Bespoke Cutter And Tailor

Quote from: Gerry on Today at 06:50:56 AMsurprising number of West End trouser-makers use Banrol. Frankly, they should have their knackers/nips clamped in a vice. It's nylon crap. I once sandwiched some between the fold of some linen cloth and gave it a press at high temperature.

I also have some light canvas that was suggested by an Ukrainian tailor to make a waistband from making it a little more stiff with starch. The one I bought is a cotton and goathair mix.

Quote from: Robb on Today at 06:22:34 AMI have 2" Banrol, thinking a wider waistband would spread the tightness a little for more comfort

A wide waistband does the reverse. The top of the band has to fit the measured circumference of the waist, but lower down the body will have a greater circumference so things feel tight. All of my waistbands are 1.5 inches. I also make them fitted, which is more comfortable.

A surprising number of West End trouser-makers use Banrol. Frankly, they should have their knackers/nips clamped in a vice. It's nylon crap. I once sandwiched some between the fold of some linen cloth and gave it a press at high temperature. Things looked fine until I peeled back the cloth. The whole of the banrol had a rippled appearance, having melted slightly from the high temperature. Obviously nobody in their right mind would press wool at such a high temperature ... unless they were a clueless dry-cleaner or a have-a-go hero at home with a domestic iron. And what if you do make trousers out of cotton or linen? Will the banrol survive the higher temperature? Tune-in next week to find out!

If you want a more natural equivalent of Banrol, consider trying cotton buckram. It has the same feel and stiffness (which personally I don't like, but each to their own). Anywhere that sells curtain supplies should sell buckram. It comes in rolls, usually between 4-6 inches wide and is sold (very cheaply) by the metre/yard. The finished edges are totally straight, so once cut to width use one of them for the top fold of the waistband. The lower edge can be catch-stitched to the waist seam, or you can sew on some bias tape along its length to replicate a banrol waistband.

Buckram is sold as fusible and also as sew-in. If you're mis-sold sew-in and it has gum on it, spray it with water, sandwich between some scrap cloth and heat with the iron. Don't press, we don't want to permanently bond it. After ironing, peel back the cloth. It should come away fairly easily because spraying with water weakens the glue. The gum will be totally dry after the ironing and you can cut the buckram to size.

Quote from: Robb on Today at 06:22:34 AMI figured my curvature to be more excessive than normal but probably better then to leave this adjustment out as it only creates more fitting issues.

You should only ever carry out adjustments on a need-to basis. Unless you have years of fitting experience, best to start with a regular draft and go from there.

Quote from: Gerry on Today at 06:00:27 AMWaistbands are usually cut net, or slightly smaller than the circumference measured. They're meant to fit snuggly (which is different from tight). Obviously you don't like the feel of that, so ... If you reduce the width of your waistband, and increase the rise a little to compensate for the reduction, that might feel more comfortable. You'll have the pleated front a little higher up, relatively speaking; and with a band that's narrower, its lower edge won't cut into your abdomen so much. Hopefully those two things together will enable a snugger waistband that is more palatable.

That's something to consider. I have 2" Banrol, thinking a wider waistband would spread the tightness a little for more comfort but it's true that it doesn't allow it to sit a little higher up. I'll trim it down to something like 1 3/4 and increase the rise accordingly.

Quote from: Gerry on Today at 06:00:27 AMHaving curvature to your abdomen is not the same as having a stout figure. I really don't see the need for any adjustment.

I figured my curvature to be more excessive than normal but probably better then to leave this adjustment out as it only creates more fitting issues.

PS don't rely on your waistband to do all the work of keeping your trousers up. That's what adjusters or belts are for. It's tempting to make waistbands very tight when fitting, so that the trousers stay up, but really they should only be 'snug'.

Quote from: Robb on Today at 05:16:17 AMMarked in blue is how the waistband can sit flat with no ease given but it's tight. If I add any sort of ease to the waistband is will sag down in the back as shown in green where it will sit naturally.

Firstly, waistbands shouldn't have ease, not unless you intend to wear braces/suspenders; and obviously that is something to consider - it would enable you to bring up the level of the waistband in the back, making things look more balanced/even.

Waistbands are usually cut net, or slightly smaller than the circumference measured. They're meant to fit snuggly (which is different from tight). Obviously you don't like the feel of that, so ... If you reduce the width of your waistband, and increase the rise a little to compensate for the reduction, that might feel more comfortable. You'll have the pleated front a little higher up, relatively speaking; and with a band that's narrower, its lower edge won't cut into your abdomen so much. Hopefully those two things together will enable a snugger waistband that is more palatable.

