Portobello Trousers by Nina Lee London

This post was originally written in January 2021 as a Minerva post for their recently completely revamped their website. I didn’t publish it here at the time and I’ve now sewn another pair of Nina Lee Portobello trousers so I thought I would share my thoughts. I have a paper copy of the pattern but it’s possible that it is now only available as a PDF, unless you can locate a copy somewhere.

I had chosen this interesting reversible woven jacquard fabric in black/cream because I was attracted to the random wavy stripes. When it arrived I found that they ran across the width of the fabric not down the warp so I had to bear this in mind when I cut them out. Fortunately, at 150cms wide with a nice firm selvedge, I didn’t need to alter my plans because I could cut them across the weft grain instead. I intended to make a pair of Nina Lee Portobello trousers and I thought this fabric would look good in this wide-legged style, they have 3 front pleats, side pockets and a centre back zip. I opted to use the black as the outside but I could have used either side of this fabric, or both sides at once to make a contrast. 

I folded the material carefully across the width matching the selvedges to each other so that it wasn’t twisted and then pinned the front and back pattern pieces on, ensuring they were at a right-angle to the selvedge on the weft rather than the usual warp grain line. To mix things up a bit I cut two of the pocket bags on the normal grain so that the stripes ran crosswise, plus the remaining two pocket bags in a scrap of bright pink lining fabric. 

The fabric was best suited to garments like trousers, skirts, structured dresses, jackets or formal business-type wear although how much call there is for that just now I’m not sure. It doesn’t have much drape but I decided it was still suitable for the Portobello trousers. 

The fabric sewed well although I think because I cut it on the cross-grain, there was quite a lot of fraying so I’d advise overlocking all the edges singly before beginning construction. 

The style is close-fitting on your natural waist line so the instructions advise choosing according to your waist measurement and go up a size if you’re in between sizes, it’s almost always simpler to take something in that to let it out. The fit over the hips is very generous but if you have an extreme difference between your waist/hip ration then it’s worth double-checking before cutting out. I fell between a UK 12 and 14 so I went with a 14

I traced off the pattern and it went together well, it’s a very simple pattern with clear diagrams and instructions. I ignored the waistband pattern piece because I chose to use an interfacing product called Fold a Band which is perfect for straight waistbands as it gives exactly the right seam allowances and folds. After checking the fit without a waistband I worked out how long my band needed to be, including an overlap and seam allowances, which I then cut in fabric the same width as the Fold a Band rather than using the pattern piece. Fold a Band comes in black or white, and medium or firm weights, depending on your fabric type, and makes a finished width of 2.5cms once it’s sewn on. This is a fairly narrow finish which personally I think is just right. Once I had ironed the interfacing to the fabric I overlocked one long edge, this would be the one to the inside of the finished garment. Pin and stitch the un-neatened edge right sides together to the waist, you could add a couple of useful hanging tapes to the side seams at this point too. Make the turnings at the ends and then you can turn up the band in the usual way and slip stitch it by hand or sink stitch from the front to secure.

Finally, after one last check of the fit, sew on a fastening or make a buttonhole with matching button. Lastly, try them on and turn up the hem to your chosen length, I overlocked the edge and made a 5cms deep turning which I slip-hemmed in place. 

The finished trousers, having a deep hem on a style like this gives them additional weight so that they have the casual look I was after.

Look at that lockdown hair!!

Since making the black and white Portobellos I have recently sewn a new fuchsia pink crepe pair. The very inexpensive fabric was bought from Walthamstow market late in 2019 with the intention of making wide-legged trousers but they didn’t actually get cut and sewn until October 2022.

I urgently needed a project to sew at the Herts Sewcial with about 15 minutes before I had to leave the house. Initially I was flapping around thinking of all the garments I wanted to sew here and now but then I remembered I had suitable fabric along with the good intentions to make another pair of Portobellos. The pattern was already traced and I just had to locate the fabric but I managed to grab everything I needed (an orange zip but no one would see that!) and rushed out of the house!

There wasn’t a lot of space to cut out but with plain fabric and no print to allow for it didn’t take too long.

the view from my seat

I used Fold-a-band again, it’s brilliant for straight fixed waistbands.

Pink and orange are complementary colours so that’s ok…

I popped in a label by Little Rosy Cheeks too

herringbone hemming in front of the telly.

I was pleased with the finished trousers, I think the unusual vertical stripes are striking and the wide leg is very comfortable to wear. They were a bit baggy over the bum though but I think taking them in significantly would have altered the overall look of the style, I’m not sure. Looking again at the back leg pattern piece I think it could be overly generous compared to the front, the darts might need to be a little longer, so I might make some changes on the next pair (I didn’t, because I forgot that I’d written this comment!)

Heading to the autumn Knitting and Stitching show in my new trews and the LB Pullover by Paper Theory

I’m very happy with the new pink pair, even though they weren’t high on my list for Saturday. The bright colour will bring me a lot of joy when I wear them and I’ve always loved that Katharine Hepburn 1940s or ‘Brideshead Revisited’ insouciant look. I’m not sure I’ve personally achieved that look but hey ho, that’s never stopped me yet.

Until next time, happy sewing

Sue

Vogue Marcy Tilton trousers #8499

I’ve had this Marcy Tilton trouser pattern Vogue 8499 for an absolute age, several years at least, and I took it out for consideration at regular intervals but for some reason it just kept going back into the box. Maybe the leg shape felt a little too radical for me on those occasions? But then the Style Arc Bob pants kept cropping up everywhere, especially in the Sew Over 50 community, so I returned to this pattern because of its similarities to the Bobs. Now I know I’m not six feet tall or a size 8 but the photo on the packet isn’t very helpful because I think it gives the distinct impression that the legs are fairly slim with a slight bulbous shape to the hem. The front is flat with deep pockets inserted into the side front panels while the back waist is elasticated, the curved leg shape is created though the addition of darts at knee level. They come in two size brackets UK 6-12 and UK 14-20.

I opted to sew the shorter length version (on the left) and although the pattern gives you body measurements to choose from, unlike many patterns, there are no finished garment measurements for guidance. I found this lack of information meant I really struggled to know which size to cut, my current waist measurement suggested that I should go with a size 20 which I found a bit hard to believe given that the back waist is elasticated. [I should add a caveat here that the pattern has been in print since 2008 and I’ve noticed it has since been re-numbered as V1731 so it’s possible that the information has been updated, maybe you can let me know if you have this version of the pattern?]

You might think that visually the width of the front and back leg pieces would give some indication to the sizing but they are cut in two parts so the individual sections are slightly deceptive. I’m very familiar with the style of instruction sheets which ‘Big 4’ pattern companies (or is it 6 now?) use because they are what I learned with from the age of 11 and, in my opinion, the sewing instructions and diagrams are very clear. Because of the quantity of topstitching there’s a certain order to follow but it’s very methodical, I used a triple straight stitch rather than actual topstitching thread. I had a couple of try-ons whilst I was sewing them but I did have Covid at the time so maybe my brain was just not functioning clearly and I simply didn’t think they were going to be as huge as they have turned out to be.

Ta-dah!?

I really wanted to disguise the bagginess over my hip and bum area so I started by teaming it with my Merchant and Mills Ellsworth shirt I don’t think this looks too bad.

The deep pockets are great

I’m happy with the length, I am 5’5” tall and I didn’t alter it from the pattern, the shape and the width at this point are fine.

I’m okay with the amount of fabric at the front

Next I tried it with my trusty Maker’s Atelier Holiday Shirt, a long-time favourite.

I start to have a problem once I get round to the back…there’s way too much fabric over the seat and hip area, it gathers in at the elastic casing but there’s just too much of it so it’s bulky and it isn’t a good look. I didn’t take a photo of the back, I will add one here when I get around to it.

closing my eyes to the problem…

I do think the dart details on the knees and the topstitching certainly elevate the style from more run-of-the-mill trouser designs though.

As you can see there is loads of fabric in the back, the pattern description merely says “very loose-fitting through the hipline”. With hindsight, and with the absence of ‘finished’ measurements, I should have pinned the paper pattern pieces together to check first but that’s rather blaming myself for the error when in fact I’ve done nothing wrong!

