The Base trousers by Ann Ringstrand, attempts 1 & 2

I have been really excited to make a few patterns from this book called SEW, by Ann Ringstrand.  It ends up that a pair of my favourite pants ever are her original Hope pants.  Seemed super thrilling to be able to make other designs of hers. 

The two included pants patterns were the priority.  I was going to make the work trousers first and had everything ready to trace the pattern (huge first step!!)  I got one page traced...and realised I had traced the base trousers, because half the pattern is on each pattern sheet (rather than both sides of the pattern sheet corresponding to the SAME pattern.)  But it didn't really matter, I made the Base trousers first.  They are a bit harder so it's probably good that way. 

Size S, by my measurements (waist 27 hip 37)

I did not modify these at all to start out with - this was an experiment, and I knew I would send the first pair to a friend if they didn't fit well as she has gained some weight.  I also worried a tiny bit I was making them even bigger than necessary because my seam allowances were done by eyeball and might not have been precise.  Honestly tracing my own patterns is like a game of telephone, it's a surprise I end up with something remotely similar to the original. 

The fabric is Japanese suiting from The Fabric Store, it's so sumptuous!  I really enjoyed the feel of this fabric.  It behaved well when sewing though my iron occasionally leaves marks because it is a shitty iron and gets too hot at times.  

I did a lot of mental cheerleading to get through these pants.  Like, day one was prep, next day was back pocket welts, next day was fly...it was very good to break it down like that.  The instructions are so super vague, which made it exciting to hunt for instructions that would really help me, and by making my own welts I had to reason through how to make a welt, which has presumably made me a better welter overall in life.  (in theory, as proven later.)

 

I think these pants fit quite a bit like the model pictures, honestly.  I wouldn't want them so loose, but they are wearable.  So I'm moving on to the XS, and I will shorten the rise 1 cm and shorten the height 1".  I'm going to make fake welt pockets for the back instead of real ones, since I never use them.  Whew, back to the tracing and seam allowancing.  

So that was done, and I cut out my beautiful, soft purple fabric and then procrastinated with a binge of knits.  Finally came back around to these, the stress of not doing them got to be more than the pain of doing them.  The problem is that I really wanted them to be nice, and I really just wanted to get on with it.  I didn't have the same amount of patience to really reason through every single step.  The result is that my welt pockets are not as nice.  My fly still has a funny gap at the bottom of the zip where the front stitching ends.  (I think you just HAVE to baste the fly together to get rid of that, I'm so sick of it.)  

I also realised something I have Never Realised Before, which is that in slash pocket pants, the pockets constitute a relevant part of the front waist.  Oooohhhh.  The pocket pieces here are a single piece, and because I made my pockets bigger, and the game of seam allowances etc, it wasn't really clear where to fold them in half.  I had to measure the distance from the side seam that made sense, and then match both pockets up to the front at that distance.  Noticing as I did it that the other pair of pants are HUGELY different at that spot. It's amazing how much you can sew, and then realise you still just didn't know something.  I did eventually recover from my disappointment that these are not perfect, and accepted that they are wearable and lovely, but I do still feel like they are kind of too big. Plus I really hate the mess of the fake welts on the inside. But it's a style, it's ok.  

 

However regarding this style, in particular, I think it's not very interesting.  I could have made a pair of Cali Faye Hampshire pants which HAVE INSTRUCTIONS and welt pockets and slash pockets etc and I would have had a better quality final pair of pants.  In fact I am going to make those, because it's been years, and I think it might be good for me to review the instructions.  If Ann Ringstrand wanted us to make pants to the same standard she does, she could have provided instructions online as an addendum to her book.  She doesn't - I suppose you need to look up the couture techniques elsewhere if you want to apply them.  Anyway, if you really want to make her patterns, you can, but I think books like this are more about inspiration and not about actually making the patterns.  

Despite all that, I think the other pattern in this book is a very different shape and I'm still willing to do it once I have a fly plan.  All the other pockets can be stuck on so I won't have as many dramas, aside from the tracing etc itself.  I will most likely go with the XS despite the size chart.  

Made a pair of Lift leggings...and then another one.

 This is the second time I've made these, the first one got onto Insta but only as a flat lay for Reasons. I made it from swim fabric. 

I sized down to a D the first time (I think) and they were too xrated for photos.  It ends up...the gusset matters.  Tiny but mighty.  But also they were really snug overall, though I liked the rise.  Maybe because Swim Fabric is really different to stretchy normal fabrics, I guess.  This time I did size E.  

Easy to make.  The V where it all comes together is just barely off from perfect, oh well.  The rise is VERY high, these go way above my belly button.  Fine, I can actually wear some cropped top things for hot pilates for once.  But I will shorten them next time.   

They were successful in hot pilates. A win! The ruching still disappears when I wear them.  My bum must just be mighty I guess.  

 

So then I had some leftovers from my beautiful ribbed tree Kila top and thought I might just barely eke these out.  The first pair had done well in hot pilates class, though it's a bit lumpy at that V seam when I'm lying flat.  I can overlook this, but I might eventually just make some super plain leggings too.  Eventually.  I shortened the waist 1" by just cutting off the top.  

 

Anyway I managed but the trees are upside down on one leg, which I rather like, it adds something to the psychedelic look.  I'm so pleased!  And then I compared these pattern pieces to my first attempt at these shorts and the difference is like 2" so I must have really done something wrong when I printed that out, it seems like more than a single size difference.  

