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Frisco Jumpsuit Pants Hack

(Disclosure: I was a tester for the Frisco Jumpsuit which means I received the pattern for free in exchange for my honest feedback during pattern testing. I was not obligated in any way to write a blog post or share about this pattern.)

Hello there! It’s been a minute or two. August has been all about spending time with my son before school started. After nearly a month off of sewing and blogging, I’m feeling recharged and ready to hit the ground running. First up, it’s time I told you about these pants I made back in July. They’re a hack of the newly released Threadbear Garments Frisco Jumpsuit. I’ve been waiting to share this post until I took styled photos of the actual jumpsuit I made during testing. Alas, that doesn’t seem to be happening so I decided to just go for it. Let’s get down to the details.

Fabric

Earlier this year, I made a Five Points Blouse (the one I’m wearing in these photos) using the navy stripe Verona Voile by Telio Fabrics. After a few months of wear, I loved the fabric so much that I decided to order more in a new color. I purchased this deep olive stripe cotton/rayon voile from Fabric.com via Amazon. The fabric feels so lightweight that sometimes I have to double check I’m actually wearing clothing. Basically, it’s a summer dream.

Sizing

During testing I discovered that Leslie’s pattern block happened to fit quite well with few alterations. For this project, I sewed a straight size 10 with 3 inches added to the leg length.

Hacking the Jumpsuit into Pants

This “hack” is actually such a breeze that I feel almost embarrassed to call it a pattern hack. Want to make your own Frisco pants? Just follow the next few steps:

  1. Grab your pattern pieces for the pant legs, waistband, and pockets.
  2. Remove length from the rise. I chose to remove 1″ from both the front and back rise. In a jumpsuit, you sometimes need that extra length for ease of movement, etc. Unless you want your pants to be suuuuuper high-waisted, removing a bit of length is a necessity.
  3. Sew pockets and pant legs as directed in pattern.
  4. Assemble waistband and facing and sew waist tie as directed in pattern.
  5. Place your waistband and waistband facing right sides together. Using a 3/8″ seam allowance, sew the top of the waistband and facing together. Turn right side out and press.
  6. Baste the bottom of your waistband pieces together.
  7. Making sure the outside of your waistband (not the facing) is against the right side of your pants, align notches and attach waistband to pants with a 3/8″ seam allowance. Finish raw edge as desired.
  8. Follow pattern instructions for inserting the waistband elastic and hemming.

Not too difficult, right?

Final Thoughts

Since I still haven’t fallen in love with shorts, dresses and lightweight pants are my lifeline in the summer heat. These Frisco Pants in cloud-like voile were a welcome wardrobe addition. In fact, I’ve gotten at least 10-15 wears out of them since making them in July. My favorite way to style them has been the faux jumpsuit look pictured above. A close second would be worn with my Cottesloe Swimsuit for a day spent near the water. As fall approaches, I’m anticipating the olive color to transition well into the season and look forward to playing around with cool weather styling.

The only thing I’d change in another pair would be removing an extra 1/2″ from the front and back rise. This pair sometimes feels a little long in the crotch. Honestly, that’s the only thing I don’t love about these pants. It’s such a small flaw and hasn’t kept me from reaching for my Frisco Pants every time they’re clean. Overall, I’d call them a successful hack.

Thanks for reading!

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Suki Robe and Arenite Pants with Indiesew

Disclosure: The fabric for my pants and the Suki Robe pattern were provided to me by Indiesew in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

Hello! Today I’m back with my third post as part of the 2019 Indiesew Blogger team. Just now I realized that all of my Indiesew posts have somewhat of a “something old, something new” theme. In each one, I’ve shared a previously sewn pattern and a new to me pattern. It’s a fairly true reflection of my sewing practice as it’s never simply one or the other. There’s a feeling of calm and comfort that comes from knowing a pattern inside and out whose only rival for my attention is the excitement of beginning a new project. Today’s contenders are the Sew Liberated Arenite Pants and the Helen’s Closet Suki Robe. I’ve styled them together, separately, and brought in some reinforcements from previous posts to give them each fighting chance.

Arenite Pants

Styled with an Archer Button Up (from this post), clogs, and my current favorite hat, these slim hack Arenite Pants are ready to put their best foot forward (or would it be leg in this case??).

Fabric

The moment I saw this Tencel Jacquard in Olive Green (also available in Icy Blue) posted on Indiesew’s Instagram grid (this post), I knew it had to be mine. Tencel, texture, and green? Sold! I was not disappointed when it arrived at my doorstep a week later. It’s buttery soft with a fluid drape and dreamy texture. As per usual, I demanded my husband feel the luxury of this fabric and he described it as his perfect blanket. He was not wrong. The light weight of the fabric combines with the texture to make it feel simultaneously cool and cozy. I’m seriously considering ordering 1.5 yards, hemming or binding the fabric, and using it as a lightweight throw blanket in my living room. The only caveat? It does shrink slightly as expected with the fabric content. The fabric is 53″ wide. After washing I measured it at 48″ wide. It’s not recommended to dry Tencel in a dryer but, I always do.

Sizing, Alterations, and Construction

Combining all these aspects here because I’ve blogged about this pattern before and you can click here to read my previous Arenite Pants post. Just as last time I sewed these pants, I used the Arenite Pants “slim” hack that Meg of Sew Liberated (@sewliberated) has detailed in her Instagram story highlights. Again, I used a size 6 with all the same alterations detailed in my last post. My only extra changes here were moving the pockets up an extra 1″ and taking in the ankles an extra 1/8″ seam allowance (for a total of 3/4″ SA). This removed a total of 3/4″ from the width of the ankles for a slightly slimmer look.