Side view

So there we are, judging by some of the comments on my Instagram post about these trousers, a number of you have the pattern but haven’t sewn it up yet or, like me, you have had similar size choice issues with it. If you have an older copy like mine then I strongly suggest you pin the pattern fronts and backs together first and measure them before going anywhere near your fabric, or lay the pieces on top of a pair of me-made or RTW trousers which are similar and a satisfactory fit. This pair cost me very little because the fabric [some sort of linen/cotton/viscose type] was very cheap at Walthamstow market and I bought it for exactly this type of garment. As with any home sewn garment which doesn’t quite work out it’s feeling that the time spent on something I don’t love has been wasted which is annoying. That said, it’s been a learning process and I know I will make another darker coloured pair, possibly in a drill or denim-type cloth, but I will cut down the front by two sizes and the back possibly by as much as three sizes. I haven’t helped myself because I’m feeling really bloaty and despondent at present so I think these just emphasise this. I tried wearing them with a T-shirt tucked in but that just made me feel worse so it’s back to the drawing board for now. If, however, you love a very oversized trouser then these could be the ones for you.

As I said in my IG post, they will be great in warmer weather (which isn’t that often here) I’ll probably style them with my heavy black books, white Trend pleated shirt and denim Simple Sew cocoon coat in the winter hoping I’ll be rocking a little European-style continental chic, or I will simply put them on but not check in the mirror before I leave the house!

Until next time, happy sewing

Sue

A few of your favourite Sew Over 50 trouser patterns

Recently on the @SewOver50 account a follower asked if we could help her with any suggestions for trousers/pants that featured a side zip and/or a flat front and, as we’ve come to expect, the hive mind flew into action. 

Speaking personally, my primary reason for wanting a flat front is that it falls more smoothly over my not-so-flat tum [Years of fashion magazine input tells me that a flat tum is highly desirable, it’s what every woman of every age should want to achieve and anything less than perfect and a bit wobbly should be kept out of sight…Complete and total nonsense obviously but it’s very hard to undo so many years of conditioning] So, whilst I know it really shouldn’t matter it somehow still does matter to many of us and, because of that, we still continue to search for those perfect and often elusive trousers which give us just the thing we’re after, whatever it is. Sometimes we choose a smooth front because we want the top or blouse that’s worn with it to be the highlight and features like fly openings or pleats can be a bit bulky and change the silhouette we desire, but it isn’t always about hiding ‘figure problems’. One follower pointed out that as a person with physical limitations the trouser choices she made had to be based upon practical reasons which made her life more comfortable and straightforward and could not be influenced by mere vanity, a luxury not everyone have.

Much like the SewOver50 go-to T-shirt list I will simply give you links to the many and various patterns which followers have suggested. I’ll begin with the ones I have sewn myself so they are my personal opinions and then follow with the rest. Most of these patterns either have a side or back zip, a few have an elasticated back, some are pull-on and the majority have a flat or flattish front. Where I’ve mentioned sizing it will be UK sizes unless I state otherwise. 

Let us begin…

Eve trousers by Merchant and Mills are as basic and classic a shape as it’s possible to have. They have a side zip and darts front and back with a fixed waistband. They have a tapered, slightly cropped leg shape without being close-fitting and a turn-up hem option. I’ve made 3 pairs (so far) in very different fabrics and they fill a gap I had in my wardrobe for just such a garment. There are two patch pockets on the back but I think this understated style lends itself to many hacking opportunities. Sizes available are UK 6-18 or 20-28 paper and PDF

Eve trousers made in soft green babycord

Sidewinder Pants by The Sewing Revival The USP of these flat front and elasticated back trousers is the unusual side seam which winds from the waist starting slightly in front of the hip bone, down the side of the leg and finishing behind your ankle bone. There are pockets set into the seam and the Sidewinders can be hemmed with or without a turn-up or with a deep elasticated cuff. I found them very straightforward to sew-I’ve made 3 pairs of these too in a variety of fabrics including one pair in a really nice heavy jersey with the elasticated cuff. I wrote a review of them a while ago which you can read here. It’s a PDF only and sizes available fall into 4 brackets UK 6-12 10-16 14-20 and 18-24

My Sidewinders in jersey

Sidewinders in grey suiting with pink topstitching to highlight the seam detail.

Palazzo Pants by Simple Sew This style has darts front and back with a fixed waistband and a back invisible zipper which runs up into the waistband. It gives a smooth close fit around the body which then widens out to very voluminous legs. There are pockets in the side seams if you want them but could easily be left out. I think they are a lovely shape, and I reviewed them here when I was a Simple Sew blogger, but if I made them again I would sew a regular overlapping waistband which closed with a button and buttonhole or a hook and bar because they are a bit tricky to do up. UK sizes 8-20 paper and PDF

Simple Sew Palazzo pants

Portobello trousers by Nina Lee These trousers have a lovely Katharine Hepburn vibe, they aren’t technically flat-fronted because they have deep pleats but they zip up at the back, which has darts, so there’s no extra bulk in the front as a result. They sit on the natural waist with a fixed waistband, have wide straight legs and there are pockets in the side seams. I made a pair in a slightly-too-springy fabric but they look OK and are very comfortable. I reviewed them on the Minerva website, a better fabric choice would have been something like a nice heavy crepe or twill, anything with a bit of drape would look great. I believe Nina Lee patterns are only available as PDFs now, sizes are in two brackets UK6-20 and 16-28

Portobello trousers by Nina Lee

6351 by New Look This is a pattern for separates and I’ve used the trousers a few times now. They have a drawstring (and elasticated) waistband, side seam pockets and the legs fall wide and straight. If these fit well on the hips then there isn’t too much bulk from the gathers at the waist-I’ve made them in linen and they are gorgeous in warm weather. I shortened another pair I’d made but didn’t wear so much and they have had so much more use as mid-calf cropped pants. Paper pattern only UK 10-22 (I think) 

New Look 6351 worn with The Maker’s Atelier Holiday shirt in Assisi, Italy

That’s all the patterns I’ve sewn myself so now it’s over to you, in no particular order…

Ultimate trousers by Sew Over It these slim-fitting trousers have a side zip and a facing rather than a waistband. They have been around since the very earliest days of Sew Over It and I’ve heard reviews which swing wildly in either direction. Some people swear by them and others say they can’t get a satisfactory fit. My advice would be to read a few reviews before making your decision. They only seem to be available as a PDF now UK sizes 6-20

Bev in her Ultimate trousers

Pietra pants by Closet Core these are a more recent release from Closet Core as part of their ‘Rome’ collection and they already have a legion of fans. There’s no zip, the back is gently elasticated with wide elastic, the front is smooth because of a grown-on slightly-raised waistband, there are quarter seams down the front with pockets plus there are three leg shape options-tapered, wide leg and shorts. That number of variations alone must make them excellent value for money! On top of that they come as a paper pattern US size 0-20 only and PDF in sizes US 0-20 or 14-32

Jenny overalls and trousers by Closet Core these are a wide-legged dungaree pattern with a number of options including trousers. They have a fitted waistband and darts for a close fit. Available as both paper and PDF in US 0-20 only. Closet Core have a reputation for comprehensive tutorials on their website so take a look if you need any help.

Chiara trousers by Tessuti these are a wide-leg slightly cropped length trouser with darts for a close fit around the hips and waist and a side zip. The waist is finished with a stitched-down facing. Available as a PDF sizes AUS 6-16 only.

Crew trouser by Chalk and Notch These trousers/shorts do have a side zip although they aren’t flat fronted, they are high-waisted with pleats and a tie feature. PDF only sizes US 0-30 

Mountain View pull-on pants by Itch to Stitch Initially I thought these didn’t fit the brief because they appear to have a front zip but it’s a faux one so we’ll let them past. A jeans-style legging made in fabrics with stretch this is a PDF only pattern in two size brackets (you get both with purchase) US 0-20 and 22-40

Eureka pants by Fit For Art Patterns I wasn’t familiar with this brand but these trousers for woven fabrics have multiple options for the waistband and leg shape which should help you to achieve an excellent fit. Paper or PDF sizes XXS-3XL (whatever that means)

Calder Pants by Cashmerette are another good option. Wide legged in three lengths including shorts, smooth front and elasticated back to ensure an excellent fit. It comes in paper or PDF formats, sizes US 12-32 Cashmerette are renowned for their comprehensive fitting instructions which could be very useful.

