Pants?

[Frogger]

(Please move if there is a better location for this...)

 

I made a pair of longies for my 18mo son (pics here). The look fine, except the crotch area is really stretched too thin hasn't broken yet, but I can see that happening, and I just don't like the look of seeing his diaper throught he stitches 'cause they're pulled so tight.

 

I crocheted a scblo ribbing for the waist, turned & did alternating rows of sc & hdc around for the rest, w/ a few increases at the hips. To make legs, I just worked only 1/2 way around, working down one leg, then attaching a new piece to make the next leg. So, the legs (in total) have as many stitches as the hips/butt does around. I'd like to add some extra stitches in the crotch area so it doesn't get pulled so much, but I don't want to increase the wisth of the legs.

 

Any suggestions??

 

TIA

 

Norah

[crochet smartcat]

I had the same problem with some I made for my kids. Make an oval piece with pointed ends, that you can sew into the crotch. Start with chain 3, sc, the do increases on every row at the ends till you get it 3-5" wide, then do the same amount of decreases, down to a single stitch. This will give you the ease you need in the crotch area.

[Frogger]

Cool. Don't suppose you could post a pic, so I can see how it's attched in there?

[crochet smartcat]

Cool. Don't suppose you could post a pic, so I can see how it's attched in there?

 

Unfortunately no. They were sewn pants made several years ago, not even sure where they are, also the contruction pieces were probably different from your pieces. This pattern had you make 2 pieces that each became a leg.

 

But if you make the piece, just match the center of the piece with the base of the crotch and sew it to each leg appropriately.

[Sabra]

Am I correct in assuming you have no dedicated crotch piece for the longies? When I make baby clothes (as opposed to doll clothes), I always make sure to have a crotch piece. If you look here at my pattern for baby shorts, you can see how I do it:

 

At end of row 17, finish off.

18) Join yarn in st 13 with a sl st. Ch 2 (counts as 1 HDC). HDC in next 8 sts, leaving remaining sts unworked. 8HDC

19 - 21) HDC in each st. 8 HDC

 

These were made with a separate front and back piece, but if you're working in the round for the top part of your pants, you can still do something similar, starting in the middle front and working in rows for a little bit before attaching it to the back of your top piece either with slip stitch (which is how I do it) or by sewing. Then, when making the legs, you will work into the sides of that crotch piece, one side for each leg. It does look kind of goofy when it's finished, but I haven't had a crotch pull out since I started doing this (I got the technique from a published pattern, so I'm hoping the idea is at least somewhat professional ). Seems to give it a little more room, anyway.

[earthwhisper]

It sounds like you need two things. The first thing you need is called a gusset. It is the diamond shaped area you see in the crotch of pants or also is the triangle shaped part of a sock. The second thing you need is "short rows" in the back. When you are working in the round, short rows are rows that do not go all the way around, instead you stop at a point and work back. This gives roundness to a garment in areas that need it, like the bust and the bum.

 

My friend Patti has a crocheted pattern on her site that is for sale that has short rows. They are definately designed for a moving toddler.

 

Also, there is a forum I go to the wooly wonders forum, and they might have some suggestions. It is a form set up for wool soakers and longies.

 

I keep thinking of all of these risky things, like crocheting a diamond shape and then cutting a hole in the existing pants and sewing the gusset in it. You would have to find a way to keep your yarn from unraveling on you.

 

I also thought about laying the pants down and as a guide crocheting a diamond shape that would fit into the crotch. Then, unravel the leg up to the body. When you go to start the legs, you will want to incorporate your premade diamond shape, using that as the inner thigh join, if this makes any sense.

 

My third risky though was to frog all the way up to the waistband or a few inches from it and then start putting in a few short rows. I have never done short rows on crochet, but I think if I was going to, I would just do a slip stitch in the stitch I am going to turn on, so it isn't an abrupt edge. I would go back and forth a few times, maybe not turning on the same stitch each time so it isn't real noticeable. I don't know. I think you are probaby going to have to go buy a pattern that has it worked out for you or just play around with it, with the basic concepts. I hope I have helped you.