This second pair is much stretchier, because it's a rib fabric.  I have to say that Blended Threads seem to be improving their fabrics and their print jobs, because there's less show through and this rib as well as the bamboo options are so great.  I'm actually waiting for Tessa to tell me it's time to make another order!  My partner wants some underwear in this fabric!  And I am so happy with my new options for hot pilates, as a good environmentalist I've been wearing the same pair of cotton op shop leggings (they were $1!!) for the past 3 years...it's honestly just nice to see some different colours in the mirror.  

My Keeper Teddy dress in my favourite scraps

Things have been going so well recently, time for some new patterns and drama!  (Not entirely, but my scrap stash is all over the floor to plan this dress and got annoying so it became a priority.)  I am using some really precious stash for this dress with the hope that the side ties make it a relatively forgiving fit.  It's not a look I would want a bunch of.

I started in with the strong opinions pretty early with this one. 

The pattern is put shortwise on the A0s so each pattern piece has to be taped together in the middle.  The third page of the A0 was nearly blank.  Huge waste of paper.  And as I cut I realised...this is a pattern finished with bias tape, and there is no bias tape pattern piece.  A pet peeve of mine.  We are not really off to a good start.  I decided that I'm tired of my gross non folded bias pieces and dug into my stash for some good old vintage polyester bias tape.  Once I did that I realised I still had to make side ties, and I ended up pulling out my bias tape maker, and using that to fold up the ties, which was very fun.  Maybe I do like making bias tape after all...

size straight 8, shortened 1" at the waist shorten line and planned a deeper hem for the remaining 2 cm that need to come off.  

The neck has two cut options but weirdly the seam allowance line that goes all along the pattern vanishes at the lower neck line, leaving me to wonder if I need to add a seam allowance there or what.  I ended up cutting 1cm above that line as it really looks like that's the continuation of the SA.  

The side tie marks don't line up.  I thought maybe that was strategic, placing them where they will pull the dress just right.  I don't know.  

Sewing this was easy.  However, this is one of those very homemade, beginner type patterns that will not look very good unless you are an experienced sewist who can trouble shoot ahead of time.  Back zip, with bias taping.  No advice at all in the instructions for creating a decent finish.  I taped over the top of my zip and then did a little tuck and fold with the inside of my bias tape to keep it relatively neat.

 

 

Finally it does fit but it's skin tight. The designer mentions that it's a snug fit, but what I didn't realise was that it's a REALLY snug fit.   Seems like you should have ease in the sides so that you can actually pull the side ties in and do something shapey with them, but in my case they have to be as loose as possible or I can't get the dress on.  This means that the ties...are useless.  The ties are also extremely long, meant to be as long as the entire dress, I suppose.  You could just use one tie on each side instead of two if you didn't want that effect (or no ties! Since they aren't doing anything!)  The armscye is too tight on me, of course - I tried it on and thought it would be ok but somewhere in there it seems like it just got tighter. I didn't cut any additional depth. 

So, there are things I would do differently if I made this again - size up (length was good), deepen the armscye and probably create a partial facing to help clean up the finishing.  I will, however, never make this again.  I find it kind of nauseating as a style on me, too cutesy somehow.  I do see how the full length panels are quite flattering, but it doesn't inspire me.  I am trying to pawn it off on friends, but it hasn't found a home yet. 

 

Flat Fell till you Fall: the Sew Liberated Arthur pants

After being not very interested in Arthur or Bob pants for the longest time, suddenly I was seized by the urge.  And it was sudden and urgent!  I had these off to the printer within one week.  They jumped all queues.  The fabric was my stashed beautiful hemp something blend fabric from my last shop at Blackbird Fabrics (I think.)  I've been saving it because it is just so lovely, but a bit too drapey for jeans, and the linen denim I got in the meantime was better for my jacket experiments.  This is the only fabric I had 3 meters of.  Truthfully I don't think I needed 3m, but I didn't test the pattern on shorter lengths of stash fabric.  I have enough left over for a pair of shorts.  

I think this is a good weight for these (or maybe just a bit heavy), a bit heavier than chambray, but it did get thick when I was folding up the french seams of the side.  

My first flat felled seam was a bit wavy but all the others were better.  I did gain confidence as I went along, and I was really glad I used a fabric that doesn't fray.  I think a fraying fabric would really make the process hard.  

I sewed size 4.  I think that is usually what I sew in Sew Liberated Patterns.  I shortened the rise 1" and the height 2" at the lines, noting the pattern is drafted for a height of 5'7".  

 

These are so beautiful on the insides.  That's the trade off for the endless flat felling.  My final feeling is that they are wearable, which is good, though they feel a bit heavy.  But I should have actually just removed 3" from the rise and left the leg shape alone.  I think I created a more curvy looking leg when I adjusted it, and I really do not like a droopy crotch, my thighs are introverts and prefer privacy.  There is however so much fabric in these overall that maybe my thighs won't get too sweaty together, time will tell. 

I think I might do the adjustment of just the rise and make a knit pair quickly (100% overlocker here we come) to see what I think of the shape but without the commitment.  Shapeless loungy pants are my friends and my two pairs of linen lounge pants have SO MANY holes.  It will be awhile before I have an interest in making these in a woven fabric again, it's too useless of a shape for my life in general.  I do think a pair in patterned linen would be interesting though (and I was very tempted in the fabric stores a few weeks ago, but managed to resist.)