Willow Trousers by Style Arc classic slim pants similar to Eve mentioned at the top. The Willow have a split hem detail and side zip. Paper patterns or PDF are both available in single sizes AUS 4-30 or multiple AUS 4-16 18-30 

Bob pants by Style Arc a tapered, ‘balloon’ shaped leg with an elasticated waistband and side seam pockets, these trousers have become a stylish choice teamed with loose shirts and casual tops for a modern look. Sizing as with the Willow above. If you like these you might also like the Ethel pants by Style Arc.

Flint trousers by Megan Nielsen a wide leg pant or shorts without a zip at all, instead they have a crossover closure at the side which is incorporated into the pocket. Printed comes in AUS sizes 0-20 or PDF 0-20 or 14-30

Marilyn Jeans by Charm patterns These are a Fifties-inspired close-fitting jeans pattern but with a side zip, think Capri pants. PDF only at present but available in two size brackets US2-20 or 18-34

Clover pants by Seamwork another pair of slim-fitting pants designed for wovens with stretch. Side zip and ankle or mid-calf length, they can also have small inseam pockets at the waistband PDF only US 0-18

Duet trousers by Love Notions these trousers have an invisible side zip, two front hip pockets, back darts and two leg shapes-straight or tapered. They are suitable for both wovens and stretch fabrics. PDF only in sizes US 2-26

Miller trousers by Paper Theory These don’t have a zip, instead they have an elasticated waist with a tie option. There are pleats in the front, deep side pockets and long darts in the back to improve the fit in this area. Paper pattern or PDF UK 6-28 

Judith wearing her brand new Millers

Free Range slacks by Sew House Seven These are another pair of slightly gathered elasticated trousers but the side seams on these have been divided and shifted to form a panel at the sides instead. They come with a tapered or wide leg option and look great in linen or similar fabric types. It’s a PDF pattern with two size brackets included AUS 00-20 and 18-34 

Kate @stitchmeayear wearing her Free Range slacks

So there we are, this isn’t in any way an exhaustive list of course, you may think there are glaring omissions, and the emphasis is strongly on Indie patterns rather than the mainstream pattern companies. These are the patterns which were suggested by the followers of Sew Over 50 so if you have your own favourites then feel free to let me know in the comments, a few of the patterns suggested were out of print so I haven’t mentioned them here. Don’t forget to tag #SewOver50 and #So50Trousers when you post on Instagram either, it’s such an amazing source of inspiration and ideas for others.

Until next time, happy sewing

Sue

Simple Sew Palazzo Pants updated

In 2019 I decided to try something different to dresses from the Simple Sew pattern collection for my blog post so I chose the wide-legged Palazzo pants. 

I always have a look at any posts or reviews about a particular Simple Sew pattern first to check if there are any pitfalls I should look out for which might influence my decision, or how I tackle making it, and the overall opinion of trousers was positive. I sorted out some fabric from deep in the stash, it’s a viscose from the now-defunct Adam Ross fabrics which has a good drapey quality, although I know it will crease so I’ll wear these permanently standing up! 

There are only 4 pattern pieces to the trousers-front/back/waistband/pocket- which makes them very simple to lay up and cut out, you could even leave out the pockets if you’re short on fabric but why would you leave out pockets?! 

I checked my measurements against the chart to decide my size, I also measured the pattern pieces to get some idea of the ease involved but I was optimistic they would be generally OK. If you’re very unsure, or between sizes, I’d suggest you make a toile that’s about mid-thigh in length to check the fit and comfort around your waist, hips and body length. Leave out the pockets at this stage, there are darts in the back and the front is flat, you could insert a zip in the back if it makes things easier to fit yourself but I didn’t bother. Always sew a toile as accurately as you would the garment itself because if you don’t bother cutting properly or following the seam allowances how will you know where the problems lie? That’s the whole point of a toile! Make any adjustments on the toile and transfer the changes to the pattern pieces. There are no lengthening/shortening lines marked on the midriff area of the pattern so I suggest, if you need to make either of these changes, drawing a line at a right angle to the grainline at a point midway between the waist and crotch level. Fold out or add in length through this line. There is a lengthening/shortening line for the leg length however.

It wouldn’t be a Simple Sew pattern if there weren’t some errors or anomalies to keep you on your toes and this is no different. On the back piece the pocket placement notches are only printed on size 8 and none of the others. Either transfer the markings to your size or remember to snip them when you’re cutting out the back.  

The notches don’t feature on all the size lines so transfer them across as required.

The lay plan for cutting out shows the main pieces interlocking, which is fine if you have plain or multi-directional fabric but don’t forget to keep the pieces running the same way if you have a distinct one-way print. Also, I didn’t cut out the waistband until I was happy with the fit of my trousers as it’s very shaped piece and if it’s too big or too small you’ll probably need to cut another. Don’t forget to make a snip for the centre point on the waistband, it could have done with a notch for the side seam position though as there isn’t one so it’s a bit of guesswork.

I’m not normally an advocate of overlocking the edges until they’re sewn up [because if you aren’t careful you can easily lose too much seam allowance in the trimming and when you join pieces together you could start to make the garment too small, plus your notches disappear] but, as many of the pieces here require the seams pressed open and flat, I overlocked most pieces first this time. 

You will find that for instructions 4 and 6 the words don’t match the diagrams but the drawings are correct 

Next the pockets go in (unless you wish to check the waist/hip fit first in which case tack or machine baste the side seams and leave the back open where the zip will be inserted in order to try the trousers on) The description for the pocket insertion is a bit vague, I’ve made a second pair since writing this piece originally and found it quite unsatisfactory which is why I have updated my advice.

Neaten the lower edge of the pocket bags first then pin to the trouser fronts matching the ‘opening’ notches. Next stitch in place from the waist to the bottom edge of the pocket bag using a 12mm seam allowance (see my notes on the photo above) Repeat with the trouser backs, then neaten the seam edges all the way down enclosing the pocket edges too. On the front only, understitch the pocket opening. Now you can pin the fronts to the backs and sew the side seams shut using a 1.5cms seam allowance, not forgetting to leave the pocket opening unstitched! Finally, carefully sew the bottom edge of each pocket bag closed otherwise your sweets will fall out inside your trouser leg!

After I’d assessed the waist size (comfortable to loose) and crotch length (comfortable) at this point I cut and interfaced the corresponding waistband [for some reason there were two waistbands printed out but I could find no discernible difference between them so just ignore one and cut a pair in fabric plus one interfacing] 

The reason the waistband goes on before the zip insertion is because the zip runs right up into the waistband to finish at the top, there’s no overlap allowed with button or hooks and eyes. You could use the overlap method if you prefer but you’ll need to add some extra length to the waistband on one end to allow for the overlap. 

The lack of indication of the side seams on the waistband means you’ll need to pin carefully to evenly absorb any fullness of the trousers to ensure a good smooth fit to the waistband. [the side seam is probably at the halfway point but not necessarily, especially if you’ve made any fit adjustments to the waist] 

With the benefit of hindsight I would make the waistband in two pieces, a front and two backs with the join at the side seam. This is for two reasons, first, it will allow you to make adjustments for fit more easily and, secondly, I’ve found the centre back has become slightly pointy and misshapen both times I’ve made these now. I believe this could be because the length and curve of the waistband means that it the centre back is very off grain, usually the centre back seam would be cut on the straight grain which gives it stability.

The instructions and illustrations for inserting the zip are reasonably clear however there seems to be a contradiction with an earlier instruction which tells you to sew up the back crotch seam. Illustrations 13-15 appear to have the CB seam unsewn and 16 tells you to sew it up after inserting the zip but previous diagram 6 tells you to sew it up! No wonder I got in a muddle!! My suggestion would be, if you’re using an invisible zip as suggested, leave the CB seam unsewn AND ignore instruction 11 to sew up the inseam until after you’ve inserted the zip. Alternatively, use your preferred method of inserting an invisible zip. Before sewing the waistband down I added two hanging tapes to each side seam so that I had an additional means to hang the trousers up if needs be.

