Hello! After posting regularly during January, it feels like it’s been a minute. I cut these Sew House Seven Free Range Slacks during the last week of Sew Fancy Pants, sewed them the following week, and finally got them photographed last week. There’s been an ebb and flow to my sewing practice as of late. I’m slowly learning to embrace it. Enough about me: Let’s talk about these pants.
Inspiration
I’ve had these Topshop menswear inspired trousers pinned on my sewing inspiration board for several months now. When it came time for Sew Fancy Pants, I knew this was a look I wanted to recreate.
Fabric
Here’s where I sing the praises of Tammy from D & H Fabrics because she’s a master fabric “sourcerer.” Upon emailing back and forth with Tammy, I sent her the above inspiration photo. Within hours, she’d found this fabric and suggested it. This Tencel Pin Stripe Pique has a beautiful, fluid drape and a subtle pique texture that reminds me of a formal button up shirt. It’s lightweight enough for summer wear, while still keeping my legs decently warm in mild winter weather. If it was terribly cold, I’d probably slip on a pair of leggings underneath.
Sizing and Adjustments
Since these are elastic waist pants, I opted for just a few flat pattern alterations. These pants are a size 10 with 1/2″ added to the rise and 1.5″ added to the leg length. The only adjustment made during construction was slightly tapering the inseam by about 1/8″ near the ankles. This took out a total of 1/4″ from the leg width.
Construction
Construction was done in 30-45 minute sessions over the course of about 5 days. I didn’t keep an accurate count of time but, would estimate the total sewing time to be just over three hours. Instructions were straightforward with no major sewing hiccups throughout the process. It was a truly enjoyable change of pace after sewing two pairs of jeans in row.
Final Thoughts
I fell asleep in these pants the other day which either speaks to their extreme comfort level or my exhaustion level. Let’s go with the comfort narrative because they’re divine.
My biggest qualm with these pants is the waistband. The elastic I used is likely too soft for the weight of a pair of pants and tries to roll despite being stitched in place at the seams. I’m considering going back and zig-zagging through the elastic for more of a shirred waistband look. This would also solve the problem I have of needing to adjust the waistband gathering every time I stand up. If I made this pattern again, my one other adjustment will be to interface the pocket facing. One of my pocket openings got a little stretched out during construction and doesn’t quite lay flat against my body. It’s not terribly noticeable in this fabric, just something I would change for future pairs.
Overall, I’m happy with the final result of these pants and plan to try this pattern again with the small modifications mentioned above. The fabric feels simultaneously casual and luxurious. In fact, I’m contemplating ordering a bit more to make either a matching top or jacket (Maybe the Helen’s Closet Pona Jacket?). Now that I’ve finished this last pair of pants, I think I’ll wait a month or two before sewing another pair, you know, unless some shiny new pattern catches my eye.
Thanks for reading!
