started your Pegu Pants yet? The great thing is these are gateway pants. They are a gateway to get you started on making more pants or maybe getting your sew-jo back on track to make pants because I like to think of these as a confidence booster project. If you omit the pockets, you are only dealing with a front, back and waistband. Keeping it simple.

The Pegu Pants are a relaxed fit, meaning they are not intended to be super tight or promise some kind of life changing lift technology to your backside. The should sit around your bellybutton, be semi slim through the hips and generous though the legs. And the bonus is that they are intended for knit fabrics which are by nature, very forgiving to fit. 

The beauty of a sewing pattern is the ability to fine tune the fit even further to your specifications. But your struggle with pants fitting is real. I've seen your battles and heard your woes. But I'm going to let you in on a little secret: 

Choosing the wrong size is the number one mistake I see. From here, it's all downhill. 

...but let's not go down that hill. Let me help you to set yourself up for success!

1) The most important factor is choosing your size is your hip circumference.

Hold on, let me say this again with a little more flair.

This is sooo important! I really can't stress this enough. Choose your size based on your hip first, not your waist. 

This is the widest part of you and where you need as much width as possible. Most importantly, it influences how the crotch area will fit as well. Also really important- make sure you select the crotch point sizes that align with the size you are choosing based on your hip. 

Most of the time once the wrong size is chosen, you mistake the tightness for a good snug fit, but then you have all these strange things happening and the Googling and "scooping" begins.

Stop. Let's start out on the right foot.

Refer to the main body sizing chart as to what numeric size you should choose and follow this.

2) If your waist is bigger or smaller, grade up or down. This is a much easier process than trying to get the curve of the hip just right. 

3) Leave the rise heights alone until you make a muslin, or are able to review an actual finished Pegu Pant. Yes, you may want the waist to hit at a lower position. However, with all the Pegu Pants that I have sewn, I have found that each fabrication has yielded a different look for where the rises hit. Each variation had the same finished measurement, but the fabric changes things. I know a lot of people are looking for a shorter rise. Because it is a mid-rise pant, it's easy to trim off any extra height once you are able to try on the pant and review. It's ok to build as you go. 

4) Select your inseam. The full length version of the Pegu Pants allow you to choose from 26" inseam to 32". Because this is a knit pant the fabric tends to drape a little bit heavier than it would with a woven inseam. I've found by taking my standard trouser/jean inseam of 30" and subtracting 1" this is a pretty good guide for selecting the right Pegu Pant length for you. When in doubt, always make it too long as this can easily be cut off at the end. 

5) If you have a tummy, grade up one size at the front waist, blending to the hip. Stretch the waistband to fit this added length. 

6) Make a muslin. Fabric is expensive and we want our projects to turn out well. The Pegu Pant is designed to be an average for fitting a range of bodies. However, we all have our unique shapes or fit preferences. If you would like to change the look, please feel free to do so. However, don't start adjusting until you know what it is. Go to your local big box store and shop the sale section for a cheap knit to use. Keep in mind the weight and the amount of stretch should be similar.

7) When in doubt, ask for help. If you are uncertain about your fit, hop on over to the SBCC Community group and I'll help you out. If you have struggles it's important to share, because you are probably not the only one. (Just make sure to answer the questions so I know you are a real sewer and not a creeper dude, because they do try to get in. I know it's annoying, but I'm making sure the group is troll and bot free.)

Hopefully this makes you feel more confident about sewing up a pair of Pegu Pants for yourself. If you haven't gotten your copy yet- what are you waiting for? It's time to make some pants!