On my second pair I’ve added a small button and loop inside the waistband because I found the zip a bit of a faff to do up without anything at the top of it.

you can also see here how the waistband rises to a slight point on each side in spite of it being fully interfaced. It isn’t the end of the world but I’m a bit cross it’s happened a second time, CBA to fiddle with it too much though…

Hopefully you’ve now arrived at a finished pair of trousers which simply need hemming. After checking the length wearing shoes (they come up pretty long) you could use the simple rolled hem finish as per the instructions or, as I did, leave a sizeable hem of about 5cms to give weight to the very flared leg width. I overlocked the edges to neaten and then used my blindhem stitch with the appropriate foot on the machine to finish [incidentally the photo is of a different project] I don’t use this technique often but it’s a good, and quick, finish on hems that don’t have too much, if any, curve. You could also slip hem by hand of course. 

Different project but still blind-hemming set up

The Palazzo pants are worth persevering with as they have a pleasing smooth fit over the waist and hips which is very comfortable and the leg is wide without being crazy-big. You could shorten them to culotte length very easily, they would work well in a variety of fabrics including linen, chambray or crepe, fabrics with a bit of drape and fluidity will look nicest as you don’t want to look like Coco the Clown!

I’ve made my second pair from a remnant of printed linen/viscose mix I bought from Lamazi recently.

I’m wearing them here with a top made from broderie anglaise that I found in a whole collection of fabric I was given by a friend. Her mother had been a wonderful dressmaker and I found the fabric pre-cut as this simple top which so I just sewed it up.

I’m wearing them here with one of my trusty Camber Set tops from Merchant & Mills

Same Camber, different trousers!

I cut this pair slightly shorter overall so that they aren’t so long if I wear them with flat shoes.

Overall I’m pleased with these trousers, they are a good fit and make a nice alternative to a skirt or close fitting trousers especially in warm weather.

I noticed that this particular post gets a huge amount of traffic so I hope this update clarifies any issues you might have had with the pattern. In fairness, it might have been updated and corrected since my copy was produced in which case you may be able to disregard some/all of what I’ve written!

Until next time, happy sewing

Sue

Trend Utility trousers TPC12

My first blog of 2021 features my last make of 2020. After several quiet weeks where I didn’t sew any garments, I had cut this project out a couple of months back but then hadn’t felt motivated to make them at the time…the days between Christmas and New Year was the right time to get my head around a nice involved project though. There has been so much going on in the UK recently, (understatement!) especially in these last few weeks, that I wanted something I had to concentrate on to take my mind off other events outside of my control.

If you’ve read my blog in the past you’ll know by now that I’m a big fan of Trend Patterns but these are the first trouser pattern of theirs that I’ve tried.

I saw Lucy wearing her own version of TPC12 on her stand at the Stitch Festival in London back in early March 2020 (just before everything went weird) and it was the unusual split hem detail that initially I really liked. On closer inspection there are some other nice features too, like the topstitched front seams with optional faux pocket flap, and a button fly. These are the kind of details that attract me to a pattern but I would say before I go much further that this is definitely an intermediate pattern as a result, you will need to be a confident sewer or at the very least game to increase and expand the skills you have already. Before I left the show that day I bought some nice heavier weight plain black linen from Rosenberg’s to make them with.

It was then literally months before I decided to tackle the pattern though. I’m not going to lie, and don’t judge me either, but I had piled on weight during lockdown which I wasn’t happy about and as I got bigger the last thing I wanted to do was make a pair of trousers that emphasised that fact. Eventually however I began dealing with the weight issue which in turn encouraged me to revisit the Utility trousers in the early autumn.

Instead of using the linen for the first pair I bought some grey stretch cotton twill from Backstitch near Cambridge. It’s lovely fabric for trousers and a very good quality at a reasonable price. Because the Utility’s are a fixed waistband I went by my waist measurement at that time (it was shrinking!) so I chose the UK 16 and I could tell that the hip would on the big side but that was OK.

I patiently traced off all the pieces which took a while because there are quite a number of unique pattern pieces that need to be cut right side up (RSU) Labelling them all is of paramount importance so that you don’t end up with unusable pieces of fabric cut the wrong way. Once I had cut the fabric out I left all the pattern pieces attached to the fabric until I had either interfaced them or until they were ready to be sewn. I made both my versions exactly (apart from fit alterations) as the pattern but you could leave off the pocket flap detail by cutting a pair of side fronts, or you could have two pocket flaps by doubling up those pieces instead. An advantage of having so many single pattern pieces is that you might have a more economical layplan because they will interlock better, folded fabric is a much less efficient way of cutting out, a single layer just takes a bit longer.

I said at the start that this is an intermediate pattern in my opinion and that is largely because the hem vents and the button fly are quite involved, although not actually difficult, plus I found the instructions and diagrams were a bit tricky to follow. I didn’t go wrong but they do require absolute concentration. What I’ll do in this blog, so that’s useful to you if you decide to make the trousers, is simplify the order of making down to a basic list which you can use in conjunction with the actual instruction booklet. I won’t give you specific, press here, topstitch there, instructions though, they are in the booklet and the diagrams are very detailed.

My first piece of advice, after you’ve attached all the interfacing to the relevant pieces and transferred all markings to the fabric, is to overlock all the cut edges (except the waist and fly front) first. I don’t normally do this because I prefer to overlock as I go along but it makes more sense here to do it as a batch process, just make sure you don’t trim away too much or lose your notches in the process.

Start by making the ‘pocket’ flap [make up the optional pocket bag if you are going to have one but set it aside for the moment] also, make the back darts and set the pieces aside for now.

Join the front seams for both fronts as far as the vent markers, do not join the fronts to the backs just yet. I found it easier to have only the vent sections to work on flat first although the instructions tell you to join the fronts to the backs. Once you’ve made both the vents except for the final single topstitching to hold the flap in place and are ready to turn up the hem join the fronts and backs at the side seams first. Now complete the topstitching to hold the vent in place then join the inseams, turn up the hem and topstitch to finish. [If you’re using the additional pocket bag I would add it whilst the leg is still open and flat, before sewing up the inseam. I sewed mine on earlier and it got in the way a bit when I was joining the various leg seams]

• 

  the finished vent

• 

  faux pocket flap

• 

  add the pocket bag when the leg is still open flat like this

• 

  the finished pocket and flap

Pin and partially stitch the crotch seam as per the instructions then apply the outer waistband and press the seam up towards the waistband. [If you want to include belt carriers I would add them before attaching this waistband so that they are caught in the waist seam, the tops of the carriers will be enclosed when you add the facing]

Next, make the right fly section and buttonholes as per the instructions and diagrams. I’ve included a photo of where I stitched through the layers of the right front to hold them all together, I’m not sure if this is quite what is intended but it works-I couldn’t make sense of it otherwise!

the pencil is pointing to where I’ve added the row of stitching to keep the layers together.

Make the left fly front and attach the waist band facing, I’ve included the photo below of how this should look from the inside (yes I did use jazzy overlocking thread just because…)

the completed grey version showing the button fly and jigger button

Sew the remainder of the crotch seam to complete it, then sew the entire crotch seam again about 1-2mm away from the first stitching line.

Sink stitching-to complete the waistband-is simply the industry term for ‘stitch in the ditch’.

Obviously there are points where you would be advised to try the trousers on to check the fit as you go so you could do this by pinning on the stitching line (parallel, not at a right angle!) to avoid unpicking. The advantage of having a split waistband on the centre back seam (like good quality men’s trousers) is that you can fit into the small of the back more effectively.

So that’s, hopefully, a simplified method for you, it isn’t that I think the instructions aren’t good, it’s just that I got a bit confused between what was written and which diagram to follow, and that’s why I wrote it down in a clarified form as I made the second pair.

