The Savvy Sewer Salon at Sawyer Brook

As Barb mentioned in the recent newsletter, who does not need a new pair of pants? I love the versatility and comfort pants offer. They can look business, dressy, casual. They can look whatever we need them to look, but they are always a salvation for the on-the-go women. Barb will be putting together pant swatch pattern. However, another good thing about pants is versatility if fabric choices: velvet to denim, anything goes.

OTH, pants can be challenging to fit. But good thing is, once I have one well fitting pattern, I can easily turn it into pretty much any pant style there is. So whether you are working out fitting issues, or have a working TNT pattern, I hope you can join me.

Hi Nata, I'll join in the the pant sew along. I've been looking at some patterns. Jalie has a nice relatively new classic trouser pant. I've also been looking at the Hot Patterns Marrakesh pattern. Or I'm also thinking about creating my own. I had a favorite pair of pants that were too worn to wear. I liked the way they fit, so last year I took them apart at the seams. I'm thinking about creating a pattern from them, improving the fit a bit and widening the leg. I need to take a look at SB fabrics and see what might be suitable. Whatever pattern I choose to make, I think I'll line the finished product, because I hear Minnesota has a long, cold winter! Thank you for stepping up to guide us along.

Hi Carole,
Marrakesh pants look cute. I could not see them on the Hot Patterns website. Is the pattern still available for sale? They do strike me as more of the summery style though. I am curious to see what you’ll do with them.

I am in need of overhaul for my winter pants. I have a few pairs but I am growing tired of them. It seems most of my pants has same leg line: fairly wide straight leg. I want to add some different silhouettes. Do I dare to fess up that I have 13 cuts suitable for winter weight pants? Picking a few is the hard part. I have 3 pieces of fabric picked out for now: charcoal gray worsted wool flannel, http://store.sawyerbrook.com/Brownstone_p_50-1531.html, and http://store.sawyerbrook.com/Metro-Duo_p_15-1545.html.

I found this picture helpful. It shows difference between the fit of 4 classic pant styles.

1) Cullotes – hangs away from the body at abdomen and buttocks
2) Trousers – hangs straight from the fullest point at buttocks and abdomen
3) Slacks – cup slightly under the buttocks and abdomen
4) Jeans – follow body contours very closely.

This picture helped me to visualize how to alter one pattern to get 4 different pant foundations. Once I have those fitted, I can further change leg lines and hems. Shorts are based on one of the four pant foundations as well.

Nata, I would love to join your Sew Along but I'll be doing a lot of travelingfrom now until the New Year, visiting children and grandchildren so I won't have time to sew much as I really need more pants. I'll be watching though to see what everyone is doing. I like your choice of fabrics and thats a good reminder about the difference between slacks, trousers etc. Personally I like the trouser cut but get bored with the same old straight legs.
Have fun with the Sew Along. Brenda

Thank you, Brenda. Maybe if you finish girls' coats early. You are almost done, am I right? How do you like the pattern? Did you add SA to the pattern?

I finished the slacks draft. It was easy to do. Taking measurements is the most difficult part of the whole process. Now to make the muslin and hope it fits decent. RTW pants never fit me right off the rack. Neither do commercial patterns straight out of the envelope.

The Marrakesh Pant should be on the Hot Patterns website. There's a nice youtube video about them too. I think I'll save them for summer, though. They have a drawstring waist and it's hard to imagine that kind of waistband for winter weather.

I looked at a Jalie pant pattern I already have. I think I'll do a test muslin of those (I'll have the pattern number tomorrow). The pattern is for stretch trousers, but I'll do a sample muslin up two sizes and see how that works out. My stash fabrics are all for jackets and tops, so I need to look through my SB swatches for some lovely fabric to order!

I enjoyed the drawings of different pant styles - thank you for posting that.

While I was in my sewing room today, I re-read an article about fitting pants from a Threads book. The author said that fitting pants in the past (50's? 60's?) wasn't a problem because crotch lengths were so long. However, as crotch lengths in RTW have been shortened, it has created fitting problems for the home sewer. I'll have a reference for the article tomorrow too.

That makes sense. Higher crotch is closer fitted. Plus I also think we wear pants tighter now than decades past. Personally, I can't stand low crotch. Anything lower than 3/4" drives me crazy.

For my first pair I picked charcoal worsted wool flannel from few mailings back. Even though this fabric is not in stock anymore, it is very characteristic of traditional Sawyer Brook offerings for wool suiting. To preshrink I soaked in warm water in the tub for a few hours (because I forgot it was there), transferred dripping wet fabric into the washing machine, spun dry, and hung to air dry. There is no change to fabric hand or surface. You can treat any wool like that; it does not have to be dry clean only.

