wrinkles & bagginess??
Most of us could probably make a pull-on, elastic-at-the-waist pair of pants virtually in our sleep? Maybe not literally but I know that from cutting out my favourite pull-on pant pattern to being able to walk out of the house wearing the pants probably takes no more than an hour. Those of you who have made this style of pants know I am not fibbing! With the right tools & skills, an hour is more than do-able. The advantage of these pants are that they are super quick to make and are super comfortable. However, the disadvantage is that I am now a little bored with making this style. I am looking to refresh & expand my sewing skill set for making pants. I want to make good, well fitting dress pants with waist band, zipper, maybe pockets ……the works. Now I can cut any pattern out, take hours & days to sew it up but WILL IT FIT WELL?
We have all been shopping for pants. It would be a really good shopping day if the first pair tried on, fitted like a glove and was the right price?! We, of course, know that very seldom happens. We all have unique shaped bodies and ready-to-wear does not cater to every shape & style ……how can it? So I can get a bit lazy and fall back on the comfy pull-on pant or snuggly fitting yoga pants to avoid those wrinkles & baggy sections; OR I can put on my “big girl pants” and take some time to learn how to alter a dress pants or jeans pattern to fit ME exactly as I like my pants to look & feel.
more wrinkles?
The huge advantage is that when I have done the altering of the pattern and maybe a couple of trial versions of the dress pants, I will have a PERFECT pair of pants in MY size to fit MY body (tummies and behinds can be an awful hassle!) and in the style, colour and fabric type of MY choice. WOOHOO!!!
Well I will confess I am not quite there yet. But I DO have a basket in my sewing room with a array of suitable fabric choices (yes, my garment fabric stash is about as “bad” as my quilting stash!) , 3 or 4 great dress pants patterns (I will select one to start with) and a whole bunch of information (notes, books, tutorials & video’s) on altering pants to fit well. I am ready to begin the process. I know it is not going to be as quick as my 45 minute pull-on pant……but I am prepared and ready to start.
I recently acquired this pattern and have made both the top and pants. The pants have darts at the waist line with a simple “waistband” formed by sewing a piece of elastic onto the edge & then turning it over to the inside. I am fairly satisfied with the pair of pants I made using a stretch woven fabric but am still looking for something a little more dressy & “fitted”.
I will leave the topic of the Helix top to another time…..let’s just say that the result of my labours will not be worn until I can figure out what I am doing wrong!? Took some figuring out as the top has a totally unusual design but I cut it out as a medium and that was FAR too big. I really need to face the fact that these patterns are cut large but have no time right now to fuss with altering this most unusual design to make it considerably smaller. Who would have thought I could cut a small or extra small….weird?!…….Oh well, I used fabric I was not crazy about and now have another over-sized nightie to wear.
Another Sewing Workshop pattern I own – not yet made up but which I intend to do However, not in this “round” as I am wanting something less casual
Still looks a bit casual but I think if it is made up in a smarter, dressier cut of fabric, this could be a winner. I have the Sandra Betzina online workshop on fitting and pattern alteration for THIS pattern + another with Sandra on the Construction techniques so I think I am almost ready to begin
Here are 5 of my fabric choices: you will notice that none are summer colours as I am not silly enough to think that this project will be done in time to wear these pants THIS summer! No, no, no…..one or 2 pairs might be done by Fall?!
More to come later on when I finally am home long enough to sew (by July perhaps?) so that my dress pants plan can begin to take shape.
Janome Life 