The fit of the first pair is technically not that good but they are soooo comfortable. The waist was a good fit initially although I’ve lost more weight since then so it’s very roomy now. The major issue (and I’ve read this in a few reviews) is that the crotch length is very long and looks quite droopy. You can see this in the photos of my grey pair, and this makes the cropped leg length look a bit too long as a result. For the second pair in the black linen I redrew the pattern down one size and also folded out 3cms horizontally at hip level on every pattern piece to reduce the rise. The second pair are a much better fit but that won’t stop me wearing the grey pair, it doesn’t particularly bother me that they are overly generous because the shaped waistband can’t fall off my hips anyway. Yes the grey pair are very baggy but that’s fine.

• 

• 

• 

• 

  I’m wearing them with a Somerset Top by Maven, fabric bought at Ditto in Brighton ages ago.

• 

• 

  This top is the Nora by Tilly and the Buttons

The black linen pair are a better fit at the waist, there’s still plenty of room (too much room?) over the thighs but I don’t mind that. Maybe I’ll shave a little off the next pair, or maybe I won’t…

Overall I’m a big fan of the Utility trousers and I’ll probably make more, now that I’m getting better with the fit. The design details are worth the effort but it is a project you’ll want to take some time over, I had to turn off the radio so that I could concentrate completely and I read aloud each instruction several times to ensure I was going the right way. I sewed matching topstitching but you could use a contrast thread, or maybe you could line the waistband and button stand with contrast fabrics? Apart from the pocket bag if you add one there are no other pockets so you could add some in the side seams quite easily I would have thought, or patch pockets on the back perhaps? I quite fancy a pair made in chunky cord too…

I hope you find this useful, or I’m happy to try and help if I can.

Until next time, happy sewing

Sue

#so50visible challenge 2020

It’s back! After the success of the first #so50visible challenge in 2019 we thought you might like to do it again, especially the thousands of you who have discovered @sewover50 since last year and who might have missed joining in.

In early 2019 we set you a challenge to find a pattern which featured an older model (at least 45+) and make it. If you thought this would be easy then you would have been mistaken, because once we had started looking more closely we realised that this was going to be much harder than it sounded.

Rather than me reinvent the wheel again here I suggest you take a read through the extensive post I wrote at the time, and its follow-up, so that you have some understanding of the challenge we set and how the whole idea came about. There is also a VERY extensive list of as many patterns as we could source at that time.

Since last year I’m cautiously optimistic that the situation seems to have improved somewhat. Sandy and Judith have been diligently saving in Highlights over on the Instagram account many of the new patterns that have been released in the the last twelve months which feature older models-male as well as female. Some of these patterns are by companies which have been consistently good at using a variety of models of all ages whilst for others this is a first toe in the water, which is great to see.

It seems that a lot more companies are actively using older women amongst their choice of models now (although a few still think we all want to wear the frumpier selection of what’s on offer-very wrong!) For the most part though, of the pattern companies who are choosing older models, they realise that we can be stylish, creative, outspoken individuals who do not have a shampoo and set once a week, don’t want to be stereotyped and who have money to spend on quality products.

I’ll list as many of the new patterns as I can but, if you’re tempted to join in with the challenge, I would strongly urge you to take a look at those I’ve already listed because each website will include that brand’s new patterns anyway.

Among the new ones we know of are, in no particular order:

Cashmerette-Washington dress and Rivermont Top and Dress

The Maker’s Atelier-there is wide range of patterns to pick from including several new designs Shawl Collar Dress, Shawl Collar Coat, Over-sized shirt dress, Blazer and Wrap Dress

Style Arc-Sheryl stretch or woven pants, among others.

That Wendy Ward-brand new book ‘Sewing Basics for Every Body’, the Kim jumpsuit and the Dylan Peacoat particularly

Helen’s Closet-Donovan skirt

Rebecca Page-slim-fit Cargo pants

The Sewing Revival-the Fantail Top and the Stitchbird dress are the most recent but all their adult patterns qualify

Wardrobe by Me-Men’s overshirt

Sew Liberated-Lichen Duster coat

Grainline Studio-Uniform Tunic

Pattern Union-Lulu top

Tilly and the Buttons-new Make it Simple book various styles

Thread Theory-Newcastle Cardigan

Tessuti-Tamiko pants and Berlin jacket

Naughty Bobbin-Sizzler sundress

Colette Patterns-Ariel dress

Sinclair Patterns-Jessica bodycon dress

Simplicity and Butterick have improved considerably since last year and we have been told that they are actively including more mature models in their catalogues now, let’s hope this is the case. There are now a reasonable number of patterns to choose from (too many to list here individually) so browse their website or catalogues to see if there’s something that appeals.

Tuesday Stitches-Citrus leggings, amongst others

Seamwork Magazine-Lucy jumpsuit, there are bound to be others

I’m going to leave it there because I’ll never quite know where the end of this list should be! I would urge you to look through pattern company websites, books and catalogues for your inspiration if you’re keen to participate. I would also add that there are quite a number of small pattern companies who are hugely supportive and involved in our community but they either don’t use older models, or they use illustrations, so we can’t include them for this challenge. That said, we are very appreciative of every repost, share and use of the #sewover50 hashtag that any pattern company gives to a SewOver50er, they are always welcome and it helps to keep our little, occasionally slightly wrinkled, faces in the public eye to prove that we’re still here, and have no intention of keeping quiet.

We’ve got prizes again too so thank you to our list of sponsors (so far) who are offering a selection of patterns, and Wendy Ward is offering a copy of her new book too. Winners will be chosen at random after the challenge closes. You’re welcome to share works-in-progress but only completed garments shared with a photo of the original pattern after the closing date will be eligible to win a prize.

Stay in touch with the Instagram account while the challenge is on because that’s where you will find any new information as it crops up. Make sure you use the new #so50visible20 hashtag although the original #so50visible is OK too. If a pattern company reposts your outfit (which obviously we really hope they will!) use the #so50thanks hashtag too. Keep an eye on their Stories feed too because sometimes they forget to tag us, or the tag doesn’t work for some reason.

The #so50visible20 challenge begins on March 1st and runs for the whole of the month so what are you waiting for? Share a photo of your garment along with the source pattern, have a look in saved highlights on the IG account for various ideas how to do this, it doesn’t have to be a brand new garment this year but it should be a new photo of it, not one you’ve shared before. You could even use a flatlay this time, particularly if you don’t like putting yourself in the frame. Have a look at #so50flatlay for ideas on this. There is no limit to the number of entries you can put in either.

We can’t wait to see how SewOver50ers rise to the challenge, the more we keep this in the public eye then the more chance we have of seeing older faces featuring on pattern covers, in magazines, in sewing books. And part of the worldwide fun of this challenge is seeing makes for the opposite seasons to the one we might be living in because, let’s remember, we’re a global account, and that’s a really big deal!

Until next time,

Sue

Sidewinder pants by The Sewing Revival

The Sidewinder pants are my third make using a pattern from The Sewing Revival following on from several versions of their Heron dress and Bellbird top. I’ve already written reviews of them which you can read about here and here, plus I made a new version of the Bellbird at the recent Sewing Weekender in Cambridge, organised by The Fold Line.

The Sidewinders are a very simple pull-on trouser pattern with a tapered leg but their USP is the diagonal side seam which gives them such an interesting ‘twist’. They are flat-fronted with an elasticated back waist and of course there are pockets in the seams too. There are variations at the hem too as you can choose plain full-length, 7/8ths with turn-ups like mine or use wide elastic to gather the hem into cuffs. As you can see from the artwork they could be very casual or dressed up with heels, fabrics with a bit of body but some drape and softness are suggested. Like the other Sewing Revival patterns these are PDFs so you can buy, download and print your pattern any time, or have them printed for you on A0.

As I’ve come to expect with SR patterns the instructions and illustrations are very clear and personally I’ve always found their sizing very good too. I cut the large based on my measurements although I did decide to shorten the leg length very slightly as I didn’t want them ‘pooling’ around my ankles too much, the idea is that they sit above the ankle bone. The instructions tell you what length of elastic to cut for the back waist which you can then adjust to suit.

For the first pair I used some Royal blue crepe fabric which was leftover from the Trend Asymmetric dress I made last year. If you’re using a plain fabric these trousers are surprisingly economical to cut and if you’re short of fabric you could cut the pocket bags and waist band facings from other fabrics too. You could have fun with stripes or checks to give them a bit of a Vivienne Westwood vibe but you’d need more fabric for that. What about using ribbon or piping down the side seam for emphasis?