Construction was quick and easy. Again, I opted to forego the felled seams and simply stitched, then serged and topstitched them. They still feel plenty secure. Without felled seams, the pants took most of an afternoon to construct.

Suki Robe

While a newcomer in today’s battle of the sewing projects, the Suki Robe is ready to give the competition a wake up call. In order to shine, this robe prefers to stand on its own. This means that for the five minutes we took these photos, I was wearing just my underclothing and a robe in a public park, so um, you’re welcome?

Fabric

This fabric “Lillium” was designed by colorful creative, handmade hustler, and Sew Fancy Pants co-conspirator, Katie Kortman for D&H Fabrics. Both Katie and Tammy of D&H have been great friends and supporters over the last year so when I had the chance to support both of them by purchasing this lovely fabric it was a no-brainer. The fabric is a rayon poplin with great drape and a silky hand.

Sizing and Alterations

I chose to sew the mid-calf length and selected a size medium based on my measurements. My only alterations to the pattern were made out of a desire to fit it onto a smaller than recommended amount of fabric (that was also directional) and not actual necessity. I had 2.5 yards of this print and didn’t want any of the flowers to be upside down so I had to get creative with pattern placement. In the end, I removed 1.5″ from the mid-calf length and 1″ from the waist tie length to make everything fit. Neither made too much difference in the final fit so I decided I could do without the extra length.

Construction

Sewing this Suki Robe took about double the time it took to sew the Arenite Pants. While somewhat time consuming, the construction wasn’t terribly difficult and something that can be achieved by either the intermediate/advanced or beginner sewist. Helen’s directions include beginner friendly options for the sleeve bands and collar or more advanced methods with enclosed seams in the those areas. Since I’ve been sewing regularly for about a decade, I’d consider myself somewhat of an advanced sewist and chose the enclosed collar and sleeve bands. The end result was a well-constructed robe of which I can be proud.

Final Scoring

Okay, okay, the truth is: my handmade clothes and the patterns used for them feel a little like children. I don’t love the older one any less just because a newer one came along. They’ve each got qualities that make them unique while not diminishing what makes the other special. I can’t decide between them so I’ll lay out a few categories and let you do the decision making. (Just for clarification, if I ever had more than one actual child, I would not encourage strangers on the internet to vote for their favorite. ) The categories are: Fabric Use, Versatility, and Construction Time.

Fabric Use

Both my Arenite Pants slim hack and Suki Robe used almost exactly 2.5 yards of fabric with almost no useable scraps left.

Versatility

The Arenite Pants will only ever be pants but, can be styled for outdoor wear year-round. They pair well with a tee shirt as lounge pants or with a dressier top as an outfit for wearing pretty much anywhere.

The Suki Robe is something I only envision wearing outside of the house in fair weather. During the summer it would make a great swim cover up and I love the idea of it as a light layer for cool evenings. However, it will likely get almost daily use as a house robe year-round. This is the first robe I’ve made and I just didn’t know how much I needed one for daily wear until now.

Construction Time

My Arenite pants came together in a flash (just over 3 hours). However, if I had felled the seams as the pattern directs, they likely would’ve taken twice as long.

The Suki Robe was a semi time consuming project for me. It took part of one evening as well as a good chunk of one day. If I had to guess, I’d say it took about 7-8 hours to sew.

There you have it. Do you have a winner in your mind? Are you team ‘Something Old’ (Arenite Pants) or team ‘Something New’ (Suki Robe)? Feel free to cast your vote in the comments section.

Thanks for reading!

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Ace and Jig Inspired Zadie Jumpsuit

Oooooookay, get ready for a photo overload because this Paper Theory Zadie Jumpsuit is the most “me” thing I’ve ever made and I’m in love. I mean, the woman in these photos is who I am (style-wise) in my dreams. Just a jumpsuit wearing, hat sporting, smiling woman casually strolling through the great outdoors. Forgive me if I can’t adequately communicate my feelings in this post. Hopefully the photos will fill in where my words fail.

Inspiration

Ace and Jig is a company that’s inspiring not only for their designs, and unique fabrics but also for their core values. I’m sure they’re already on your radar, but if not, check them out. While I adore the company, I know I’m not alone in saying that I just don’t have upwards of $300 to spend on one item of clothing that may or may not fit my unique body type. Considering my height of 5’10” and hips that are 3-4 sizes larger than my bust, a well-fitting ready-to-wear jumpsuit is something I’ve never found. Last year when browsing Pinterest, I came across this Ace and Jig Wrap Jumper and knew it was something I wanted to recreate for my wardrobe. The comparison below illustrates how differences between these two jumpsuits give them a similar vibe while still maintaining their own unique features. We’ll call them jumpsuit cousins.

Inspiration image found here

Fabric

It’s no secret that I’m a bit of an Anna Maria Horner superfan (just click the Anna Maria Horner tag at the bottom of this post and you’ll see what I mean). While I’ve pretty much never met an AMH fabric I didn’t like, her Loominous and Loominous II lines will forever be favorites. Both lines consist of multiple patterns made with 100% cotton yarn-dyed woven fabric. Green is my preferred color and I love the dimension the mustard and teal dots add to the forest green background. In order to make this jumpsuit, I purchased 5 yards of Slightly in Forest from Flying Bulldogs on Etsy. That amount turned out to be plenty and when all was said and done, I had about 1 yard left over. Now, what should I do with that extra yard?

