domingo, 16 de febrero de 2014

Pants for me, a rarity...



I don't like wearing pants. There I have said it. I used to adore my Diesel-jeans, I practically lived in them, but they stopped making the model and now they don't have a model that fits me well anymore. I once went shopping for a new pair, long story short, I went to 5 stores, tried on 20 different models and none fit me. That was quite a depressing way to spend the day. After that, I just gave up on wearing jeans... Any one have a favourite brand or model for pear shapes, preferably manufactured in Europe or the US?


Up until last week I had 2 pair of pants I wore regularly, a grey pair and a black stretch jeans. Last week I was squatting down and the fabric of my black pants tore. Now I must admit, this was not the first time this has happened to me. The insides of my thighs rub together and the fabric gets worn out faster in that spot, and thus eventually all jeans tend to tear up sooner or later...

Even though I don't like wearing pants, I do like making them. So I decided I should make a new pair of pants. And as a lucky coincidence, February is Smarty Pants Month at The Monthly Stitch.

http://themonthlystitch.wordpress.com/category/smarty-pants/

I had been eying this pattern for a while and I know that Burda-pants fit me just fine without any alterations. After I saw Rachel's high waisted trousers, I was more and more convinced that this style should come from under my machine and make its' way into my closet...
Source Burdastyle.com

 I love the high waist on these pants, I just love the style. The husband-monster? Not so much. I believe he said he will only go out with me if I pull my shirt over the waistband, but I don't like the way that looks, so he'll just have to live with tucked in shirts...

The pink wool is from my stash and cost me 15€, picked up from a remnants table in Barcelona. Add a zipper to the grand total and I have new wool trousers for about 16€.


 Now construction wise:

Turns out I can sew a pair of pants in one day! Who would have thought? Certainly not me!

As with all Burda patterns, instructions are minimal. One A4-sheet in total...
 
The welt pockets gave me a bit of a headache. I have never made single welt pockets before, and if I hadn't found this tutorial, both pockets would have ended up a disaster, instead of just the right pocket. I messed up completely and in the end had to sew the whole pocket by hand. Of course after I had slashed the pocket line...  Ugh! The left pocket looks alright. 


I didn't go with the invisible zipper but went for a lapped zipper instead, using Sunny's class on Craftsy. Turns out I should have started with the back leg so the lap would go from front to back, but I started with the front leg, and now my zip closes the wrong way. I'm pretty sure no one will notice.

I was very much in doubt, but in the end I went for the splits on the bottom, and I'm really glad I did. It's a fun little feature, and they make my shoes look good. I like the way my trousers fall around my shoes instead of sitting on top of the shoe. Next time I will make the split 2cm shorter so my socks don't show...


I made a size 42, but I think I could have gotten away with a size 40. Guess that will be for next time, when these wear out.


What are your favourite trouser patterns and which one would you recommend me?

martes, 11 de febrero de 2014

Please, Boss me around!

http://themonthlystitch.wordpress.com/2014/01/28/announcing-the-march-challenge/


The Monthly Stitch challenge for March is called 'Miss Bossy Patterns' and I couldn't be more thrilled with this challenge.

During the month of March, which happens to be my birthday month, I will have to sew a pattern from my stash that I haven't used before, and the best part is, you can decide which pattern it will be.

So, without further ado, the nominees for Miss Bossy Patterns 2014 are:

Vogue 8727



Made up in this beautiful birdy fabric that I have been saving since my London trip during the summer of 2012




McCall's 5974 - out of print
The Perfect Knit Dress, according to McCall's

http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m5974-products-10561.php?page_id=510&search_control=display&list=search

Made up in this out of this world pink/purple (my husband says I'm colourblind...) shiny knit, scooped up during our sewist-meetup in Bilbao in December.



La Maison Victor Adventure Jacket

http://www.lamaisonvictor.com/nl/products/045461/Adventure-jacket
Selfless sewing. I would make this jacket from a new Belgian sewing magazine for one of the monsters in my house (probably my husband) and I would make it in this reversible knit.


So, help me make a decision what to make for the March challenge. But don't worry if I don't make your favourite in March, I probably will soon...

The lines are now open, until 28 February 2014 - CET.




Thanks for your help! I also have a few projects to show you, pictures will be taken and posts written soon!