Hello! Today I’m thrilled to be part of the Marcella Romano blog tour and am sharing my technicolor dream pants. A couple of months ago I was introduced to Marcella Romano fabrics (check out their beautiful selection here) and had a chance to peruse their website. Upon seeing this striped fabric, I knew it was destined for something fantastic. I spent a few days pondering on several patterns before settling on the Anna Allen Persephone Pants ( I purchased my pattern through Indiesew). They have just enough detail to look thoughtful and well-designed while allowing the fabric to shine. This fabric wants and deserves to steal the show.
Can we talk about this fabric? The bold design and bright colors were what initially attracted me until it arrived. Once it arrived, I found out that it had even more to offer than beautiful color. The fabric content is 88% cotton, 7% polyester and 5% Lycra. I would classify it as a mid-weight fabric which makes it perfect for pants, jackets, and structured skirts or dresses. The Lycra content gives the fabric just a bit of stretch (I’d estimate around 15%). It’s just enough stretch give the pants comfort while maintaining a structured fit. The weight and fabric content make working with this fabric a breeze. As someone who started out quilting, I will always have a soft spot for the way cotton presses. It’s a freaking dream. Maybe I just feel this way because my last few projects used more difficult fabrics but; pressing this was a breath of fresh air. Now that I’ve sung the praises of this textile, let’s move on to how it became this striking pair of pants.
I mentioned earlier that I chose the Persephone Pants pattern because it would allow the fabric to claim the spotlight. A majority of the Persephone Pants I’ve seen have been made in solid colors. The solid colored versions are minimalist, modern and universally flattering (which I love even though I rarely dress this way). I love all the solid colored versions so much that I made a pair as a wearable muslin prior to sewing this pair. The same details that are well highlighted in a solid colored pair can also nicely blend into the background making this pattern the perfect choice for both options.
Let’s discuss the ace details that work equally well with solid and printed fabrics.
- No side seams: Perfect for bold printed fabrics because there are less seams to break it up.
- Front waist pockets: The pocket placement makes them nearly invisible in this pair and removes the necessity for pattern matching printed fabrics. Honestly, I almost omitted them in this pair, but I’m glad I didn’t. I always regret not having pockets when I need a place for my phone or id.
- No back pockets: Back pockets are great and usually I’d advocate for them. In this instance, however, I love the simplicity of the back pant with darts being the only detail.
- Concealed Button Fly: I opted to not use this detail and insert a fly zip instead. As recommended by Allie of Indiesew (in this post) I used the True Bias Lander Pant zipper expansion pattern pieces and instructions as a guide.
I wanted to get the fit on these pants just right so I actually made a muslin before cutting into the good stuff. I almost NEVER do this (maybe once a year), but since this fabric deserved greatness, I made the sacrifice. Both my waist and hip measurements fall right in between a 10 and 12 on the Persephone Pants sizing chart. Since this fabric has a bit of stretch I decided to start with a size 10 and fit from there. First, I made two alterations that I make to nearly every pair of pants and those were to add 1/2″ to the crotch length and 2″ to the leg length.
The initial fitting actually wasn’t awful. They fit me about how any high waisted style in ready to wear would fit. The waist was spot on with a small amount of extra fabric in the thighs and below my rear. My first alteration after fitting was to remove an extra 1/4″ from the inseam. I did this simply by taking a larger seam allowance. This fixed my issue of width in the thighs, but I still had a bit of extra fabric below the rear. To correct this I did basically the same alteration mentioned above and took an extra 1/4″ into the seam allowance in the back crotch seam. I did not take any width out of the front crotch seam.
After these alterations, I noticed some small wrinkles below the darts between the top of my buttocks and my waist. They were minimal and I probably could have left them, but I decided to give fixing them a try. This was possibly the easiest fix yet as I simply redrew and stitched the darts to extend them down 1/2″.
Overall, I was surprised with how easy it was to fit these pants. Pants can be a real pain in the rear (pun intended) to fit since there are a myriad of shapes and curves to fit on the lower body. I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot as Anna Allen’s drafting block seems to be the closest to my specific shape that I’ve found. I’ll certainly be looking out for future pant patterns from her.
I’ve given you all the details, so let’s get to the fun stuff: feelings. One may ask: How do you really feel about these pants? The subject of bold pants can be polarizing as many seem to have strong feelings one way or another. What I’ve learned after making these pants is that rainbow striped pants aren’t for everyone, but gosh darn it, they ARE for me! They’re comfortable, wild, and, yes, even a bit out of my comfort zone, but I’ve never had a pair of pants that feel so uniquely “me.” A pair of pants like these can bring out either self consciousness or self confidence depending on style preferences. After wearing them, I felt only confidence. I’m taking that as I sign that these pants will fit right in with the rest of my vibrant wardrobe.
Ready for more Marcella Romano fabric inspiration? Be sure to follow the links below to check out all the other ladies on tour this week.
MARCELLA ROMANO BLOG TOUR
SEPTEMBER 3rd – SEPTEMBER 6th 2018
MONDAY
Vicky – SewVee | Fleurine – Sew Mariefleur
TUESDAY
Heidi – Handmade Frenzy | Nicole – Merritts Makes
WEDNESDAY
Leslie – Threadbear Garments | Star – Well Fibre
THURSDAY
Eveline – Frölein Tilia | Dominique – Kreamino
Special thanks to my friend Sara of The Sara Project for her help styling and taking these photos. Always thankful to have you on my side, friend!
FABULOUS pants! They look like such fun to wear!
Thank you!