Anna Allen Philippa pants, take 2

So although the idea of making more Philippa pants has been on my radar for a few months, it felt like an afterthought project.  Like, I have some fabric that would suit, and I should quickly just pop these out one day!  I like the corduroy of my first pair but I really was dissatisfied with the way the waistband was too short and I had to ease it like mad, and along with that the pants are super snug at my waist. My real waist.  And that's after removing 1" of the rise.  So I decided I should try to remove 1" from the top of the waist, which felt like a rebel thing to do.  I reckoned I would have a wider waist and it would be a bit lower.  To ensure I didn't have to ease the waistband I cut it much longer than I needed as well.

Here was version 1. 

Version 2 is lightweight slubby wool blend, Japanese in origin, from The Fabric Store, with some stretch.  Suiting weight.  I started sewing and wondered if it might be too light for this pattern.  It was ok.  But.

I made size 4 again, cut off the top of the pattern, didn't change the dart, and cut about 1 cm off the back pockets all the way around because they had looked excessive in version 1. I used a zip fly. This time around, possibly as I have actually sewn heaps of flies in the past year, I did not find the instructions annoying.  They were fine.  All the instructions were fine.  I was using a slightly contrasting caramel coloured thread and topstitched everything with that.  And somewhere in this project I realised it was not really an afterthought project, it was a Big Deal!  These are amazing!  I added front pockets last so that I could put them in the right spot, suffering the indignity of poking myself in the thighs with a bunch of pins and then pinning the pants to my undies...and I even put a special little tag on the pocket too - from the artist collection from Kylie and the Machine.  

 

I have noticed a tendency not to check that my front waistbands line up, and that was a problem here (they don't quite) but oh well.  Note for next time.  

 

And...these pants are not at all snug.  It seems almost like I overdid the fix, I have lots of room in the waist now.  However they are totally the most comfortable pants ever so I think I don't care, and really it kind of suits the slouchy look I go for...and now I think I need a pair in firm velvet too!  Basically my love for these pants has been revitalised!  And Anna Allen has the best instructions.  I lose a bit of the nice butt fit since these are loose, but I'm still really happy.