Rip!

I stalled for some time on my trousers. Partly because I just haven’t had a clear stretch of time to warrant getting everything out and spreading out, and partly because I triple stitched a couple of seams before making a modification I’d intended to. I spent a long time debating in my head whether there was another way to do it, or whether to abandon the idea altogether, but eventually came to the conclusion that since the modification was largely the point of making a second pair, and there was no other way to do it well, I should just bite the bullet and rip the seams out. So I did.

I used my new seam ripper for the first time (Mothers Day gift from my boys) and it was like a hot knife through butter, so the seam ripping was so much easier than I anticipated. These things usually are, especially if you’ve spent months agonising over how much of a pain it will be!

Now I’ve just got to figure out how this modification will actually work.

Advertisement

Getting on with it

I have, at long last, had a day off! One day of absolutely nothing except the school run yesterday, on which I chose to rest completely. I watched The Phantom Thread (somewhat odd film, though beautiful) and then fell asleep with the cat on the sofa. I finished reading my book (The 1,000 year old boy) and watched some TV with Mr Jack. Perfect!

Today, feeling a little more rested, was a day of getting on with it. Despite my fabric disappointment the other day, I do still have enough of the same stretch denim I used before to make a second pair of trousers. I’ve been pondering the alterations for some time and hesitating to commit them to the scissors, so I made the decision to just get on with it. I finished the redrafting without agonising over every detail and cracked on with cutting out.

I only had time to cut one front and one back leg piece, but I’ve made a start and it feels good! And I have another day off tomorrow to continue. Bliss!

Buzzkill

You know when you spend hours browsing a website and filling and amending your shopping basket, and that small buzz of excitement when you finally place the order.

And then the thrill when the package arrives in the post and the hum of anticipation as you have to wait for a more convenient time to open it.

And then the slight sink of disappointment when half of the things you ordered turn out to be not quite what you imagined and so you’re almost back to square one on a project.

That.

Clockwise from top left:

1. Clearance fabric that I thought would make a nice top, but is much more open weave than I expected. Plain green crepe intended as lining for said top. Hopefully I’ll still be able to do something with it.

2. Star print cotton fabric for future pocket linings.

3. Popper fasteners kits, D rings and bias binding for work trousers project.

4. Samples of fabric for work trousers, cotton drill in medium- and heavy- weight, both of which are not as heavy weight as I’d expected. And one I’d hoped would be a tough fabric for knee pad pockets is more like a lightweight tent fabric.

5. A variety of zips at clearance prices. Many are a bit shorter than I expected, despite ordering by length!

So, I’m not really any further with my work trouser project, but I’m sure the above will be used one way or another!

 

Chop chop

Yesterday I paid a visit to my local yarn (and sewing) shop to pick up all the notions I need. They dont have much in the way of dressmaking fabrics, but they have a fabulous selection of quilting cottons with all sorts of fun prints.

I chose one of these for my pockets – can you guess which one?

Today I have been placing, tracing and cutting out all of my pattern pieces. My many many pattern pieces! I’ve even omitted a few – I dont need pocket flaps getting in my way on my back pockets – but there was still a vast number of pieces. But they’re all done, and I’ve used almost a metre less fabric than the pattern stated, so I’ve got plenty left for another pair if I like these, or something else if I don’t!

I’ve started finishing the edges of the first few pieces using my overlocker this evening. I’m not going to have time to work on it for a few days now, but I’m pleased with progress so far. Next up will be the mindtangling process of assembling the pockets and getting everything to end up facing the right direction!

Oh pants!

I need new trousers for work. I’m a theatre technician, so I need something practical, hard-wearing and with plenty of good size pockets. Oh, and preferably in black! I’ve been wearing an old pair of black skinny jeans in a thick denim up til now, but a.) they’re getting a bit snug and b.) I’ve got a lot more shifts than usual coming up (yay, panto season!) and so I need an extra pair to tide me over while those are in the wash.

At the Knitting and Stitching Show, I found some black denim on clearance and bought 4 metres. I also picked up a pattern for some men’s cargo trousers that was close to the style I had in mind.

This week I sat down to start making them and spent an age trying to figure out what size to make as I gradually came to realise my mistake – a woman’s waist is a totally different shape than a man’s. I then spent ages comparing the pattern against a women’s trouser pattern (of a completely different style) and then against some of my existing jeans to work out if i could modify the waist, before concluding that I just needed an entirely different pattern.

So I have trawled and trawled every pattern site imaginable and yet still cannot find a pattern that matches what i want to make. I did find an amazing template of a pair of cargo/jeans that were exactly what I was after but it turned out to be a graphic design image template, not a sewing pattern. Gutted.

I toyed with the idea of using the Ginger Skinny Jeans pattern from Closet Case patterns, but in the end, after a bit more googling, I found these Bryce Cargo Pants by Hey June Handmade. The picture isnt great. They’re more fashion style-y than practical looking, (and i certainly won’t be rocking up to work in high-heeled open-toed sandals) but the waist looks about right for what i want, which is the most important bit in terms of a pattern. They’re definitely too short, and a bit too fitted around the lower leg for my liking, but i figure it’ll be easier to modify a leg than a waist!  It comes as a pdf pattern, so no hanging around waiting for the post, and i think I’ll feel a lot less precious about chopping and changing the pattern, since i know i can just print it again if needs be. Mind you it’s about 30 pages, so took an age to print, and i still need to assemble it, but thats a job for another day.

 

I’m still very much a novice when it comes to sewing, so i have no idea how this is going to turn out, but I’ll do my best and keep you posted. It could be an interesting challenge.

Right, where’s my sellotape?