Sizing and Alterations

This version is my second Zadie Jumpsuit after making a wearable muslin from a rayon poplin. My first version included all my regular alterations and kept the wide legs as drafted. I made a few changes to this second version so let’s get to it.

As far as sizing for this version goes, I chose a size 8 at the chest and graded to a 12 at the hips and below. I added 1/2″ of length to the bodice and 4 inches of length to the legs. Next time I’ll likely add an extra inch for a total of 5 inches added to the legs.

To achieve my desired look, I also tapered the the legs. Starting just below the crotch curve, I slightly angled each side seam until I’d taken them in by 2 and 5/8″ on each side of both the front and back pieces (that’s a total of 10 and 1/2″ taken out of each leg at the bottom near the hem).

Construction

The only closure on the Zadie Jumpsuit is the tie front, making construction quick and mostly painless. This was sewn in small increments over about three days’ time. The only difficulty I encountered were a few spots on my bias binding where I didn’t quite catch the back side. I simply fixed those two areas (each shorter than an inch) and didn’t even bother unpicking the first set of stitches because they’re hardly noticeable. If someone is getting that close to my chest, an extra row of stitching will be the least of their worries.

My only change to the construction was in the hem finishing. The pattern instructs that the sleeve hems are just turned in 1cm which would leave a raw or exposed serged edge on the inside of the hems. Instead I chose to turn the hems inside by 1/4″ and then another 1/4″ so the serged sleeve edges are completely enclosed. This is simply personal preference, not a necessity. I just thought it provided a more professional looking finish.

Conclusions

The Zadie Fever is a sewing community phenomenon for good reason. Both of my versions are the most comfortable woven jumpsuits in my decent sized jumpsuit collection. The pattern is a quick, simple sew with big impact results. If I make this pattern again, I may try to convert the pleats in the back bodice and back pant into darts. I’m not in love with the bulk of the pleats but, it’s not a deal breaker for me either. These jumpsuits will no doubt be worn to death over the summer months. I’m also looking forward to working them into my wardrobe year-round. With those thoughts, I’ll conclude today’s jumpsuit lovefest. Now, I’m off to work on my next project which also includes AMH Loominous fabric and inspiration from Ace and Jig. See you Monday with the details.

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Sew Liberated Arenite Pants with Raspberry Creek Fabrics

Disclosure: The fabric used for my pants was provided to me by Raspberry Creek Fabrics. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Two blog posts in two days? Who even am I? The truth is I’m trying to squeeze in every bit of work in before my son starts summer break tomorrow. It’s been such a blessing this last school year to have a couple of hours (kindergarten is only half day here) to myself to sew and work in the middle of the day instead of late at night. It’s allowed me to connect and collaborate more without completely burning out. I don’t know what the summer holds but, hopefully I’ll still find some time to be active around these parts. Speaking of summer break, my wardrobe was in serious need of pants that don’t look like pajamas, coordinate with almost anything, AND keep me cool even when I decide to cover my unshaven legs. Enter my latest make…the Arenite Pants by Sew Liberated (I purchased my pattern through Indiesew here). Ready for all the details? Let’s do this.

Fabric

After a bit of internal debate and some time spent scouring the Raspberry Creek Fabrics website, I knew what I had to do. Is there anything that screams summer more than a good pair of linen pants? The sewist in me says “No.” For this pair I selected the Brussels Washer Linen in Leather Brown. I would characterize the actual color of this as a golden brown or toasted marshmallow, if you will. If you’re unfamiliar with the Brussels Washer Linen, it’s a lightweight rayon/linen blend. Most of the colors (check out all the colors RCF has available here), including this one, are made with two different color threads woven together which give extra dimension to the look of the fabric. It’s weight feels breezy and cool while still having just enough substance to be opaque (kind of important for pants). After the first wash it gains a perfect crinkly texture and is less scratchy than most 100% linens. Fabric spiel over. Let’s talk about this pattern.

Pattern, Sizing, and Alterations

The Arenite Pants as drafted are a bit oversized with huge slouchy pockets. I love the original design but personally don’t love too much extra bulk around my hips. Several ladies in the sewing community have been slimming down the pattern pieces and hacking them to resemble the Elizabeth Suzann Clyde Pants. THIS was a look I could get behind. Thankfully, I didn’t have to do too much in the thinking department because Meg of Sew Liberated has added the slim leg hack instructions in her Instagram highlights (find the instructions on her IG profile here).

These are the tired eyes of a mom who has been sick for a week hence, the sunglasses in most of the other photos.

I followed Meg’s hack instructions almost to the letter and it worked a treat. As per her instructions, I sized down 3 sizes (from a 12 to a 6), removed width from the side panels and pocket linings, and added length back in where needed. I made a slight deviation in adding 1.5″ to the top of the front pant, back pant, and pocket panel pieces. This raised the waist of the pants so it fits centered over my belly button and perfectly high-waisted. Long gone are my days of low-rise pants. To account for my height, I also added 1.5″ to the length at the lengthen/shorten line. I’m thrilled with the overall fit of this pair although I may opt to slim the calves just a touch more on my next pair.

Construction

I’ll admit that unless I’m unfamiliar with a technique or testing a pattern, I rarely follow instructions. For ease of construction, I opted to skip the flat fell seams and instead simply serge the raw edges and topstitch all seams down. I intended this pair to be an ace wearable muslin and didn’t want to spend twice as long making the pants if they ended up not fitting correctly. If I do use a rayon challis or tencel, I may try flat felling those seams for security. Since I didn’t flat fell the seams, these pants came together in about 3 hours. It was easy and relatively fuss-free. Perfect for a pair of pants that I plan to make again and again.