It just so happened that my fabric was off-grain. I needed to shift selvages by 2 inches to get a straight fold. The best I know fabric should be straitened up or the garment will not hang correctly. I was a little apprehensive because that’s the most off grain I ever had to deal with. To straiten the grain I spritzed the fabric with water and DD and I played tug-a-war. To my surprise, it straightened up perfectly. While the fabric was still damp and straight, I pressed the bajibarus out of it with lots of steam. I am hoping the steaming locked the grain and got the rest of shrinkage out of the fabric.

The Jalie pattern I'm testing is 2561. I love the pockets on this pant. They are only in the front. The have just a slight angle off the waistband. I find that when pockets slant too much or are concentrated only at the side they bulge out on me.

Your method of pre-shrinking the wool is good. I have a sink near my washer so I can just soak it there.

The article I mentioned is from an old Threads book called 'Fit and Fabric'. It's pretty old! The article is called 'A Fitting Pair of Pants, Adjusting the curve is the key'. It's from the August 1988 Threads magazine.

HI All
It's been a busy week at SBDF so I have fallen behind on posting here about fabrics. The Pant Worthy Packet will mail today. Here are some general descriptions of the fabrics included. Most of the fabrics mentioned are in the web store so you can shop by category there too.

Pant Worthy Wool
Wool can be elegant or practical, but in either direction, it is always very sewer friendly! Wool tailors well, responding to the wishes of the stitch and the press. Once completed a wool garment has a long “closet” life, especially if the garment is lined.

Pant Worthy Cotton
The fiber of 1000 faces has plenty of incarnations that work well for pants. Corduroy is a great seasonal choice for casual pants. Fine line twill works well for careerwear. Washable is the key for the cotton choice. Be sure to consider shrinkage in your yardage requirements.

Pant Worthy Rayon and Blends
Many designers use a poly/rayon blend for affordability and versatility. All rayon may wrinkle a bit, but hangs out once standing. Those with more poly than rayon get past the wrinkle factor, but add a bit of crispness to the hand. Washability is key. Most of these fabrications are milled using poly microfiber yarns which helps with breathability. Lining is usually not a necessity, but will add to the substance of the pants and lengthen the closet life.

I put together my muslin. It was not perfect, but descent. I also had a break through in fitting. I always get diagonal drags on the back pointing to my full hip. I saw only one book (Kenneth King’s) to address that alteration, and his recommendation did not work for me. I pretty much gave up on it. Some of the pants I made were better than others, but all have those drags to some degree.

My new muslin had those drags too. But since I have been reading my new “toy” (Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Armstrong) I have been thinking about fit a lot. I have been looking at RTW a lot and picturing what caused various wrinkles on various body types. My logic is that RTW is made to industry standard measurements; therefore fit problems can be attributed to body types rather than drafting of a pattern. By analyzing body type of a person I can match figure challenges with fit problems. It provides much more hands on experience than pictures in a book.

Yesterday I received Burda WOF for 11/09. There is a pair of pants in there that I am going to make but not until after the holidays. I think the number is 124 and it has seams down the middle of the front and back pieces. Sandra Betzina has a pattern similar to it but the one in Burda has side seam pockets which I like. The coats I am making for my granddaughters are close to being finished and yes, I did remember to add the seam allowances. How ever I didn't add enough of a hem allowance for the coat for the 5 year old who is tall for her age. I am sure that I will have to lengthen it next year and I will have to add a contrast band or something to make it long enough.
Carole, I have looked at Jalie patterns on line but never have sewed one. I will be interested in what you are doing.
Brenda

I'd love to join the "pants along", but it might be awhile. I do need to do a few more tops for specific occassions, however I just purchased "Anvil" to make a pair.
Nata, but my most pressing question (pun intended), what does bajibarus mean? I did try to look it up.

Welcome Alma. Jump in whenever you are ready. Bajibarus - hmm - I don't think it'll be in a dictionary LOL. It means a whole lot.

Well, after thinking about it for quite some time, I think I got it. My drags are gone. I am hoping it’ll look the same in real fabric. If it does, I will be the happiest pant patternmaker because I have been trying for too long Also there will be the satisfaction of achievement because I thought of it all by myself rather than reading about it somewhere. I am crossing my fingers.

I'm in, too! I have a greenish-brownish tweed I've been wanting to make up for awhile. It's Tapenade Tweed, if anyone remembers, but is sold out now. I also need some black pants. I'm thinking maybe a wool pair and a cotton pair. I'll probably start with the wool since it's winter. I need to order those fabrics, though, so I'm off to check out the store. All will be from TNT patterns - one is Vogue and one is a Simplicity perfect fit pattern.

I'll try to cut out the tweed pants on Friday, but no promises since I'll be spending the night prior at the black friday sales. I just can't stay away!