Hey Everyone… I’m having so much fun this week! I got to spend a lot of time with my daughter, Anna, while test fitting the Ponte Knit Jeans. Anna is my older daughter who is a Freshman at Simmon’s College. She doesn’t have my love of sewing and design… but she graciously agreed to be my fit model 
It’s a win-win, because I can now make her some really comfortable knit jeans to take back to school. They fit great and I think they’ll be perfect to dress up for her work study job on campus and well as for a night out with her girlfriends.
Ponte Knit is a stable knit that has some stretch. Because it is so stable, it’s perfect for fitted jeans. But, it’s not like working with a super stretch knit that would be more appropriate for leggings or yoga pants. I was surprised that many of the adjustments that I use to fit non-stretch jeans work well for this pattern as well. Having said that, I found them much easier to fit than the non-stretch muslin. Each Ponte Knit Fit Muslin has a non-stretch comfort panel built into the front. This panel is created from the one piece trouser style pocket bag/facing. I included it so that the muslin would provide a realistic idea of how the Ponte Knit Jeans will fit and feel when they are constructed with these non-stretch pocket bags. (Making it easier to fit.)
Part of what I’m working on while test fitting is to determine the amount of stretch so I can finish the sizing for the pattern. We started with the size 20 because it measured an inch less than Anna’s full hip and waistline. I think the non-stretch comfort panel came into play, because the waistline fit almost perfectly, while the hips and thighs needed to be taken in.
I think my biggest challenge is going to be finding Ponte Knit that I love for the finished pattern. The fabric I purchased in NYC a couple of weeks ago is polyester — nice for fit muslins and kits, but not what I would want to wear. …Does anyone know where I can find some?
Let me know if you have questions about this pattern, workshop or fitting. And, stay tuned for Quick Tip Thursday… I’m going to show you why it’s not a good idea to fit a pattern using the graded nest