Final Thoughts

I’m currently sitting in bed still wearing my Arenite Pants. The comfort level is extreme. In fact, I could very likely sleep in these. My only qualm about the entire making process is that I definitely should’ve chosen to get 2.5 yards instead of the 2 I had. It took an epic pattern tetris battle and waistband pieced from scraps but, I made it work. The remaining fabric scraps fit in one hand. Next time I’ll save myself a bit of trouble and just order a bit more fabric.

Other than shorting myself on fabric, the process was seamless and I’m pleased with the finished product. The only slight changes I plan to make in my next pair will be slightly slimming the ankles and raising the top of the pockets by about 1 inch. I love this pair and have full faith that with the next pair I can achieve summer pant perfection.

Curious about the shirt I’m wearing here? It’s one of my tester versions of the Perkins Shirt made in a Black and White Stripe Rayon Challis that I purchased last year from Raspberry Creek. Read more about it here.

Thanks for reading!

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Deer and Doe Sirocco Jumpsuit

Hello! What a week it’s been! I’ve been hosting Nicole’s Birthday Jumpsuit Bash over on Instagram and it’s felt like a whirlwind of giveaways, jumpsuits, and sewing. Yesterday was my actual birthday and I wanted something extra special to wear for a night out. After hemming and hawing for a few weeks about the perfect outfit, I saw Sweet Shard’s Sirocco Jumpsuit Review. I was sold. The Deer and Doe Sirocco Jumpsuit would be this year’s birthday suit.

Fabric Choice

Once my pattern decision was made, I set out to scour the internet for the perfect fabric. Honestly, I didn’t have to look far because I had seen Tessa of SewSpoke (on Instagram) make a stunning jacket using a Lady McElroy floral scuba. I went to her source, La Mercerie, and decided this Bold Botanical Scuba was the one. I purchased 2.5 yards and anxiously awaited its arrival. I usually steer clear of anything containing polyester (except for swim) but make the occasional exception for vibrant scuba knits and a beautifully printed polyester crepe. When this fabric arrived, I knew it was worth making an exception. The dimensionality and details of this fabric are nearly impossible to capture in a photo. It’s beautiful and comfortable although the polyester content will restrict this to a spring/fall or evening outfit as I would wither from the heat wearing a polyester jumpsuit in the summer.

Construction and Pattern Details

The Sirocco Jumpsuit features a crossover front, large pockets, a pleated bodice, and a small waistband. There are no closures making it a fairly quick sew. I printed and taped the pattern on Tuesday, cut it out on Wednesday morning, and did most of the sewing on Wednesday afternoon. I did spend about an hour yesterday morning ripping out a bit of the front waistband seam and adjusting the front pant darts for a better fit (they were angling out odd; something I will explain when I discuss fitting in the next section). I spent more time adjusting the fit (due to my own mistake) than actually sewing this jumpsuit. Next time I make this pattern, I’m assuming that it should come together easily in an afternoon or evening.

Fitting

Ah, fitting: The reason I sew and also my least favorite part of the sewing process. First, I made my usual adjustments: Added 1/2″ to the bodice and rise and another 1″ to the leg length. According to the Sirocco measurement chart, my bust is a size 36 with my waist and hips being a size 42. I was nervous about the negative ease in the waistband and the scuba not having enough stretch. As such I decided to size up to a 38 in the bust graded to a 44 at the hips and grading back down to a 36 in the legs. This turned out to be wholly unnecessary.


Once I sewed up the side seams, I found that the jumpsuit was huge! I started taking in the side seams 1/4″ at a time until I achieved the correct fit. The fit was better after taking in the first 1/4″ but still looking proportionally wrong for my body. Again, I started at the top of the side seam tapering to another 1/4″ in (for a total of a 7/8″ seam allowance) at the waist and hips. In the end, I also took an extra 2″ out of the legs (1 and 3/8″ seam allowances at the leg side seam and inseam) before calling the fit good.

Overall, I was happy with the fit but left with one dilemma: the front pant pleats were angling out towards my hips creating a triangle shape. It was not a shape I personally wanted so I set out to fix it. I determined that all of my tinkering with the fit had messed with the position of the pleats. In an effort to remedy this, I ripped out the waist seam just above each of the front pant pleats and pulled the corners of the pleats up into the seam until the pleats were straight down instead of angled out (the corner of the pleats nearest the pocket openings ended up pulled up into the seam by about 1″). With that minor fix. My birthday outfit was complete.

Final Thoughts

After wearing my Sirocco for a night out I think it’s safe to say that it was a hit. I got quite a few compliments, was extremely comfortable, and was able to fully enjoy the chicken and fries I ordered at the comedy club without the worry of my pants feeling too tight. That is always a win. I’d like to try this pattern again in something with maybe a cotton or rayon content for more breathability in the summer. My one qualm is that the waistband does pull a bit in some parts due to the weight of the fabric. I’m wondering if securing it with clear elastic (like the waistband on a knit dress) would help with this issue at all. If you have any tips for that I’d love to hear them. Overall, the pattern was great and worked well with my chosen fabric. It’s certainly one I would recommend and plan to try again.

