Monday, 25 June 2018

Persephone pants by Anna Allen patterns

I hopped on this bandwagon right after I discovered the pattern via Sophie (@adaspragg) on Instagram.  I had no idea if I would find it totally too crazy or really fun.  I also explored the phenomenon that is Kamm pants because I was out of that loop too.

I made a size 4, which fit my measurements exactly: 27-37.  I have seen since then that many people are sizing down to truly get the snug hip fit, and I could do that, but I do also really like how comfortable they are as is.  I don't have much room in the hips, but the high waist and loose fit below the butt mean there is so much space to move and bend - really the sad bit is just that they are a little too long to bicycle in (I tried.  Snapped threads.  No holes, luckily.)

The fabric is a somewhat lightweight, but stiff linen blend with a bunch of lurex in it, creating delightful iridescence when I move.  It is probably too light for this pattern and does leave me with terrible panty lines.  I have worn the pants a bunch and found them so comfortable that I will probably make another pair and choose a heavier fabric the second time around.  The problem with using a fabric that feels, in my head, like wild crazy rainbow iridescence is that these feel to me a bit like disco pants.  I don't think they are quite so out there, style-wise, as I feel they are.  But I feel like I'm really pushing the edge of fashion when I wear them, which makes me think my next pair need to be really toned down.  





Um, except that I have one meter of Hermes green cotton velvet.  It's a wide meter.  The pieces fit...so...I might have to do that next.





The instructions are impeccable.  The button fly creates a beautiful amazing clean finish with none of the ragged uncertainty that arises at the bottom of a zip fly.  (or is that just me?)  I LOVE the button fly.  I followed every bit of the instructions including the totally ridiculous belt loops because wtf belt loops?  I hate belts.

After washing:



It took one sewing day, meaning a full day with coffee breaks.  They fit perfectly, as I said.  Except.  They are too high.  I mean, they are in close relationship with my ribs.  After wearing them, the fabric has accordioned down the top about 2 inches to try to all sit at my waist.  (Yes I know I could iron them but I'm never going to.)  I find the pockets are flat against my hips which makes them functionally pretty useless.  I don't really want pocket contents bruising my hipbones.  So on the next (velvet!) version I plan to take 1" out of the top part of the waist and not put in the pockets.  Or belt loops.  I thought of using the crotch lengthen shorten line but I want to take away the height nearer the waist - I'm still thinking this through, so we shall see what happens!


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