Construction is very quick, I’d say that this could be a half-day project if you aren’t getting fancy with pattern-matching. I really like the way that the waistband is a facing because when it folds over the top it secures the pocket bags in place, you only need to neaten the lower edges of them. The elastic gets slotted through the back channel which extends slightly around to the front beyond the ‘normal’ side seam position. Once this is stitched in place you sew down the facing at the front. This line of stitching isn’t near the edge, it’s approximately 3.5-4cms away depending on the width of your elastic so use a guide of some kind to keep it parallel, I always use the quilting guide which comes with my machine or you could use Washi tape or similar stuck onto the bed (I’m not keen on this personally as I wouldn’t any sticky residue near my fabrics but I know others use this method)

These are the second pair which I made at the Weekender and that is why some of the overlocking is different colours.

As I said earlier I’ve made both versions with a small turn-up so once I’ve turned them up I stitched through seam lines of the inner and outer leg seams to hold the turn-up securely in position.

You’ll notice from the grey version that I contrast top-stitched in pink either side of the outer leg seams to give some emphasis to the diagonal seam, I like how it goes ‘off’ at the hem.

The blue pair are sooo comfortable because the crepe fabric has quite a bit of natural give, and the back elastic gives a nice snug fit without being too tight. My blouse here is a longtime favourite, the Imogen from Sew Me Something

There was enough fabric to make a belt which ended up being massively long so it goes round twice into a big bow!

And these are the grey pair which I teamed with the second garment I started (but didn’t finish!) at the Weekender which is another Sewing Revival Bellbird made in a very lightweight woven check cotton which I picked up on a swap table somewhere last year. The label was given to us by lovely Harriet of Sew me Sunshine which is a really nice reminder of what I made and where!

Janine at The Sewing Revival generously provided me with the pattern for the Sidewinders and I’ve been more than happy to write a review because I love these trousers! I’m planning to make more for the winter and I’ll definitely give a gathered ankle pair a try too.

After a few weeks of sewing for others, writing (and then completely rewriting the Sew Over 50 birthday blog post because I lost ALL 4000+ words!!!!) and being away from home it’s lovely to get back to a bit of sewing for myself and sharing my thoughts with you. I’m so happy that I discovered The Sewing Revival as a result of our first Sew Over 50 challenge at the beginning of the year, did you find any new patterns brands as a result too, that was certainly our hope.

Until next time,

Happy Sewing

Sue

Simple Sew Cocoon jacket

When it came to selecting our next make for the Simple Sew blog there were two new ‘mystery’ patterns on the list as well as all the existing ones. One was a dress and the other was the Cocoon Jacket. As my next blog would be appearing at the beginning of autumn it seemed an idea to take a chance on the jacket-I already know the Cocoon dress which has been incredibly popular and is a very simple and stylish make so I figured the coat would be very similar.

I was so happy when the pattern arrived because it’s exactly that-simple and stylish!  The obvious fabric choice would be a nice woollen cloth-it suggests a boiled wool and this indeed would be perfect but, because I didn’t know just what the pattern was like until it arrived, I hadn’t chosen any fabric from one of our generous providers so I needed to get my own. For some reason it occurred to me that denim would an interesting choice and ideal for the autumn too. Luckily I live very near a branch of John Lewis so in I went and managed to buy 2.5m of a nice quality rigid denim in a fairly dark blue. The first thing I did when I got it home was put it through the wash twice to get out as much excess dye as possible and deal with any possible shrinkage before I started cutting out.

The pattern pieces are an intriguing shape, the back and the sleeve come as one large piece plus a front, a pocket and neck facings. What this means is that every piece ideally needs to be cut on the single which shouldn’t be a problem, it just takes longer and you need to be very careful not to cut two the same of the large pieces. If you want to use a cloth with a large check you may need to allow more fabric for good matching too. A stripe would look interesting as well.

Initially I opted to make my usual size 14 and I could already see from the pieces that this was likely to be too large. Before anything else I tissue-fitted the pattern. This is when you pin the tissue or paper pieces together accurately as though they are sewn and try it on carefully either on yourself or your dress stand if you have one. From this I could tell that the sleeves would be really long so for the toile I reduced them by about 8-10cms by folding out carefully about halfway down the sleeve. I cut and sewed the jacket then in some grey suiting fabric from my stash so that I could assess the size. I’m so glad I did this because it was HUGE, not just comfortably roomy, actually ginormous! I’m not sure why it needs to be so oversized but that wasn’t how I wanted to wear it so I chose to come down two whole sizes and make a 10. As you’ll see later it’s still plenty big enough. [I’ll recut and make up the grey one at some point so it won’t go to waste.]

Hmmm, plenty of room for everyone in here!

The instructions tell you to overlock all the edges before starting but I made all the darts first (which aren’t indicated in the line drawing-why not?) and then overlocked. If you’re using boiled wool, or decide to line it, then I wouldn’t bother overlocking unless your fabric frays a lot. Denim does fray a bit because it’s a twill weave but it wasn’t really a problem here. As the overlocking on my coat was going to be visible I picked a mix of three fun colours, fuchsia, orange and teal. I used a jeans needle throughout too although a sturdier size (90 or 100) of a regular needle would do if you haven’t got one.

multi-coloured overlocking

Because I’m using denim I wanted to use topstitching to highlight the seams. I was going to buy some specific topstitching thread but I couldn’t settle on a colour so instead I tried out a few colours in regular thread I already had and then used the triple straight stitch on my machine, which looks like topstitching. [You may not even know your machine has this stitch, it looks like three rows of straight stitch close together in the diagram so have a look to see if it’s there-it’s also known as saddle stitch] In addition to sewing on the patch pockets with like this I highlighted the darts at the back neck, elbow and hem, as well as all the seams and outer edges. Be aware that the triple straight stitch uses a lot of thread though.

A very generous patch pocket, I used squared-off top stitching at the top edge for extra reinforcement.

This jacket goes together so quickly! You simply make up each half and then join them down the centre back. [Since writing this it’s been brought to my attention that the instructions for attaching the front to the back at the raglan seam are currently wrong! I’ve realised that I probably disregarded the drawing because I couldn’t make sense of it and did it intuitively which isn’t helpful to you! The illustration shows the front piece attaching to the back the wrong way up, in so doing it means the neck edge won’t form a curve and the underarm sleeve seams don’t come together, below is the instruction as it currently stands, together with my drawing of how it should be]

This is how the instruction sheet shows it. It has the neck edge attaching to the underarm seam and will never work if you do it like this.

This is my little drawing of how it should be. The illustration looks like the raglan seam won’t match up but it does, you have to manipulate it a little.

 The sleeve seam falls to the front as a raglan and there’s the darts in the back and elbow/underarm to give a little shaping but that’s it. I would urge you if you’re using a boiled wool or other fabric which looks the same on both sides to mark them in some way so that you don’t make up the two halves the same not a pair! If you use boiled wool there’s no need to finish the edges unless you want to, or use the facings. You’ll need to use plenty of steam to press those seams open too.

I used facings cut in denim but you could easily cut them in a contrast if you like. I didn’t bother with interfacing because my jacket is meant to be very soft and slouchy and denim is already quite firm without adding more weight. At the lower hem don’t forget to trim away the excess fabric at the corners so that they turn better to make a sharper corner. When you’re sewing at a point like this always start from the fold or seam (marked with the pointer in my photo) and sew towards the open edge so that you don’t get a wrinkle or lump forming, it pushes any excess fabric away flat as you sew with this method.

When you stitch the facing at the hem start from the point indicated and sew across.

trim away the excess at the corner but don’t take it too near the hem itself, to the left.

Once both halves are made and joined there’s only the hems to turn up and the fastenings-if you’re using any- to sew on. I bought a pair of HUGE metal press studs in John Lewis, the pattern suggests magnetic fastenings or bold decorative buttons would be fun too.

