One of the reasons I love working one-to-one with people is that it allows me to truly focus on their body - not an idealised shape, not a standard pattern size, but the real, lived-in, complex, beautiful body they bring into the studio.
Recently, I had the privilege of working with a woman who had been through a lot. Years of major surgery had left her with significant asymmetry; one leg was wider than the other through severe muscle wastage, she had a significantly tilted pelvis, and a slightly twisted posture. Understandably, she had struggled to find trousers that fit or felt comfortable. Even patterns she’d tried to alter herself never quite worked. Waistbands would gape. There was too much fabric in the seat and nothing felt quite right.
She was feeling disheartened and frustrated, and I could completely understand why.
But I could also see the determination in her eyes. She wanted to make clothes that worked for her. She wanted to feel good in what she wore, not like she was always making do. And that’s exactly what our one-to-one session set out to do.
Starting with Listening
When she arrived at the studio, we didn’t jump straight into pattern cutting. First, we talked. I asked her about her experience of getting dressed, what she found difficult, what she wished for, what had worked in the past (even if only briefly). We looked at some of the trousers she’d brought along and discussed where they felt uncomfortable, or just didn’t quite sit right.
This kind of conversation is always an important part of the process. It’s not just about measurements, it’s about understanding the whole person and how they move and live in their body. I want everyone who comes to The Cloth Cutter to feel safe, seen, and supported, especially when they’ve been through something that’s changed their body and their relationship with it.
Measuring a Non-Standard Body
The next step was measuring, and this is where things got interesting. On a body with surgical changes and asymmetry, the standard measuring approach just doesn’t cut it. So we took it slow, and we measured both sides of her body separately. I noted the difference in waist height from left to right, the tilt of her pelvis, and the rotation through her spine that was subtly shifting everything.
We also did some body mapping using soft elastic to visually mark her waistline and hip line, front and back, so we could see where the natural balance points were. This gave us a much clearer idea of how her posture affected the vertical lines of a garment.
Drafting the Trouser Block
Now came the fun part - drafting the trouser block itself. I began with a block she had already started and compared the measurements we had taken to that. However, because the measurements from each side of her body were so different I had to create a full pattern for both left and right legs so we could really nail the fit. This is quite an involved process, but absolutely necessary in her case. The aim wasn’t to ‘correct’ her shape or force symmetry, but to honour the body she had as it was, and create a block that fit her, not a standardised ideal.
We adjusted the crotch depth and removed different amounts of fullness from the seat area to accommodate the inequality in her gluteal muscles. Adjusted the front darts to accommodate one pronounced hip, added a slight flare to compensate for the fuller leg, and made sure the waistband sat level even though her waist wasn’t. We also discussed what kind of trousers she liked, wide leg, fitted, soft fabrics, with a gently elasticated leg so they could be made in a soft double jersey. Comfort and confidence were our twin priorities.
Fitting Each Leg Separately
Once the block was drafted, we cut a toile, but rather than trying to fit both legs at once, we approached each leg individually. She stood in front of the mirror while I pinned and adjusted each side separately. Removing so much fabric from the seat area ended up throwing out the side seam - which should always run perpendicular to the floor. So we re-aligned that for each leg, ensuring each leg had the attention it deserved.
This step was a bit like sculpting, shaping the fabric to fit the actual contours of her body, rather than trying to force her body into a shape that wasn’t hers. It also helped ensure that when she walked and moved, the trousers worked with her, not against her.
When we stood back and looked at the toile, one leg didn’t pull, the hemline was level, and the waistband stayed comfortably in place. She moved around the studio and said - quietly but with real feeling - “I’ve never worn trousers that felt like this.”
To Toile or Not to Toile?
Yes, we toiled again - and then again! The second toile built on all the careful work we’d done fitting each leg separately, helping us refine the overall shape. The third toile finally gave us the shaping we needed around the seat area. It really does pay to take your time with fitting. Big adjustments all at once can actually cloud your judgment, they don’t always give you the information you need to make thoughtful decisions about what to do next.
For these fittings, I used a soft waistband so she could move more freely and give clearer feedback. We still needed to tweak a few small areas, as expected, but the moment she looked in the mirror and saw level hems and a waistband that stayed put? Priceless.
It’s always such a moment of transformation when someone sees themselves in a garment that actually fits their body. I think a lot of us internalise the idea that it’s our fault when things don’t fit, like our bodies are wrong. But actually, it’s the patterns that are wrong. Or at least, they’re not right for us.
We made a few small adjustments, then re-toiled, and by the end of our sessions she had a completed, asymmetric trouser block that fit beautifully. Not perfectly. Not like a mannequin. But like her.
Empowering the Maker
The best part of the session wasn’t just that we created a pattern that fit. It was that she left knowing how she could use this template and adapt it again in future. We talked about ways she could alter leg width to change the style or add different pockets using this new block as her foundation.
She told me later that she felt like a door had opened. Clothes didn’t have to be a compromise anymore. She could make trousers that actually worked for her, and even enjoy the process.
Why This Matters
Bodies change. Through illness, injury, ageing, surgery, or simply the passage of time. And in a world that too often tells us to shrink, squeeze, or disguise our bodies, making clothes that fit us as we are can feel radical.
That’s exactly why I offer one-to-one pattern cutting sessions at The Cloth Cutter. Because sometimes, a group workshop just isn’t the right setting, especially when what you need is more time, more focus, or a more tailored approach.
This lovely lady recognised that herself. She knew that to get a truly accurate fit, she’d need more time and attention than a workshop could comfortably allow, and she didn’t want to feel like she was holding anyone else up. Choosing a one-to-one session gave her the space and support she needed, without the pressure.
Whether you’ve got a body that doesn’t match standard patterns, or you’re simply tired of trying to make clothes that almost fit, you really do deserve to feel good in what you wear.
If that resonates, and you’d like to explore a session for yourself, feel free to get in touch. We can chat about what you need, and whether working together 1:1 could be right for you.
Because you are not the problem. The patterns are.
Let’s make ones that work for you.
Jules
Let me know how I can help
*Disclosure - I did have permission from the lady in question to write a blog about the work we had done together, but she preferred to remain anonymous.