Miss Celie's Pants

Pants!

The shirt is ready to wear from LL Bean three or four years ago

On Monday, I wore the grey version of these. My colleague said, “It must be really cold. I’ve never seen you in pants.” Not such a crazy thing for her to say. I own three pairs of pants. A summer linen made this year. Grey wool from last year and a pair of ‘all season but mostly when it’s not cold’ black RTW pants that I bought because I needed black pants for some event. And, they are terrible on me. Dresses look better on me (although I think I look pretty good in jeans) and pants are harder (for me) to make. But, I get COLD and like to wear pants in the winter. In fact, I would wear pants every day of the winter if I had more. But, I seem to manage to make  just one pair a year and RTW pants all require serious alterations for me.

Well, nothing to get terribly excited about here. They are black pants. What I do like is that my butt looks pretty damn good in these. This is my third go round with these pants.

I didn’t put twill tape along the waistline so they are kind of loose around the waist. By the end of the day they bordered on hipsters. This weekend, I’ll take in the waist at center back and add twill tape. I’m not a huge fan of belts so I like my pants very snug.

I love using metal trouser zippers. I get them at G Street or when I visit NY. But, I think this is the last of my black G Street zippers.

Let’s see. This fabric is from Fabric.com. I bought it last year immediately after making my last pair. But, it languished. Oh, the yoke material I bought in NYC this last time. You see, I lost the yoke pieces between tracing them out last year and sewing them this year.

As you can see, I’m still not  lining them! I got some brilliant suggestions last time on lining options. I could actually shorten this pair another 1/2 inch but — I won’t. It’s interesting. I need to take this version in, but the first two fit perfectly despite having put on weight. Each fabric reacts differently, that’s for sure.

I realize I’m not as enthusiastic about these as the first time I made them. I’m thrilled to have pants. But, they are what I consider functional sewing.

Liz was taking photos for me in the office. Then, Kim walked by and decided she wanted to join the fun. Haha. I really do make that face a lot.

Next: I’m in the middle of a jacket. It was a shawl collar blazer for work, but it totally just looks like a coat.

I realized yesterday while hemming my Burda World of Fashion 4-2002-122 trousers that I am essentially sewing a Chico’s travel wardrobe. This is the part where I should say that there isn’t anything wrong with Chicos — just not my style. But, there *is* something wrong with Chicos. I am first, 15 years shy of their demographic no matter how young a model they choose. Second, I’ve always thought their clothes were better suited for cruises. What’s odd though, is I’ve had two boyfriends buy me jewelry from Chicos as gifts. I remember the last time it happened my heart sank when I saw the big  block lettered CHICOS on the box. I thought,”‘Crap. This relationship isn’t going to last. He doesn’t know me at all. What about my personal style says, ‘cruisewear’.” The earrings were just as ugly as I imagined them to be and we broke up a week later. Coincidence? I think not.

I say I’m sewing a travel wardrobe from Chicos because everything I’ve picked is loose, not tailored and easy to wear / care for. That, IMHO, is Chico’s style.  At least my stuff isn’t animal print. Don’t get me started on animal print. Which, I will say is just not my style. Animal print doesn’t personally offend my sensibilities. Except when black models are photographed in editorial fashion shoots wearing it. But, that is a Woman’s / African-American Studies paper on its own. I digress.

These are the pants unironed from my sewing machine. I did press them before cutting out and during the sewing. But, no final press. I wanted a sense of what they would look like washed in my hotel room sink, LOL.  I’ve heard the linen can stretch out. So, I took extra care with this garment. Using Sandra Betzina’s Power Sewing as a guide I

• Interfaced the zipper side seam



• Used twill tape in the crotch seam, sewing it twice



• Used twill tape at the waist line



• Interfaced the hem allowance



• Used boning in the front, back and side seam

What I didn’t do, was interface the upper edge of the waistband and it stretched. And, it looks like another 1/2 inch more for my swayback would have been good.

So, the waist line is kind of wonky especially in the front. But, trust. I will never wear something tucked in to these. If I wasn’t sucking in for this photo, then my pants wouldn’t have fallen, and you would see that the pants sit above my waistline.

I will probably shorten these another half inch before I go to China. But, I’ll be wearing them with heels to work in the meantime. The pants are crazy wide! Power Sewing mentions that unless you are very tall you shouldn’t wear wide leg trousers. Oh, well. My driver’s license says I’m 5 ft 7 and I’m both calling that tall and sticking to that height.

I suspect because they are so wide, that my protruding seat adjustment wasn’t critical. But, it worked well for my swayback. I’ll let you know tomorrow how the pants held up at the end of the day. Hopefully, they won’t have stretched out to my ankles!

I was so motivated by the not hideousness of these, that I muslined a pair of Hello, Sailor! pants from Hot Patterns last night. They are altered and ready to cut from the good stuff. They’ll be my more tailored pants. But, more on that later

I got an hour today to finish up the 9-2007-115 pants from BWOF. I’m really digging the higher waist looks. Especially since I think I’ve reached the age where it’s no longer cool (nor desirable) to show my stomach. I don’t love my fly front and it’s my fault. I didn’t add enough to the fly extension so the zipper head peaks out. The pants are wonderful, my workmanship is so-so. But, I have fully lined, basic colored pants that I should be able to wear all year. I, in fact, like the pattern enough to make them in another fabric soon.

I left off the belt loops. Mostly because I don’t have a belt to wear with these and the pants fit, so belt not needed to keep them up.

I did make a seam on the CB waistband so it would be easier to make alterations on the pant for fit. This one needed to come in about 2 inches at the CB to accommodate for my swayback. Not an actual alteration, just a taking in. Since I took them in that much / that high, I should have made about a 1/2 inch protruding seat alteration. I think that would take care of the wrinkles below my bum.

I know I don’t sound too positive. But, I really do like these. They just aren’t very well made. That being said, this is about the third pair of pants in my newfound sewing life and maybe the sixth I’ve ever made in 10 years. The fit is pretty good, the style is great, heaven knows I need basics.  I just need to practice a little more.