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Jean Paul Coverall by Ready to Sew

Hello! If you follow me over on Instagram (@nf_merritts), you may know that I’m celebrating all week with Nicole’s Birthday Jumpsuit Bash. I’ve loved the idea of jumpsuits for years but, wasn’t able to wear ready to wear jumpsuits without serious discomfort due to my long torso. Two years ago I sewed my first jumpsuit (an Anza Jumpsuit) and fell in love. Since then my handmade jumpsuit collection has grown by a few each year. This Ready to Sew Jean Paul Coverall is the fifth addition to my growing collection. I was enamored with the pattern upon its release last year and have been patiently biding my time until I could make a spring/summer appropriate version. The time has come and I’ll probably live in these for the foreseeable future. Are you ready for all the details? Let’s get to it.

Fabric Choice

When planning this make I had a vision of spring and summer days spent outside with my son. As such, I needed a fabric that would be light and comfortable. After a bit of deliberation and some help from Erin (@erinalwayssews) I settled on this Tencel Twill in Ginger from Imagine Gnats (they were kind enough to provide this fabric for me as part of my Birthday Jumpsuit Bash). The fabric turned out to be everything I was hoping and more. The fabric has beautiful drape, is slightly easier to sew than rayon, and the color is even lovelier in person. All the online raving about tencel twill is true. This was my third time working with the substrate and it’s a dream every time.

Pattern Details and Construction

The Jean Paul Coverall and its expansion are jam packed with interesting details. In fact, this was probably one of the most time consuming clothing items I’ve ever sewn. There are large pockets on front and back, button plackets, a front and back pleat detail, front fly, ample topstitching, a drawstring waist (from the expansion),and a collar. Making this was equivalent to the work it takes to make both jeans and a button up shirt. The effort was 100% worth it as I plan to never take this off.


While this jumpsuit was a ton of work, it was also a satisfying sew. Topstitching is one of my favorite sewing tasks and I got a decent amount of practice as almost every detail is carefully topstitched. It also made fixing my mistakes take a bit longer. I got cozy with the seam ripper a few times redoing the collar and fixing the button plackets. I’ve made at least 30 collars and button plackets over the years and occasionally still make mistakes. Honestly, neither looked awful before but they weren’t quite to my standard either. I debated leaving my mistakes but with a project this time consuming, it was worth the extra minutes to redo those imperfections and love the final product.

Speaking of imperfections, there is one on this jumpsuit that I couldn’t correct. That issue is the twisting on my right leg. My left leg is just fine without any real twisting so I know that the issue lies with me and not with the pattern. Twisting usually occurs in pants when the legs weren’t cut on the proper grain. As careful as I try to be this does occasionally happen when cutting in a double layer. Note to self: Always cut pants in a single layer. The issue wasn’t noticed until one of my later try-ons and by then it was too late to do much about it beyond completely scrapping those pieces. It doesn’t affect the comfort of this outfit and likely won’t be noticed by anyone who doesn’t sew so I won’t let it bother me too much and just chalk it up to a lesson learned.

Fitting

According to the sizing chart, my measurements put me at a size 38 bust, and size 42 at the waist and hips. This made grading fairly simple. Just below the bust darts I began grading the pattern to a 42 waist. On the pattern pieces it seemed like a steep angle but ended up looking just fine in the final product. Other fitting adjustments I made were adding 1/2″ to the rise on the front and back pants and 2″ to the length. I also added 1/2″ in length to both the front and back bodice pieces. Being able to add length is what drew me to sewing my own jumpsuits. Nobody deserves to be left out of jumpsuit wearing because their torso is longer, shorter, rounder, or thinner than the “standard” sizing for ready to wear clothing.


One last fitting modification was tapering the legs a bit. My calves and ankles are a good 2 sizes smaller than my waist and hips. It used to be something that made me quite self conscious as I was sometimes teased about walking on toothpick legs. Once I became an adult and realized a person’s body shape or size has exactly zero to do with thier worth, those kind of comments stopped bothering me. Ok, back to the leg tapering. I first basted the pant sides as is. Honestly it didn’t look bad but was a bit frumpy due to my proportions. Starting just under the front pockets I ended up tapering the seam until I had taken it in an extra 1/2″ at the bottom of the legs. This extra 1/2″ taken out of a seam meant that the bottom of the legs were taken in by about 2″. The taper isn’t so extreme as to make the pants uncomfortable but, just enough to feel proportional to my body.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m happy with this make although there is some noted room for improvement in my next version. Next time I’ll budget more time for the construction, cut the leg pieces in a single layer and pay more careful attention to the fly (it looks nice, just not quite perfect). Next time I sew this pattern I plan to make the dress version possibly in a rayon/linen blend. Although I honestly wouldn’t be opposed to sewing this same version in a rainbow of tencel twill (I have my eyes on this Mallard color from Imagine Gnats). After sewing for years and making a myriad of projects, it’s nice to make something that humbles me again. Sometimes I overestimate my skill and underestimate the time something will take. This was one of those times. This project doesn’t actually take significant skill, just a willingness to slow down and take your time while sewing. My mistakes don’t make me like this garment any less, in fact, they make me thankful for the lessons learned and I still plan to wear the heck out of this thing.

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A Menswear Inspired Look with Indiesew

Hello again! Today I’m sharing my first post as part of the 2019 Indiesew Blogger Team. Inspired by Shirt Month and Menswear for Everyone, I decided to create a look that was a bit of a departure from my usual. Using the Grainline Studio Archer Button Up and Closet Case Patterns Morgan Jeans patterns, my goal was creating a look that could plausibly be pulled from my husband’s closet but instead fits my unique body shape. Alright, let’s get to it.