Considering I didn’t know anything about the pattern before it arrived I’m really delighted with how it’s turned out. I reckon this will be a very popular pattern this winter as it’s so quick to sew, just be very careful about your sizing though, at the very least do a tissue fit before cutting your fabric. It’s going to be a great casual cover up, for me it’s a variation on the denim jacket, but it’s still generous enough to get woollies underneath.

It would be easy to fully line as well, simply cut all the pieces in a lining fabric too and make up the same. Attach it at the neck and front edges and then add the facings is one way to do this but there are others. Alternatively, you could use ‘Hong Kong’ finish on the seams, this is to bind all the seams with bias- or seam binding, it makes the inside of the coat look lovely although it’s time-consuming. What about using a heavy drill fabric, or a waterproof one even? Add a hood? In-seam pockets? Fleece-lined sweatshirting? So many possibilities!

dart near the elbow

front raglan sleeve seams

darts at the back neck

GIANT press studs!!

I used bright pink to top stitch the CB seam

I managed to top stitch the whole under arm seam too.

Even coming down 2 sizes it’s a generous fit and there’s room for jumpers underneath.

there are darts at the back hem

The blouse is a favourite Maker’s Atelier Holiday shirt.

The trousers are New Look 6351

The jacket will gradually soften and scuff as time passes which is exactly what I want and I think I’ll get a lot of use from it. I’m looking forward to seeing lots of versions of the Cocoon Jacket appearing over the autumn/winter months ahead, I wore it to the recent Sewing Weekender in Cambridge organised by The Foldline and English Girl at Home and it got a fair number of very positive comments. You’ve only got to wait until the November issue of Sew Now magazine when the pattern will be the free gift with it, unless Simple Sew can be persuaded to release it sooner than that…

Happy sewing

Sue

 

 

Rounding off Me Made May

Did you take part in Me Made May? At the outset I pledged to try and wear at least one self-made garment every day during May and, by and large I achieved that. I say ‘by and large’ because although I definitely wore a me-made item of clothing every day there was the odd occasion when I failed-or couldn’t be bothered-to take a decent photo!

The first few I managed by balancing my phone on top of a loudspeaker and setting it on a 3 second timer. This proved imperfect and the novelty quickly wore off when it fell to the floor for the umpteenth time!

Anyway, here goes…

May 1st was a mash-up pattern, bodice of one, skirt of another, in Queue for the Zoo Liberty Tana lawn worn with a Jigsaw sparkly cardigan.

Day 2 was a Burdastyle magazine top made in a floral scuba fabric and the back in crepe-back satin. I made it at least 2 years ago but haven’t worn it much as the cuffs were a bit flappy.  By the time I wore it to the first London Stitchers meet up that evening I’d taken them in considerably and I was a lot happier with the fit of the sleeves. The jeans are the Ash pattern from Megan Nielsen which I’d had the pleasure of testing and I’m a huge fan of them.

Day 3 is the first newly made garment and it’s the Farrow dress from Grainline which I wrote a review for in Sew Now magazine 18 months ago. I made this version in navy and burgundy linen with short sleeves.

 

Neither of the next garments were new either, the red broderie anglaise was amongst some fabric I was gifted and was already cut out, I just sewed it together. The blue and white was self-drafted 2 or 3 years ago in a cotton/linen mix fabric and it’s a summer favourite of mine.

 

The georgette kaftan is new and was the try-out version of my most recent Simple Sew make for their blog.

The stripes is also the same Burdastyle top but in a striped jersey and with short sleeves. I’d didn’t like it much as a regular T-shirt but it’s been great as exercise wear!

 

Dragon dirndl, no pattern just pleated into a narrow waistband.

Awesome dragon pattern-matching and zip insertion even if I do say so myself! Bias binding and hand-sewn hem too.

Colette patterns Moneta in striped jersey with a dodgy waist (should have put a belt over that!)

One of my favourite tops, Imogen by Sew Me Something and the trousers are Butterick 6461 which I reviewed in Love Sewing magazine last autumn.

Striped Camber Set from Merchant & Mills worn with a refashioned skirt that used to be jeans.

More refashioning with a silk top made from a vintage dressing gown and a hoodie using a vintage 60’s pattern in jersey and cotton fabric harvested from a charity shop dress.

A blouse made using a vintage 70’s dress pattern in ‘Gallymoggers’, an Alice in Wonderland Liberty Tana lawn. This is a couple of years old too.

Surprised this one still fitted me! Cotton poplin from Ditto fabrics, Butterick 6026 Katharine Tilton pattern and vintage buttons. Refashioned denim skirt again.

One of my favourites, African waxed cotton with crazy diagonal stripes Simplicity Project Runway pattern 2444, all fully lined.

Love the button on the back of the neck too, it was a single one of this design in a Sewing Weekender goody bag.

Packing for our trip to Assisi, all self-made except the cardigan.

With my new car! Trusty Holiday shirt from The Maker’s Atelier in Swiss Dot and newly made checked linen trousers New Look 6351-I’m so pleased with these, they’re perfect in warm weather if your legs are still pasty like mine. (Awesome pattern-matching too but you can’t see that)

The new Farrow got to go to Italy.

Linen trousers again and the Holiday shirt in Liberty cotton voile, outside Santa Chiara, Assisi. Loving my holiday chapeau too, from Monsoon

Camber Set hack in beautiful Roberto Cavalli cotton lawn and new for the Assisi trip(RTW trousers this time)

This top was drafted from a RTW one and I extended the shoulders to form sleeves. It’s sheer georgette with a slightly sparkly stripe which I get from a market and worn with a RTW camisole underneath. I made it 3 years ago but it’s been a real favourite.

The next ‘make’ is a big old cheat because it’s the etchings I made not the clothes! I loved my visit to Sudbourne Printmakers in Suffolk, and the sewing connection was meeting Chrissy Norman the tutor at the first Sewing Weekender two years ago. take a look at her work, it’s beautiful.

One of my finished prints…I’m rather proud of it…

Linen Imogen again with a jacket refashioned from 2 pairs of Mr Y’s trousers!

 

This is only half new-I made a top from this lovely broderie Anglais I bought at Walthamstow market last year but I hadn’t bought enough and it was too snug around the hips. Luckily I managed to get a bit more so I unpicked and started again. This time I used the top half of my favourite Holiday shirt and used wide elastic in a casing under the bust to give it some shape. There was just enough for sleeves this time. I used a ‘daisy’ bias-binding to finish the neck edge and opening.

Not everything I’ve made has been an unqualified success and this teal blue dress is definitely one of the disappointments! It looked lovely on the packet but the back is ridiculous because the zip bulged out giving me a strange hump so I took it out again and inserted it in the side seam instead. Frankly it’s not much better. The top is far too wide and the V neck flaps about undecided whether it’s a V or a fold-back revere. The fabric was super-cheap from Walthamstow again but it’s the amount of time I spent which makes me grumpy. I might turn it into a skirt…

And so to the last outfit of the month…

The top for my last outfit of the month was originally a dress but, even though I’d made one previously for winter, this version just wasn’t right. The length wasn’t flattering and the sleeves, which had decorative darts, were too tight. After a bit of a refashion which removed most of the skirt, put short splits in the side seams at the hem and took the darts out of the sleeves making them a bit more floaty it was much more wearable. There were pockets in the side seams which I wanted to keep so this governed the length overall. I wore it with my trusty Ash jeans which I’ve absolutely loved since making them last autumn.

So to sum up, Me Made May encouraged me to really look in my wardrobe and get out some of the things which get worn less often, as well as the favourites. The weather has ranged from freezing cold to boiling hot and I realised that my summery dresses are rather lacking when it’s warm, and cooler plain bottom halves are needed to go with my many patterned tops. I know I’ve been prolific in the last 3 years or so compared to a long fallow period for years before that and that makes me very happy. Looking through the clothes I’ve worn during May the vast percentage are things that were made more than a year ago, a lot are more than 2 years old and some older than that. Even when I used to buy more clothes if there was a garment I really liked I kept it for a long time, I think probably because if I’d taken the time to choose it then I wanted good use from it-££ per wear and all that. The same is now true of my makes, I’ve invested my own time into making them so I want to enjoy wearing them (although it’s frustrating when they aren’t a success, but I’ll often refashion them if I can)

Did you join in with Me Made May and did it encourage you to to make more use of your self-made clothes?

