As most call for men’s swimwear is just the briefs it’s probably easier to make a quick block just for the waist to hip region. This is the same as taking only the mid section from the full men’s block, only faster for those who aren’t interested in full leotards or catsuits (to be covered later). From this block you can make men’s swim briefs, swim boxers, pouches, thongs or g-strings … any style really.
There is no real performance difference between men’s and women’s blocks even though men show more physical movement than women (generally). For these reasons we still use 12% negative ease in men’s blocks. Some people do prefer 10% negative ease because it does allow for better sizing overlap, but I find the fit a little soft.
Just as womens’ cup sizes vary, so too do mens’ crotch volumes, although nowhere near as significantly as men would have you believe! Consideration does need to be given to men’s comfort and support as equally as it does for women. This really depends on the style of swimwear chosen so the varying ways of providing support for men will be demonstrated at the pattern stage. Some purists prefer to use a convexed center front seam on the front block but I disagree. Personally, I do not use a center front allowance in swimwear blocks for men and every company you work for will ask for a center front fold. In the subsequent patterns I will demonstrate how to add crotch room and support for men’s swimwear.
The process for drafting the block is fairly straight forward. Before you start each step, look carefully at the illustration for that step as it will help guide you through the instructions. At the end of each step your draft should match the illustration. If it doesn’t go back to the start of that step and work your way through again.
Step One
| 1-2 | Square down waist to hip measurement. |
| 1-3 | Square across one quarter waist *0.88 (12% negative ease). |
| 2-4 | Square across one quarter hip *0.88 (12% negative ease). |
Step Two
| 3-4 | Join point 3 to point 4. |
| 2-5 | Square down one quarter waist to hip. |
| 5-6 | Square across one quarter of the distance 2-4. |
Step Three
Mirror the illustration left to right to create identical front and back panels (front is on the right, back on the left). Mark points 7, 8 & 9 as illustrated. Also divide the blocks horizontally between waist and hip as shown …first in half and then half again to create 25%, 50% and 75% guide lines. These help for marking waist band and leg holes when it comes to making patterns later.
Step Four
Mark point 10, one fifth of the distance 2-4 from point 7.
Step Five
Now it’s a simple matter of joining the dots. I’ve demonstrated this using a red line. Remember that this is a block, which is why I’ve taken it all the way up to the waist. The leg line should cross approximately at the 50% line, connecting the points as shown. Place the front and back blocks against each other at the side seam to smooth out the leg line properly.
Next, place the back panel against the front at the crotch to make sure the leg line is correctly curved and smooth here also.
Step Six
Retrace the front and back panels, keeping the guidelines on the block. Document the size (or custom measurements), date, authour and that no seams have been added. Again remember that this is a block from which the patterns for each style are then made!
Thanks for the advice.
The “hip”, when measuring the body, is usually (it can be different) the widest part of the body, and will be somewhat where the crotch is.
An often used standard in womenswear sets the hip 21 cm under the waist, if you need some extra guidance.
To be complete, in some places/textbooks/pattern systems the hip is 10 cm under waist, and what we call hip is called “base width”.
If you’ld ask me, Steve, I would advice to make it in
Lycraspandex first, with bigger negative ease, to check measurements.My problem is that my “waist to hip” measurement is 16 cm while my waist is 83 cm. So the 1-3 line (horizontally) on my block drawing is longer than the 1-2 line (vertically). I used only 1,5% horizontal ease due to I want to use the block with thicker latex. Even if I use 12% horizontal negative ease, the drawing is not similar proportionally to your drawing. Therefore I am thinking that my “waist to hip” measurement was taken incorrectly. What is the correct method? Thank you for your help.
Hi Stuart!
Can you provide some instructions getting the “waist to hip” measurement correctly? Thank you.
Hello Stuart, hope you’re doing fine!
The pattern method for swim brief works great. I’m trying now to adapt it as a boxer swimswuit with pouch (for men), but results are not good. I can cut and copy my swimwear, but without understanding what I do…It would be super great if you had time to teach us how to make it.
Thanks again
Hi Stuart!
I try again. Don’t know what did happen to the comment I made yesterday???
I would like to know if you are planning on making a pattern for mens trunks (or square cut – with a little leg)? My husband want me to make him a pair.
Last summer I made a swimsuit for my daugther with your childrens block. I posted some pictures on the yahoogroup. It was fun making it – so I am ready to try again…..
Full body! Full body!! Full body!!!
jejeje.
The block method for men is actually quite different and I have been thinking about it but at the moment I’m a bit scared to put it up because of all the help requests I’ve had with the bottom half. It is written already however. I guess it’s nobody’s fault because there is no real help on the block anywhere else so I’m having to work through everyones’ teething issues. I’m really avoiding the inevitable so I should bite the bullet and post it and direct all the questions here so it matures appropriately (that was the idea of the blog afterall). Give me some time to update it with a few things that have arisen from the bottom half and I’ll post it shortly.
Greetings!
I’m a ballroom dancer and have found your site to be immensely helpful in making dresses with stretch fabric. I’m a college student and can’t afford to buy fancy dresses. But I can make them! Recently, the men on my college dance team have become interested in latin dance shirts and where to find them for a reasonable price. I suggested making them instead. They’re essentially a men’s long sleeve, zip-front leotard with a collar. My questions for you are then how to make a men’s leotard block. Obviously they wouldn’t need bust darts so the women’s leotard block wouldn’t work, but sleeves should work pretty much the same way, right? And would a collar work any differently from a normal, woven-fabric collar pattern?
Thanks for your help!