Maternity Sewing:Kwik Sew 3324 Maternity Pants for Wovens:Pattern Review

Kwik Sew 3324 Maternity Pants for Wovens

Unsuccessful in my early experiments with altering RTW pants I decided to seek out the real deal, an actual maternity pants pattern. Several pants lengths were provided along with instructions on putting a maternity panel into RTW jeans.  Unfortunately Kwik Sew patterns are never on sale or at reduced rate.  However I have found the fit usually to be good, the pattern paper holds up to a lot of use, and few pattern makers are offering much in the way of maternity – so I forked out the money for retail price.  It was worth it.

Pros:

If you know how to make pull-on pants these aren’t much more difficult.

The instructions suggest using rib knits for the maternity panel, and so far in my experience, that fabric has provided the best stretch and recovery.

This pattern upholds Kwik Sew’s reputation of offering simple to sew and well-fitting patterns.

Cons:

Flat assembly will not work.  Bummer for me and other enthusiasts of this technique.  The maternity panel comes in two parts, front and back, which are sewn together before adding onto the pants themselves.  That means you must assemble the pants fully, then encircle them with the knit panels.  Not too hard, but as a new sewer I might have felt a bit frustrated trying to pin and manage the fabric in this way.

The panels also have elastic which is applied to the middle of the bands, then the band is folded over.  Newbies might have a hard time keeping the elastic in the middle of the fabric.

Some Assembly Required:

Kwik Sew 3324 Maternity Pants: Honest, I did not notice that big smear on the mirror before photographing. I didn't lighten either. I hope you can see the pants. These legs are narrower than the pattern's original cut. I left in some slack in anticipation of some last trimester bloating.

For once I followed the pattern instructions and assembled each leg separately, then placed one leg in the other and sewed up the crotch. 

Sew the maternity panels together at side seams, apply elastic down middle and fold over.

Now sew the panel to the pants matching side seams.

Hem those suckers and you’re done!

Fabric:

Pre-pregnancy I bought several pieces of fabric in anticipation of a big spring sewing session.  When I heard I was pregnant I nearly folded up all of that fabric and put it away for a year or two as it was nice (and sometimes, expensive) fabric and I knew my maternity clothes would only be used for a short time.  Then I remembered how much wear maternity clothes get and I thought if I ever needed the pick-me-up of wearing nice fabric it was now. 

For these I used menswear cotton gabardine in khaki bought at Banasch’s, the only independent  fashion fabric store remaining in Cincinnati.  The fabric looks like what they sell in RTW and it wears beautifully with only minor wrinkling that seems to fall out over the day so I never look crumpled. The material wasn’t cheap, but it wears and sews so terrifically that the extra expense was worth it.   I am also glad I went ahead and used this fabric on my maternity pants as it is a delight to wear even if it is getting harder to see my legs past my belly!

Finetuning:

These are full straight pants legs which may seem a bit dated to you.  Boot cut the legs.  In a future post I will show you how I made that alteration to these pants.  I liked the cut much better after the legs were thinned up.

The other thing I can do next pair is cut them a size smaller.  WooHoo!  (That never happens to me!)  Right now the pants are a little loose, but I imagine they will be terrific in those final weeks when I am bursting out of everything else in my closet.

Will I Sew it Again:

Kwik Sew 3324 Maternity Pants:Here I am trying to get an idea of fit when my belly reaches maximum. The legs don't seem so loose then and the boot cut is more apparent.

Yes, what choice do I have?  I need maternity pants.  These are quick and easy.  Not glamorous, but sufficient and they don’t require that I sit at the machine for hours, something which I don’t have the stamina for right now.

Advice to Others:

Before inserting the elastic into the maternity panel, fold the bands over on themselves and iron in a crease that shows your midline.  Lay the elastic to one side of the midline, not on the line – but beside it, and follow the line as you sew.  That way you will be able to fold the panels perfectly in half when it comes time to apply them to the pants.

Overall Style Grade:  B.  Folks tend to be quite forgiving of the sartorial choices of pregnant ladies.  That grace will be sufficient to make up for any lack of au courant these pants may display.

Results Grade: A.  No pockets or zippers.  Just two legs and a knit panel.  A beginning sewist who finds herself knocked up should be able to create a perfectly passable pair of pants from this pattern.   The more experienced could doll them up a bit with pockets or other details, that is if your nausea doesn’t make you too impatient.

Next Post: Tuesday, May 10, 2011: Altering a Straight Pants Leg to a Boot Cut.