Happy Sewing

Sue

Ash jeans, a brand new pattern from Megan Nielsen

Last year I pattern-tested the Karri dress by Megan Nielsen (or at least I did but a bit after the event) I enjoyed the process because I just love and am fascinated by garment construction so the chance to be in at the beginning of a pattern coming to market is great. When I got an email last autumn requesting testers for a new jeans pattern from Megan Nielsen I was really keen to give them a go because I haven’t made jeans before and, this time round, the timing worked for me because I’d finished all my major bridal alterations for the summer and could concentrate on my own projects.

Initially there was a slight delay due to some technical issues before the pattern was released to testers so in the interim I’d bought a quantity of black stretch denim from Backstitch near Cambridge which I hoped would be enough-I guesstimated at 2m based on other jeans patterns I’d seen.

When the pattern arrived it had even more options than we were told it would have originally-there were skinny, slim, flared and wide-leg options. The instructions are nice and clear about exactly which pages you need to print off for the options you want so that you don’t print more pages than needed. Also these days I don’t print off the making instructions, I just keep them on the laptop and read them directly off the screen, I actually find that a little easier to ‘comprehend’ them that way too, maybe it’s because the instructions and illustrations are that much larger than in print? If you have difficulty with making sense of instructions why not try this method with PDFs to see if it works for you.

After initially thinking I‘d go for the slim leg I eventually printed off the wide legged ones-I was concerned that they might be too tight on my legs (vanity) more on this later. 

Ok, so I printed off the wide-leg version but they looked way too wide-I’m only average height and dumpier than I’d like to be so I didn’t want to look like Pop Eye in  his matelot trousers! Rather than reprint the slim leg (stingy) I eventually folded out some of the width at hem level, fading it into nothing by the mid-thigh. One of my observations in the feedback was that the lines became quite indistinct between sizes on the waistband-I feel that they would be better ‘nested’ into groups so that there could be bigger gaps between them, it will be interesting to see if this happens. There’s a wide range of waist sizes included in the Ash so most people are quite likely to be able to use it.

The pattern was very straightforward to piece together, either I’m getting better at this process because I’ve done it a few times now or maybe the first PDFs I did were more complex anyway, this one was simple. Cue cutting, sticking and more cutting. Fortunately for me the quantity of fabric I’d bought was just enough, obviously there’s no nap to worry about on denim so the pieces can interlock well although the curved waistband is all in one piece so it just squeaked in {if it hadn’t fitted in one piece I would have cut it into two at the CB like mens trousers have, this enables a better fit and can be useful on women’s trousers too if you’re having difficulty getting a good fit into the small of your back}

Construction starts with the zip fly. Part of the reason I wanted to try jeans is because it’s been absolutely years since I made trousers with a zip fly and I don’t remember them being a huge success!

I found the instructions very clear and meticulous with helpful diagrams, as I said earlier I followed them on the laptop so I could scroll up and down as much as I needed to so that I knew exactly what to do at each step. Ok, so this is going to sound like bragging but it really isn’t….I didn’t make a single error whilst doing this stage and I give full credit to the quality of the instructions. You could argue that’s because I know roughly what I should be doing but I don’t think that’s all it is, credit where it’s due to the writer.

although it looks like the top of the zip is going up too high because it’s a bit long this isn’t a problem. There are very thorough instructions for the zip insertion, including how to sew over a metal zip-something I would normally never recommend.

It doesn’t look level but that’s just the camera angle. I’m pretty happy with the two rows of stitching-I deliberately chose matching thread in case my parallel lines wobbled!!

After the zip is in you make the front pockets-I lined mine with a contrast fabric-and that was very straightforward. Much as I love my trusty Elna 7000 it’s getting on a bit now and really doesn’t much like topstitching thread so doing the topstitching proved frustrating and problematic. (I’ve bought a new Pfaff Quilt Ambition 2.0 since making these and I’m delighted with it) I fiddled with the tension a bit and eventually I got a decent quality stitch but it isn’t perfect on the underside. Incidentally I used a denim/jeans needle throughout (it’s just occurred to me that there are top stitch needles too so maybe I should try that next time)

Next the patch pockets go on the back. I chose not to do any fancy stitching designs or topstitching (partly because my machine was struggling so much with the thread) and just kept it simple.

certainly not faultless (the top edges peeping out annoy me slightly but they’re at the back so I can’t see them anyway!)

I’ve made a second pair of Ash more recently and I slightly altered the way I did the top of the pocket.

Instead of rolling the top of over twice as per the instructions I folded it like this so that the first fold is WS together and then the second fold is RS together meaning the raw edge is still showing at this point. I stitched it down just inside the seam allowance to hold the fold in position.

Next I turned the folded corner out like this so that it’s nice and neat. I then sewed the patch pockets on in the same way as the denim pair but now there’s no annoying sticky-up bits showing.

the waistband sewn in position, along with the belt loops

After trying the jeans on again I was still not happy with the width of the leg that I’d cut so, because the inner leg seams are double top-stitched, I skimmed in some more from the outer leg seams (this is becoming a habit, see my Love Sewing trouser pattern review here) 

Very indecisive!

Eventually I got to a leg-width that I was happy with and after that it was just a case of hemming them. You might look at the finished photos and think “well they don’t fit that well” but frankly I don’t care because I’ve struggled at times in my life to feel comfortable and confident wearing jeans at all because there are so many idealised images out there of what a woman ‘ought’ to look like in them, they should be tighter here, they shouldn’t wrinkle there etc etc blah blah blah….I’m comfortable and happy in these as they are, it’s my body shape that would have to change drastically and it isn’t going to any time soon. Rant over…

Finally the waistband needs a jeans button and a buttonhole. The instructions helpfully pointed out that the buttonhole should be round-ended (not something I’d ever paid much attention to on RTW jeans) and making such a buttonhole on a domestic machine is usually very tricky because of the thickness of fabric involved. Megan suggests doing it ‘freehand’ with a zigzag stitch so I had a few practices at this. Eventually I felt brave enough to do it on the actual waistband and it turned out passably well. My new machine seems much better at buttonholes-it should do, it cost me enough!

A little bit scruffy but it’s behind a button anyway…

The jeans button is the sort with a rivet or stud behind it so it’s a case of banging them together through the fabric with a hammer! Don’t do it on your best table, put it on the bread board or a towel folded several times.

Ta dah!

I’d been trying on the jeans periodically as I went along and they felt great. Personally I’m delighted with how well Ash fit me! They are snug and comfortable around my waist and hips and I’m really really happy with them.

Sorry about the butt-shots but I’m so pleased with how well Ash jeans fit, particularly in the back waist.

impatient with the photographer face!

still a bit cheesed off but it’s all about the jeans folks…

Teamed with my Refashioners 2017 McQueen-inspired jacket

By the time you’re reading this the Ash jeans will have been released into the wild so you’ll be seeing lots of different versions of them all over the place. I’ve since bought some stretch cord and made another pair, I left the legs a bit longer and a bit wider this time. I’ve worn the denim pair constantly because they’re so comfy, the denim has just the right amount of stretch.

Compare these photos with the previous newly-minted jeans and you’ll see just how much I’ve lived in them!!

I liked the fit of the legs (eventually!) and because the pattern provides 4 leg shapes there’s bound to be one that you’ll like, I like the on-the-waist fit too.

If you’re looking for a new sewing challenge then jeans might be just the ticket, there was a lot of jeans-sewing going on during February and March so there is plenty of inspiration out there. They are definitely a slow-sew which you might need to break down into bite-size chunks, they need concentration at times, and a certain degree of sewing ‘comprehension’ because they aren’t for complete beginners. I felt the quality of the written instructions and diagrams was excellent and there will be online tutorials available eventually too. It’s also worth mentioning that I found 1 reel of topstitching thread isn’t quite sufficient because there’s only 30m on a regular-sized reel of Gutermann, which is what I used.

I was provided with the pattern at no cost but I bought my own fabric and received no payment for testing the Ash jeans, and as such all the opinions expressed are unbiased and entirely my own. I’ve just bought some more blue denim to make a cropped length next!

Happy sewing,

Sue