Each thigh profile requires a slightly different approach to create an attractive and comfortable fit.
Thighs come in several different shapes and sizes, requiring adjustments for fitted skirts and most pants styles. The first step: Measure your thigh and compare the measurement to the pattern to determine the adjustment amount. You'll need to look in a mirror to determine where the fullness occurs--outside leg, inside leg, or both, or at the thigh front--to adjust the pattern correctly.
Thin Thighs
Slender thighs are easy to adjust for in fitted skirts and don't require any adjustment in fuller styles. It's not necessary to adjust the pattern--simply fit the skirt by taking in the side seams as you sew. Be sure to leave enough wearing ease--at least 2" at the full hip and thigh--to sit comfortably. If the skirt adjustment seems like an inordinate amount, the pattern is probably too large for your figure. If the garment has lots of design ease, it may be too much for a smaller frame.
In pants, the excess fabric creates vertical wrinkles (1). In most cases reducing the crotch extension is all that's needed (2). You may need to adjust only the front or back inseam. If both seams need altering, the amount may vary for the front and back.
Experiment by adjusting the seams when tissue-fitting the pattern or after the pants have been cut out. It depends on the inner leg shape and where the weight is carried. Again, it isn't necessary to adjust the pattern--just take in the inseams (and outseams if necessary) as you sew to achieve a smooth, wrinkle-free fit.
Full Front Thighs
A highly developed thigh muscle in the front is obvious when the profile is examined. When the thigh protrudes more than average, the groin area appears to indent.
In fitted skirts, this shows up as tight, horizontal wrinkles across the thighs. A fold may form above the thighs as the garment "crawls up" from lack of room. A fitted skirt hemline may also curve up at the center front for the same reason (3).
Page 2 - Full Front Thighs Continued & Full Inner & Outer Thighs
