My first pair of Chanterelle pants were a huge success. I wore them all the time all summer. The only tiny adjustment I thought would be good was to shorten the rise just a bit. So when I was buying ridiculous and expensive fabric from the UK, my justification for buying some transparent Dolce & Gabbana seersucker silk was to make Chanterelle pants. Of course it was. And to do it quickly before I got scared of the fabric or overwhelmed by the very idea. I used the same pattern pieces - size 6. I also had actually made cardboard pocket things to fold over my pocket edges when I made these the first time (unusually thorough of me), so I used those.
Transparent fabric needed some underlining. I underlined the pants to below the level of the pockets with some soft white cotton/silk that I had lying around. This is sewn into the pockets so it really can't flap around much. I shortened the rise as planned by about 1 cm or maybe 1/2". The fabric frayed quite a bit so things needed to be done quickly and efficiently without too much error. Luckily these are very fun and a straightforward sew. I didn't have any particular issues with construction. The fabric was well enough behaved that other than using a lot of pattern weights I didn't do anything extra, I didn't use gelatin to firm up the silk.
I was however worried that I might be making clown pants. They are pretty loud.
I thought they deserved a solid photoshoot and time was on my side: we ran the Hobbiton half marathon last March and I had them done before we went away for the race. (Side note: It was one of the hardest trail races I've ever done, mostly along goat paths with very little formed trail down the side of hillsides that look bucolic only from a distance. There was an optional swimming hole dip at km 10 and I forfeited a good race time to have a good swim instead.)
So here we are the day after the race, limping slowly through overpowering sun on a Hobbiton tour. I'm very glad I went, ran and toured but I'm not a movie fan and so a lot of the detail was probably lost on me. And no, we did NOT sign up for the race for next year. My pants made me feel very sophisticated but I think I didn't really need the change in rise, it ends up pulling at my waist when I bend over. Probably I need that rise as ease for movement, so I will stick to the original pattern in the future.
I was considering making a cropped pair of Chanterelles. However summer has already come...and is going...so we will see.
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