Archer Button Up

After seeing this Navy Tropics Rayon Challis fabric restocked on Indiesew, I knew it had to be mine. The fabric is opaque, has a nice drape, and is a bit more stable than a traditional rayon challis which makes it easy to work with and perfect for a collared shirt. As I was undecided on whether to sew short or long sleeves, I ended up ordering 2 yards and have about 1/2 yard left.

One thing I’ve tried to do over the last few years is slow down the process of sewing and take the time to carefully and properly finish each item. In December, I made an Ikat Archer opting to finish the inside by using french seams. The inside of that shirt is almost as lovely as the outside so I knew I wanted to do the same with this one. The result is a shirt with no exposed seams that will hopefully last years. Through sewing I’m slowly learning to trade speed for precision and quality over quantity.

Morgan Jeans

It’s no secret that I love a good pair of pants (evidenced by #sewfancypants). Boyfriend jeans have always seemed out of reach for me. I’ve loved the style for years, but never found a ready to wear pair that fit well. When I found the style in women’s sizing, the rise was always just a bit short. I’ve even spent my fair share of time over in the men’s section trying on jeans with hopes of finding a perfect pair. The problem with the men’s jeans was they all seemed to assume that the wearer would have a flatter buttocks and wider legs. These issues with ready to wear jeans made me hesitant to try the boyfriend jeans style but, seeing hundreds of fabulous Morgan Jeans, emboldened me to give them a try.

My measurements put me squarely between a 10 and a 12 on the pattern size chart. Upon reading reviews and doing a bit of research, I decided to sew a 12. This turned out to be a great decision as the 10 would’ve likely been a bit snug. I cut a straight size 12 with my only alterations being an added 1/2″ in the front and back rise as well as 1″ added to the leg length. Once my pieces were cut, I basted the pants together. The initial fit wasn’t bad, but I had a bit of gaping at the center back. Going back to my sewing machine, I removed an extra 1/4″ from the top of the center back seam allowance and angled back to the regular seam allowance just below the back yoke. With that, I decided to call the fit good enough.

I’ve had a decent amount of jeans/pant sewing experience over the last year, so construction went smoothly. This time, however, I decided to try something new (for me) and use a contrasting thread for topstitching. This prompted me to slow down and take my time on each step. My favorite topstitching detail is on the pockets. I was inspired by an Anna Maria Horner woven to make the pocket stitching pattern using simple straight lines and x’s. Topstitching went remarkably well, until it didn’t.

This hefty 14oz Dark Olive Denim from Sewing Studio is the same denim I used last month for my Jenny Overalls (I was completely surprised to have over a yard left over). Both of my sewing machines did well sewing this denim while making my overalls so I assumed these would come together without a hitch. On Friday, I was patting myself on the back for a topstitching job well done and had one step left to complete my jeans: attaching belt loops. After several attempts, it seemed that these belt loops were not going to happen so I went to bed. In the morning, I woke up with a clear head and decided to try again. This time I flattened the ends of my belt loops with a hammer and miraculously, my machine decided to work. That is, until I got to the center back belt loop. Eight layers of 14oz denim is apparently the limit for my domestic machines and I nearly broke my machine trying to remove stuck needle. In the end, the pants got finished and I think the belt loops look ok. I did learn that next time I need to sew eight layers of 14oz denim, I should probably call upon someone with an industrial machine to assist.

Menswear and Me

While I recognize that both the Archer and the Morgan Jeans are women’s patterns, both have silhouettes and details inspired by menswear. Both of these pieces will surely find their way into many outfits over the next few years and, thanks to careful sewing, hopefully hold up to whatever I may throw at (or spill on) them. However, my biggest takeaway from sewing these items was the confidence needed to start sewing for my husband.

Twice while sewing this outfit, my husband remarked how he would like similar items in his wardrobe. First, when I finished the Archer, my husband said, ” I wouldn’t want gold buttons, but, yeah, I’d wear a shirt like that.” Second, when I was trying on my Morgan Jeans, my husband asked “Do you think you could make me jeans that fit me the way those fit you?” These comments reassured me that my goals for this outfit had been achieved.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with the end result of this menswear inspired outfit and I see more menswear sewing in my future. Whether that menswear will actually be made for my husband or for myself remains to be seen. Anyone else sew some menswear during February or have some planned for the future?

The rayon challis and jeans pattern used in this post were provided to me by Indiesew, but all opinions expressed here are my own.

Thanks for reading!

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Anna Allen Philippa Pants and Cropped Fringe Dress Top

In the midst of the #sewfancypants craziness last month, I also managed to finish a sixth pair of pants that couldn’t be shared until now. I had the absolute pleasure of testing the newly released Anna Allen Clothing Philippa Pants. You likely already know my obsession with the Persephone Pants so I was thrilled to be selected as a tester for this new pattern.

Pattern Details

The Phillipa Pants are a high-waisted tapered leg pant meant for use with non-stretch bottomweights. The pants are a simple, fuss-free style with rectangular back pockets, back darts, and no front pockets. I opted to use the new zipper expansion (works for Persephone Pants too!) for this pair and the instructions produced a beautifully finished fly front.

Fabric Choice

Last fall, I won this 11.5 oz Cone Mills Denim in Dark Indigo from Imagine Gnats. After years of wearing skinny jeans with a decent spandex content, I was nervous to try making and wearing a pair of tapered jeans without stretch. The denim does tend to relax a bit after a few hours of wear. This makes my Philippa pants quite comfortable, but also gives them a slightly looser fit. If using this fabric, I suggest making your pants just a bit tighter than you’d like so that they’ll fit perfect after a bit of wear.