Butterick 5539 Knit Pull-On Pants:Pattern Review

Butterick 5539 Knit Pull-On Pants and Skirt

I bought this pattern pre-pregnancy because I liked all of the variations, going from near leggings to full pants, with a simple skirt pattern included also.   After looking at a maternity knit pant pattern from Kwik-Sew which I thought looked dated, I decided to pull out the Butterick and see if it could be altered for pregnancy.  I am glad I gave it a try because I like the results. 

Pros:

• What could be easier than knit pants?
• Great beginner project.
• As the overall construction is so easy, basic knit pull-ons are a great way for new sewists to learn how to fit a comfortable crotch that is customized to their figure.

Cons:

As I have a thick waist I cut the waist at the largest size and went down two sizes for the legs.  I made option B, but the legs came out more like option C.   The pattern gives more ease in the leg than the pictures would indicate.   Make a practice muslin, but you may need to cut the leg a smaller size than you would normally.

Some Assembly Required:

Since I am inserting a maternity panel I did not follow the pattern instructions.  They advise constructing each leg, then inserting the one leg into the other and sewing the crotch seam. 

1. I sewed the front crotch, then laid the front portion flat and sewed on the maternity panel.
2. Then I sewed the back crotch.
3. Sewed side seams next.
4. Did my hem – completely out of the normal order, but I found that the knit stretched less when it was lain flat.
5. Inside seams next.
6. Lastly I serged on elastic to the right side of the waist which did a natural flip to the inside when it was finished.

I am short photos of the pants I made from this pattern. This is my favorite pair of pull-ons in fake denim knit. I also two others in black and gray.

Fabric:

I used a nicer quality plain knit in black and medium blue which I liked very much.  I also made two pair out of a slinky poly/cotton rib knit, a choice I somewhat regret as I never got the hems to lay flat.  They stretched and puckered badly.  I am thankful that they are at the bottom of my legs with a bit of fabric bunching around them my ankles as leggings do, so the hems are not very noticeable.

Finetuning:

Play around with tension and technique before attempting hems.  Or just serge them flat and call it a day if the pants are to be worn super-casual.

Will I Sew it Again:

This pattern is so quick and easy, and with the right fabric, makes a very inexpensive pair of pants.  If I grow out of this set of trousers I am going to whip up some more during the last part of my last trimester.  Given that it offers nearly every leg width fashionable, I may keep this pattern around and make it one of my TNT’s.

Advice to Others:

Make a practice muslin and see if the leg width suits you.  You may have to take it in.  If you are using a stiffer ponte or thicker jersey you may want to go with your size on the pattern.   But the softer your knit the larger it seems to look around the leg, so you may have to take those down a size.

Overall Style Grade:  A-, it doesn’t make the heart flutter, but with judicious fabric selection this basic pattern can be worn fashionably at all times.

 Results Grade: A, easy.  Great for beginners and a quick project for more advanced sewists.

Next Post: Tuesday, May 3, 2011: Have some Maternity Tops in the Works.

Four out of Five Done

Leggings in denim print knit. My favorite pair.

Four out of five knit pull-ons/leggings are done.  The last pair is cut and sitting by the machine. 

I have done a 2 pair of leggings so far, one in a fake denim print, and the other in basic grey.  I also have 2 pair of pull-ons, one in black and the other in grey.  Except will have to wait for the last trimester for the grey ones to fit.  Oh well, I will probably appreciate a fresh pair of pants by that time.

One more to go; a pair of medium blue leggings.  I am proud that despite temptation I have kept my focus.  I bought a bunch of material for pants and I committed to sewing it up as quickly as possibly.  Unusual for me is that this time I actually did it. 

I am getting bored with bottoms though and look forward to starting on some knit tops.   Will show more pictures and give a mini-review of the pattern I used next post.

Next Post: Tuesday, April 26, 2011: Pattern Review of Pull-On Pants Pattern Altered for Maternity

Maternity Pants:Knit Pull-Ons and Leggings:Practice Muslins

They changed my meds!

Sometimes people say this tongue-in-cheek after they have experienced a marked improvement in emotional demeanour and now I understand how that phrase entered the vernacular.  My pregnancy nausea is severe enough and long enough to warrant meds.  The first meds made me a walking zombie.  The doctor changed my meds and it is like I am Rip Van Winkle waking up after a long nap!  My mind and interest in life are plugged back in.  I am so thankful.  I can sew again!

