Miss Celie

More Wide Legged Trousers: Burda 9-2007-115

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.

39 comments

  1. These pants look great on you. Funny I’m moving from wearing nothing but pants into dresses. Before I returned to sewing I didn’t have any dresses because I couldn’t buy one that fitted both halves of me.
    BTW I sent you a vegetarian recipe by email the other day. Hope you liked it.

  2. VERY nice fit in the tush! I like the pockets in front, too, and the lack of belt/loops. But metal trouser zips? I shudder!

  4. I think these pants may be too wide for you…they make you look broader.
    I made a couple pair really wide before and ended up taking in the side and inner seams a bit. they are still wide but they sit better now

  5. I’m with you on the pants thing, I look much better in dresses. Having said that, you’ve got a nice fit going on in the rear there and yes, your butt does look good in them. I’ve yet to perfect a pants pattern because I think I need to figure out the sway back adjustment. I just recently bought a pair of Levi’s Bold Curve fit jeans designed for women with hips. It’s the first time I’ve been able to to get RTW jeans that don’t gape in the back. Have you tried them?

    • haha! YES! I saw an ad online and went to the Levi store at the Harbor. I thought they weren’t bad, but I have another pair of Levis that work better on me. I found (and read) that you need to size up for them. But, yes. The back fit with no gaping!!!!

  6. If you made pants, its time for me to work on that shirt some more, I think! (I told you right, how button-down shirts is my own worst challenge, with my frame.)

    They look great-really professional. Are they still such a challenge after you’ve made them before and perfected the fit? Or is it just the memory of the all the work that went into them that makes the next pair harder to sew? I wonder!

    • That shirt is terrible! The worst is that it’s not long enough so it’s actually hard to tuck in. I have so many shirtings. I really need to suck it up and make some more. But, I have two work jackets in me and I’ll start some shirts in the spring. Shirts that button, tuck in and don’t bunch in the bck!

  7. Looks great! I’m not trying to enable you but while on Ebay I spotted a hot pink Featherweight. And then I spotted a pastel pink Featherweight. I thought of you right away. Obviously these weren’t vintagely pink but they sure are pretty.

  8. Those pants look great on you. At 58, I’ve graduated from a personal trainer to a physiotherapist. When I wore pants to work today, everyone knew I was going to ‘duck out’ to see my physiotherapist because otherwise I would be wearing a dress! PS Beware of free weights! Perfect technique is essential, ask me how I know

    • I wish I had a personal trainer! LOL. I’d like to make some more tapered pants, but I have to master the muscular thigh adjustment. And, the full inner thigh 🙂

  9. Well, these look gorgeous on you, so I can see why you went back for a third try at this pattern!! I love that charcoal fabric, it looks cosy and flannelly. And I think it’s smart to keep the extra length in case you wish to wear them with sky high heels once in a while.

  10. These look great! It seems to be an excellent basic pants pattern. I need to start making pants; I made one pair once, and can’t seem to get motivated… Thank you for your comments on the ballet clothes; sadly I don’t have a serger 😦 or I’d be sure to use your tips!

  11. Your butt looks hot in those pants and that’s the look we all want – I feel the same as you about sewing pants – utility sewing, but dresses and tops are sooo much more fun to sew!

  13. Ooh, nice fit! I only wear pants when I have hairy legs. I much prefer skirts. Except casually, I always seem to wear jeans??

  14. I think you’re getting perfectly good fit. Although as you know it does vary according to the fabric. But maybe you aren’t interfacing your waistband enough, if it stretches like that? No interfacing can be too strong in that spot..

    I totally agree with the need for good winter pants, when it snows dresses just can’t cut it. Not unless you keep your ass in a car 100% of the time, which I don’t think is your case either. In my experience, you can make the same pants over and over and nobody will ever notice, as long as they’ve vaguely different colors.

    In my experience also, if you have any sort of butt you’re way better off making your own rather than struggling with altering rtw. That takes a lot longer, and it’s less fun. I can whip out a pair of wool pants in a couple hours max, but I’d have to spend days fiddling at rtw, and the results are never as good.

    I’m very happy with my lining method: I don’t. Which isn’t to say that I wear wool pants straight, no, no, my skin would not like that, I can’t afford enough cashmere to spend the whole winter in that. I make separate liners. Same general pattern, a narrow panties elastic slapped on at the waist, 6-8″ shorter so they don’t stick out, no pockets, no fuss (seams to the outside to spare my skin too). Saves a lot of time. I only spend an hour a year whipping out new ones on the serger, vs at least an hour more on every pair of pants. I can wash the liner 2-3 times for every pant wash without say getting dirty looks in the metro at rush hour. The liners wear out much faster than the wool pants, I’d need to replace a real lining maybe 3-4 times on the life of any pants. 3 liners are the basic number needed: one to wear, one clean, one drying; I have a lot more wool pants than that. Need I go on?

  15. Great pants – they look good on you. I find making pants boring too…it’s almost as dull as making pillowcases. Dresses are more fun. But it’s cold outside, so make MORE 🙂

  16. The thing about pants is that once you have a pattern that fits they sew up very quickly and these fit you really well. Perfect in the back, always my nemesis. It’ a cold winter already, just go ahead and make a few. I have one of Claire Schaefer’s couture pants patterns and she has you line them to the knee, or just below it actually. There are instructions on making Armani pants in an old Threads that has you just underlining the front only to below the knee to keep them from bagging, which is easy to do.

    • Yes, but I wouldn’t mind a pair without the pleat, extra fullness. I hate to go on another search. Because I really really love the fit in the back. The front I think looks sloppier because the waist isn’t sitting where it should. But, a few edits this weekend should take care of that!

  18. Great job on the pants! And now that you’ve got the fit beautifully licked, you can cut out two, three at once, and just spend one Saturday going wrrrrrh! on the machine, knocking them out a la production line. You won’t be cold this winter 🙂

  21. Those trousers make your bum look FANTASTIC! You put the “fun” in functional sewing! Good going!

    I am still “afeard” of pants. Three pairs with a zipper have failed (so far), but I’m not giving up. Yet.

    Gorgeous work!

  23. twill tape? talk to me. please. it’s an amateur question from a lady sewer who doesn’t make a lot of pants. what’s the benefit? why the need?

    • Twill tape is a woven, stable fabric. You can also use the selvedge from fabric or lining. It has no give. You can use it to stitch along a seam that you want to stabilise and prevent from stretching. It’s very helpful in pants at the waistband since they take so much strain and can stretch out.

  25. You are right. Pants are so useful but getting either RTW or my own home-sewn to fit properly can be so tiresome. Hence I too am low on pants. Tons of jeans. But slacks – not so much. That pattern you made fits so well on you that it could become a TNT.

  28. You really got a great fit on these! Even though I find basics a bit boring to sew too, I sure do enjoy having them in my wardrobe. You have an extremely versatile piece there.

  31. Those are some great looking pants! You’re right, your butt looks fantastic in them. (Isn’t that the main goal of pants? 🙂 )
    I never make pants either, but these pants I would seriously consider! Super elegant, the wide leg is so flattering. Great job!

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