Fitting

This specific pair was made from the first testing draft of the Philippa Pants pattern, and Anna has made a few changes since then. As such, I can only speak to this pair and not the final pattern. Before the end of the month I will hopefully complete a pair using the final pattern will report back on fit then. I will say that I found the size chart to be fairly accurate. Anna has even included calf and thigh measurements in the finished measurement chart to help sewists decide whether grading is necessary in the legs.


Fringe Cropped Top

Last summer I ordered 12 yards of this gorgeous yarn-dyed woven designed by Anna Maria Horner. After using just over 11 yards for living room curtains, I was left with a little under 1 yard. Sure, I could’ve used it to make something for my son, but I loved this fabric so much that I wanted something for myself. I used my finely tuned pattern tetris skills to squeeze this Fringe Dress Crop top hack out of it. This “hack” isn’t really a hack at all. In fact, all I did was add 8 inches to the bodice length, straighten the hem, and omit the waist darts. I also rounded off the bottom of the front neckline facing instead of having an unnecessary straight piece running down the center. Just a note: If you’ve been gifted with a bust larger than my forever A-cups, and want to use this hack, rotating the waist darts to the side seams might help you achieve less pulling in your final fit.

Once my alterations were made, I simply sewed the top according to the bodice instructions in the Fringe Dress Pattern. I hemmed the bottom by turning it up 1/4″ and then another 1/4″ and topstitching. That’s it. World’s easiest “pattern hack” and a fun, quick sew for all those smaller cuts burning a hole in your stash.

The Outfit

Wearing this outfit makes me feel a combination of 1970’s free spirit and modern mom. Is it the colors? The silhouettes? Now that I’m thinking about it, 1970’s free spirit meets modern mom might just be my fashion goal. Whatever the vibe is, I’m digging it.

Thanks for reading! Check back soon or follow me on Instagram to see what I’ve got up my sleeve for February.

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Sew Fancy Pants Project 5: Closet Case Patterns Jenny Overalls

Hello again! Today I’m back on the #sewfancypants train with this pair of tapered leg Jenny Overalls. I’ve loved overalls for as long as I can remember and can find at least three “first day of school” pictures in which I’m wearing a pair. Surprisingly, I was on the fence about this pattern for a while until seeing Sara’s tapered corduroy Jenny Overalls. Her version won me over and I knew these were the pants I needed in my life. In fact, these were the first pants I planned when throwing around the idea of the Sew Fancy Pants challenge.

Fabric

Often I plan projects after finding the perfect fabric, this time though, I planned this project around the pattern. After searching through several online shops, I saw this 14 oz Cone Mills Dark Olive Denim (use code ‘Fancy15’ to save 15% through Jan. 31st) from Sewing Studio. Karleen was kind enough to send me this fabric for use in this post and I was delighted when it arrived. The deep color and substantial weight of this denim is perfect for a hefty, durable pair of overalls. I was nervous that my machine would have difficulty handling several layers, but with fresh, sharp denim needles it handled just fine. Only one needle was sacrificed in the making of these overalls.

Fitting

According to the size chart included with the Jenny overalls, my measurements put me right between a 10 and a 12. In previous experiences with Closet Case Patterns, I’ve sized down when in between sizes and had success. I chose to cut a size 10 and use pattern pieces from a tapered leg pants pattern as a reference when straightening out the legs. The original shape of the crotch and waist seams were kept the same when doing this. One mistake I made when cutting the fabric was not adding my standard 1/2″ of length to the front and back rise. This mistake likely led to more fitting work than I estimated.

I went through three baste-fittings, attempting to attain a ‘good fit.’ I found this post by Closet Case Patterns and this post by Melly Sews good references while fitting. I had quite a wedgie in the back so I scooped the back crotch a bit and that seemed to work. My other fit issue were some serious lines in the front. After examining them, I determined the best course of action to be a bit of a round pubis adjustment. Both of these adjustments seemed to help my major issues and after several days of fitting work; I decided to call the fit ‘good enough.’ It’s not perfect, but I’m happy with it and plan to wear these despite any imperfections.

Construction

As I’ve come to expect from Closet Case Patterns, the instructions were fairly detailed and I didn’t have any issues understanding them. These overalls were the most intensive and time consuming of all my Sew Fancy Pants projects. After spending 3 evenings on fitting, I spent 4 on the construction. The first evening was spent on prepping pockets, the second attaching pockets and inserting the zipper, the third attaching the bib portion to the pants, and the fourth on hems and hardware. While intensive, I wouldn’t consider this project more difficult than any of the jeans I’ve made and I quite enjoyed making a distinctively different from my other recent projects.

Details

Something that will always draw me to overalls is the perfect criss-cross of their straps. I’m not sure what makes me love them, but that ‘x’ across the back gets me every single time. The pattern also includes Interestingly angled bib pockets with front pants pockets having openings that similarly mirror those angles. The curved back pockets provide a nice contrast to all the included angles while also flattering the backside. Overall, I’m smitten with the detailed look of these overalls and took my time sewing each one.

Conclusions

It felt deeply satisfying to check this pair of overalls off my list. They’re more traditional than my Ronja Dungarees and Burnside Bibs and I love having a pair of overalls that hints at traditional, but provides a lovely twist with the dark olive color. I see them acting as a neutral in my wardrobe and pairing well with many of my tops, but love them paired here with my favorite Archer Shirt. The beautifully hefty fabric is sure to last well and my hope is that I’ll be able to wear these Jenny Overalls for years to come.