Having curvature to your abdomen is not the same as having a stout figure. I really don't see the need for any adjustment.

Quote from: peterle on July 08, 2025, 08:05:05 PMI also want to adress the waistband. It is very slanted. Very high at the front and dipping at the back. Do you want it that high in the front? You said you did a stout figure alteration wich usually consists of adding width and raising the fly point.A pic of the front alteration would be nice. Lowering the waistline towards the fly point will most likely improve the run of the waistband.

Those are valid concerns and I can understand the confusion. I made a sideview sketch of my body contour that I have to work with to give a better idea of why it's so high in the front and is dipping in the back.

Marked in blue/green is the position where I'd like the waistband to sit at the front. Just below it, my stomach protrudes at a right angle and marked in red is where my ostomy sits, which is a no-go zone for any waistband to sit and needs extra room (hence I thought pleated trousers would be ideal for this). So it can only really sit above it as marked or well below it but then I'd have an unsightly long chest and makes it impossible to wear waistcoats.

Marked in blue is how the waistband can sit flat with no ease given but it's tight. If I add any sort of ease to the waistband is will sag down in the back as shown in green where it will sit naturally. Much like how it sits in the toile picture earlier posted. It's also much more comfortable than the blue position.

Quote from: Gerry on Today at 12:09:19 AMI'm not sure why you tackled a stout figure adjustment, either. Personally, I think you'd be better off with a regular draft.

Marked in red is why I thought I could benefit from a stout adjustment shown below, to give that area some extra room. Sadly, the stout adjustment makes the front fly come straight up and not curve inwards following my contour.

I'm still thinking if maybe a seat piece would work better so the 'waistband' could sit lower in the back while the extra height of the seat piece balances out the look.

I had a little time to check the Modern Tailor draft. For the underside, the seat line is constructed so:

Measure across the topside from 7 to A ... place this amount at L and continue to 24, 1/2 seat [sic: scale, surely?] measure plus 2 1/2"

7 to A is the same as 4 to 1: 1/3rd scale plus 1/6th scale = 1/4 total seat measurement. So basically 2.5 inches of ease is added to the pattern, giving 5 inches of ease across the whole seat. That is way too much for many, let alone your build. Because of your flatter backside, you'd probably only need 1 inch on the pattern (to match the 1 inch pleating ease added to the front's side seam at point 24); which would give you 2 inches of ease across the whole seat.

You'll know yourself how much you had to take in at the CB, which will give you a better idea of how much ease you actually need; but basically it would be better (IMO) to redraw the back pattern with significantly less ease. Following on from what Peterle was saying, if you take everything off the CB it disrupts the whole balance.

I'm not sure why you tackled a stout figure adjustment, either. Personally, I think you'd be better off with a regular draft.

First I like the unpinned version much better. The fronts fall much nicer and the waistband is a bit more horizontal although a bit strange. A slight looseness under the seat is necessary for every trousers, otherwise sitting and stepping stairs will be difficult. Also the pinned horizontal dart is much too high wich throughs off the whole balance completely. The darts should start at point 24 and rise a little towards the seat seam. And it should take out a lot less.

I also want to adress the waistband. It is very slanted. Very high at the front and dipping at the back. Do you want it that high in the front? You said you did a stout figure alteration wich usually consists of adding width and raising the fly point.A pic of the front alteration would be nice. Lowering the waistline towards the fly point will most likely improve the run of the waistband.

The green line in your posted diagram shows you took out a very lot at the seat seam. This had two consequences: it reduced the back hip width and produces a very vertical seat seam run. Both is probably necessary. But it throughs off the balance.
My approach would be: starting with the original seat seam line I would reduce the whole seat slant with a dart like your first alteration diagram. (Starting at point 24!)This alters the whole top back angle, not just the seat seam angle. Then in another fitting I would determin wether I have to reduce the back hip width also by pinning a long vertical dart along the crease line. The pattern would be altered by slashing the undersides vertically and pinching the surplus.

Quote from: Greger on July 08, 2025, 06:05:34 AMThe Modern Tailor Outfitter And Clothier III, pages 132 and 133. Chapter XIII

Thank you very much Greger.

Quote from: Schneiderfrei on July 07, 2025, 07:06:11 PM

Quote from: Greger on July 07, 2025, 05:34:10 PMThere are a few fitting answers for tall neck, short neck, stooped and erect stance missing.

Oh Greger, do you know where those aditional instructions might be found?

The Modern Tailor Outfitter And Clothier III, pages 132 and 133. Chapter XIII
The download copy I have is barely readable.
That chapter has pajamas, dressing gown and underwear.