Deer and Doe Chataigne shorts in Liberty cord

After my first pair of Chataigne shorts I was so excited to make a second pair!  I had this great Liberty fabric and the size 34 had fit really well in a stretchy fabric, other than being a bit short.  So I wanted to make them a touch longer, and thought in the nonstretch fabric a 36 would be perfect.

I had one meter of fabric, minus a bunch of little pieces that were apparently sent as swatches.  So I had to use lining from elsewhere.  I was nervous about ironing the cord but eventually stopped being very cautious about it. I generally tried to make sure I was ironing over two layers so that the pile wouldn't go flat, but it's pincord anyway and I could barely tell the difference when I didn't.

Construction went as before, except for a small caveat - in the meantime between cutting this out and finally making these shorts, about 3 months went by.  Wintery months.  So they never quite got to the top of my list and I only finally put in the effort and made them sometime in August. 

You can tell that I was lazy with ironing, but I was also lazy with the waistband.  They were so great, that I thought I'd hand sew the waistband down like I did on the first pair.  But I had so little time...so eventually I changed my mind and just stitched in the ditch.  This caused the waistband to twist a little and not lie perfectly flat.  It's not a big deal at all when I am wearing them.  Just the standard results of yet another move coming up - rushed sewing.

There was a tiny pleat right at the v front - I marked the front, I did everything right, and still I couldn't get it to come out perfectly!  But the busy fabric saved me as it's pretty invisible in there.  I also forgot to make them much longer so I used hem tape - just used about 2 mm of the hem and then folded the tape inside.

They are great!  I didn't finish them in time to take them on vacation to Australia, unfortunately, but in December when I get to Australia (semi-permanently) they will get lots of use.

However after making this pattern a few times, I think that the pockets are good, but the pleats in the front and the v of the waistband are less than flattering.  The butt bothers me a bit too if I am being picky.  I don't think I'd use these as a best-ever shorts pattern, but they are consistent with Deer & Doe sizing and definitely cute.

Deer & Doe Chataigne Shorts in stretch & flowers

Whenever I'm in The Fabric Store I lose track of my original set of plans and get a new set.  But after my last move I'm trying to be fluid with my projects and also move slower...less fast fashion!  Nonetheless while I was there I fell in love with some liberty cord that had flowers on it.  And I decided I needed Chataigne shorts. 

But this isn't liberty cord, you cry!  Yeah...in the leftovers bin I found a piece of this amazing stretchy sateen - I was totally eyeing it online last year but never bought any.  I thought I'd use it for the pockets on my Hampshire pants.  But once I got home I decided it would be even better to make practice Chataigne shorts from a stretchy fabric, especially when I realised I had enough original fabric for the Hampshire pants to do the pockets in the same stuff.  I'm totally milking the end of summer for all it's worth in my year of always-winter...

I have made this pattern before - in fact I think I bought it because I liked the waist detailing and I wanted to make pants.  What I learnt from that experience was that drafting a well fitted, shapely pant leg is not just a matter of extending lines.  Here is my Chataigne pants experiment, which I gave to a friend in Switzerland.  I didn't love the bagginess, the legs twisted a bit, and the hemp fabric didn't match my hopes but she loved it all.

The size 38 had also been way too big.  So I took a big leap and traced the 34 out of my pattern pieces.  Also I still had to get an invisible zip foot.  And as you see I didn't have enough fabric for the pocket facing or the waist facings so I had to get a scrap from elsewhere for that.  At the moment my stash is all future projects, no scraps yet so I didn't have anything lying around that I could use.

I actually french seamed the crotch on these and did some extra top stitching, mainly with the interest of everything lying smoothly.  The crotch seam idea is from my Hampshire trousers which will be up on my blog sort of soon...

I had a big hiccup when I was putting the front yoke in, naturally I didn't take it too seriously at first, sewed half of it, got the center V off center, and it was a big hairy mess.  The result does have a tiny crimp right in the middle but it's basically invisible so I left things at that.

I hand sewed the waistband down which was not really necessary but meant I could do it in the car.  I was literally finishing these at the last minute because I was only given a few hours notice to move out of my temporary housing, but I was so so keen to wear them!

Since then I've been nomadic waiting for May when I take possession of my new space...so things have stalled a bit.  I have about 12 projects to do and itchy fingers, mainly because of how I somehow didn't pack any tshirts.  (wtf?)

After wearing these I am so so so pleased with them.  I'm going to make some teal blue leggings to go with them for winter.  But I do think I'll size back up to the 36 for the non-stretchy version because the fit is so perfect I just can't imagine it being ok without stretch.  Or?  smaller seam allowance?    I might start to use this waistband to measure my size because I don't think I have ever had one that fit so well!

 

Deer and Doe Chataigne trousers

So who needs shorts when we could make pants?  My idea for this came from the snug fit at the waist.  I envisioned hippie era pants that are snug at the waist, and sort of billowy to the ankles.  To create the billow effect I though I might tie strings at the ankles so they could be long but not drag on the ground.

Also, this fabric.  This is from Emma's Sewing Basket in Seattle.  I got the end of the roll.  It's a hemp blend - either hemp wool or hemp poly, and it has a great soft feel, drape, and I love the pink and brown!  I have been considering it for every project and getting frustrated!  I realised a bit too late that it is also itchy.  

I cut a size 38.  I measured the inseam and opening width of the pants I was wearing at the time, which were boot cut jeans.  I just eyed it as I cut.  I figured I would have to adjust after sewing.  The waist was just right, although I wouldn't have minded one size smaller.  I had to do some adjusting at the crotch curve, but not a lot. Unfortunately the leg shape is kind of ugly.  I guess this is what happens when you don't know how to draft anything. 

I wonder now if there is a right way to cut pant legs.  I know a straight line is supposed to go down the front of the trouser leg over the knee.  I suspect I cut the legs wrong and I wonder if they will twist as a result.  Another thing to learn about drafting, someday.  It always becomes more relevant after you try it : )

So I got most of the way through these pants and then became demoralised because they were...a little too hippie even. Not to mention just a bit big at the waist, and they had to be properly fitted to work.  They sat for a week while I sifted through some other fast-fashion projects.  (Really, lately, I know, I'm on a low-quality binge.)  And then something amazing happened: my friend Mirjana entered the scene and announced that she had been looking everywhere for baggy hippie pants!  She is the same size as me, although as always with curves in slightly different places, so she came out well while digging through my recent makes, walking away with my Waffle vest and with the Camber Set as well (ends up it just needed a proper set of boobs and it looks amazing!)

So I was sparked to finish them.  I ended up taking in about 3cm at center back, with a not very skilled taper, and a tiny bit at the sides.  I finished them with a normal hem.  Mirjana is happy and so am I.