After my long break from sewing I was eager to get cracking and tackle a growing problem: my belly.  My pants keep falling down and I need to devise a solution.  I think knit pants will stretch with me through the months and if they are custom fit maybe the constant pulling will be eliminated.

But first I needed some dirt cheap knit fabric.  Pants often take more than one practice muslin and the fabric stores don’t have that huge selection of $1.00/yard fabric that they used to sell.  I did not want to pay huge sums for practice muslin fabric and that is where a timely article by sewing blogger Erica Bunker of Erica B’s DIY Style came to my aid.  Ms. Bunker ran an article on Walmart as a fabric source which triggered a vague memory.  Sure enough, when I checked out my local store, they had a bottom of the barrel fabric bin of bolts going for $5.00 for 5 yards.  Perfect! 

I bought two 5 yards for $5.00 bolts from Walmart to make the practice muslins.

I selected a grody see-through knit that I only find in cheapo fabric bins, or perversely, as overlays on prom dresses seen at high-end department stores, (which has always caused me to question the cost of such gowns since I feel like I am being conned by the designers into thinking that high prices must mean high quality – but that is an aside.)

Butterick 5539

Cheap fabric in hand I went home and began working on my practice muslins.  I wanted to make knit pull-ons and leggings.  I used Butterick 5539 and the leggings pattern I made earlier using Kwik-Sew’s Swim and Action Wear, a pattern compilation and instruction book by Kerstin Martensson.

The Knit Pull-Ons

I altered the front piece as I would for a prominent belly on the first muslin.

Here is the result.  Looks like the stuff I remember pregnant ladies wearing in the 1980’s; voluminous.  Oh so comfortable, but my ego could not stand looking even larger than I already do.  Back to the drawing board.

Oh so comfortable, but pants with no maternity panel left me feeling like the thigh area was too baggy and made me look pudgier than I already am.

On the next shot I cut a portion out of the front pattern piece, laid it on the fabric fold and using the pivot method, made a larger piece to serve as a maternity panel.

The maternity panel for the leggings. You can see that I cut out a portion from the cut fabric, and then using the pivot method, I took the cut portion, placed it on the center fold and enlarged the panel.

In order to get the crotch depth correct I used the pants sloper I drafted this summer.  I laid that on the pattern pieces and made the necessary alterations.  I also took a flexible curve reading of my belly and checked that against the front pattern piece.

The cloth pattern is the pants sloper I drafted. You can see my high bump on the flexible curve.

 

The pull-on practice muslin in white. I would have modeled but the fabric was see-through.

The result was a very comfortable pair of pants on the first try!

The Leggings

Kwik Sew Swim and Action Wear by Kerstin Martensson

I reviewed making leggings in an earlier post.   But they were a bit tight.  And short, as Kwik Sew only takes the legs down to capri length.  I lengthened the leg enough to have some folds at the ankle, and I added 3/4 inch to every seam for a little extra room. 

The result: If only my experience fitting non-maternity pants typically went as well!  Again, I had a wearable pair of leggings first try. 

Me in all my rotundness wearing the practice pair of maternity leggings.

The practice muslins complete I am busy sewing up pants in fashion fabric.  I hope to have some to show you in Thursday’s post along with any other practice muslins.

Next Post: Thursday, April 21, 2011:Completed Pants to show and hopefully more practice muslins.

Hemming Jeans:A Tutorial

I know a lot of us are going to be receiving jeans as Christmas presents and for many of us those jeans are going to be too long.  And not just a little.  For us to even walk about something will have to be done.

If you frequently buy super expensive jeans, you know the ones that cost 3 digits $$$– get thee to a proper seamstress.  A shop will have thread that matches your jeans exactly and you won’t be sweating a possible mess up on a luxury item.

But for those of us who buy jeans of a more practical variety, and depending on your frequency of wear, a basic sewing machine may pay you back in alterations bills. For those with even a mild interest in sewing jeans hemming is well within reach.  If this is the only sewing project you ever learn you will be doing yourself a huge favor.

What you will need

A basic sewing machine and working familiarity with it.  Meaning you know how to thread the machine and wind the bobbin.  You understand that stitch lengths go from very short to very long.  You have successfully worked with your tension to create a passable line of stitching.  You can use the stitch guides on the throat plate so your stitches are straight.

Thread that matches, at least somewhat, the topstitching on the jeans.  Special jeans topstitching thread is available, but for most projects, I use regular thread in the light brown – rust color variance.