Thanks for reading!

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Sew Fancy Pants Projects 3 and 4: Persephone Pants and the Olli Summer Pants

Hello! I’m back on the #sewfancypants train and looking forward to sharing today’s looks. My son has seen me sewing up a storm over the last few weeks and always asks, “Is that for you or is it for me?” So, when I had some long, odd shaped scraps left over from my Persephone Pants, I opted to sew them up into matching pants for my son. His pants are the Misusu Patterns Olli Summer Pants which are a favorite around here. Let’s get on to the details.

Fabric

I wear my two solid colored Persephone Pants several times each week, and knew I needed to add another a pair to the rotation. For this pair I selected this Blue/Grey Ventana Twill from Raspberry Creek Fabrics. (Disclosure: this fabric was provided to me for this post, but all opinions are my own). The fabric has a pronounced twill weave and a mid-weight of 7.9 oz. At 45″ wide, it’s not quite as wide as most bottom weight fabrics, so I did have to get 3 yards in order to have enough fabric. Despite the narrower width, it’s priced great and 3 yards of this fabric costs about the same as 2 yards of other bottom weights I’ve used (psssst: to get an even better deal you can use code ‘FANCYPANTS20’ to save 20% at RCF through January). Like many cottons, this fabric relaxes a bit with wear, so I opted to make my pants just a touch tight. I’ve been wearing them since taking photos a few hours ago, and they’ve now relaxed and are feeling just right.

Persephone Pants

This is my 4th pair of Persephone Pants and I still don’t think I’m done making them. If you want to know the my fitting adjustments you can find them in the post all about my first pair of Persephones. Now that I’ve made them several times, I can get a pair sewn up in about 4 hours. Wearing them makes me feel infinitely cooler than I actually am and this blue/grey pair will be a welcome wardrobe addition. Counting down the days until spring so I can start pairing these with all my fun patterned blouses. Something about winter makes me wear black and white on the daily.

I literally spent weeks hemming and hawing over what to make for this post. Time kept coming and I was feeling the pressure to sew something completely new and unique, but no ideas were sparking joy. The thought of making another pair of Persephone Pants felt like an epiphany. As a blogger, there’s often pressure to feel like content has to be completely new in order to share. Making and wearing this pattern makes me happy, and why shouldn’t that be worth something?

Another bonus to having made this pattern so many times? Upon seeing these, my husband remarked that the workmanship was my most professional yet. Sewing a pattern more than once allows me to slow down and hone the skills related to each step instead of fretting about what skills will be needed for the next. When I first started sewing for myself, I made the same few patterns 5-10 times and it was a great way to refine the skills related to each pattern. Since then, my sewing skills have grown and diversified, but I love going back to my sewing roots and focusing on skill building once again. Maybe I’ll do more of that this coming year.

Summer Olli Pants

I was first introduced to Misusu Patterns after seeing the Origami Sweater on Instagram. Elles has a fantastic pattern collection filled with interesting children’s designs for both boys and girls. Finding exciting and imaginative designs for boys is sometimes a challenge, but that’s not the case with these patterns. Last summer, the Summer Olli Pants and Shorts pattern was released and made available for free to members of the Misusu Patterns Sew and Tell Facebook group. Upon hearing this, I joined the group, downloaded the pattern, and promptly made my son a few pairs of shorts.

Once winter arrived and he could no longer wear his Olli Shorts outside, I noticed my son changing into them whenever we were home. After a few days of this, I asked him why he wanted to wear his shorts at home. He replied, ” The pockets fit my duct tape wallet!” I remedied this situation by making him two pairs of the pants for Christmas, and now, a third pair in this blue/grey twill. Now he’ll have plenty of pants to hold his wallet and keep him warm.

The style lines of this pattern lend themselves well to both scrap busting and color-blocking. I’ve already got a few color-blocked shorts in mind for summer. Good-bye scraps, hello wonderfully eighties shorts. Another feature I love about this pattern is a decent size range from 0-3 months all the way up to 5-6 years. My tall 5 year old is at the top of the size range wearing a 5/6 with 1 inch added to the length. It’s also a rather quick sew. With the pieces already cut, I was able to finish all but the hem of these during the 2 hours and 20 minutes I have to myself while my son is at school. This time included a lunch break, so I probably could’ve completed them during that time if I didn’t take a break. The Summer Olli Pants and Shorts check all the kid’s clothing boxes for me: free pattern, great scrap buster, stylish, and a quick sew? What are you waiting for? If you’ve got a cool kid in your life, you need this pattern.

The Verdict

Sticking with familiar patterns in a new to me fabric was 100% the right choice. It also helped the process along when I cut both pairs of pants at the same time, from now on I’d like to do this more. It cut down on the amount of leftover fabric and gave me the motivation to finish both in succession. The long skinny pattern pieces required for the Olli Pants were the perfect size to fit on my oddly shaped scraps and (bonus!) made me feel less wasteful. I’m a Ventana Twill convert and plan to acquire either the Canyon Red or Mauve Berry in the near future. Any ideas on what I should use it for next?

Thanks for reading!

Interested in more of my Sew Fancy Pants Projects? Check out my Sienna Persephone Pants or my Emerson Crop Pants.

Want to see more of what I’ve made with Raspberry Creek Fabrics? Check out my Matching Loungewear, Perkins Shirt, or Gemma Sweater and Ginger Jeans.