Sewing machine needles that will cut through tough denim.  Schmetz makes special needles just for denim n various sizes.   In a pinch I have also used embroidery or universal needles at the 90/14 size.

A bunch of jeans that you don’t mind making mistakes on.  The best source for these is a thrift store.  Trust me, however bad you feel about screwing up thrift store jeans, you will feel loads worse ruining your $75.00 pair.  Twenty dollars of jeans used for practice may save you tons in alterations costs later on. 

These are the steps I take to hem my jeans.  I have done it a gazillion times.  It does work with a little practice.

 And now for you adventurous souls, let’s be on our way.  

1.) The jeans are too long for my taste.  I am using a pair of shoes with a middling heel.   I don’t mind if my jeans are a little long for flats, but I abhor too short jeans with heels.

2.) Fold up the hem at the desired length.  This may take a few tries.  I err on the side of overlong because I have mistakenly hemmed too short in the past. 

3.) Pin the hem so you don’t lose it when you take the jeans off.

4.) Measure your desired hemline.  The fold is where you want your new hem.  The turned up bit is what you have to work with to make your hem.  My jean hems are usually ½ inch.  I need two of those ½ inch widths so I can complete the folded over hem (1/2 inch on the inside of the fold, ½ inch on the outside). So you would measure one inch or so from the fold.  Any more is excess.  (You can see that my measurement is 1 ¼ inch.  I went ahead and kept that extra ¼ inch.)

5.) Cut away your excess.  On these I decided to just cut away the previous hem.

6.) Choose your thread color and sewing machine needles.  I am using Coats and Clark general sewing thread in a color that matches the jeans topstitching.  I am also using standard Universal 90/14 Schmetz needles as I know from past experience that they will work through denim, at least for the short time I will need them sewing just a hem.

7.) Choose a long stitch length.  The illustration on the machine stitch length dial (marked C pointing up) shows the length you are aiming for.  The reason you are choosing a longer stitch length than normal is because that thick jean fabric is going to eat up your thread.  Thicker fabric has more length of thread sitting within the fabric making for a shorter stitch on top.  This is all hard to explain.  But too short a stitch on jeans will drive you crazy.

8.) Use your freearm if you have one.

To access your freearm see if there is a section of your sewing machine that can be pulled away to make a smaller bed. That way you can get the short circumference of your jeans around your machine making them easier to sew.

9.) 3/8 – ½ inch into the hemline make a staystitch line.  There are no folds on my jeans yet.  Just a line of stitching along the bottom bare edge.

10.) Cut away any bulky seams best you can under the staystitch line.

11.) Turn your jeans inside out.  Many times I do my topstitching from the outside where I can see, but on jeans I use the inside. Using your staystitch as an arm to fold over upon turn your jeans hem under the machine as you sew.

!!!! POTENTIAL PROBLEM!!!! When your reach the bulky side seams, slow down.  Turn the needle by the handwheel if you have to.  You may also have to push and pull the fabric along a bit.  If you hear your machine sounding harsher, or like it is straining, STOP.  Gently start again with the handwheel and kick in the pedal when you are over the worst of the hump.  If you have a jam, don’t force it.  Pull out the jeans and cut the thread.  If you can’t get over the side seams you do have the option of sewing up to that seam, skipping the bulky portion, and beginning again on the other side.  I don’t often use this method, but some denim can be incredibly thick and unworkable.

12.) Iron your new hemline down for crispness.

Now check in the mirror.

These jeans are now at an acceptable hem point for me. Long enough for a slight heel without dragging the ground.

At this point, ask yourself some questions.

Is this the length that I want?

Is my topstitching compatible with the overall look of the jeans?

If the jeans look wonky, is that because of my sewing technique, or is it something funny about the length.

If the sewing details are off, take a practice pair of jeans and just keep cutting hems up the pants leg until you have the technique down.  For example, each person has to work out their own way of getting past that huge bulky seam.  If your stitching is uneven or comes loose, practice technique.

If you jeans are the wrong length, are they too short or too long?  My tendency is toward such exactitude that I get the hemline too short.  Standing still the pants look fine but they ride up a bit with movement raising the hemline to undesirable heights.  Knowing my proclivities I often add an inch to my pinned hem.  You may have the opposite tendency of allowing too much hem.  The only way to know your own tendencies is to hem.  Find several pair of dirt cheap thrift store jeans and practice. 

At first it seems like a lot of work, but after a few practice pairs you can successfully hem a pair of jeans within twenty minutes.  What used to be a chore is now one of the easiest sewing projects I do, in less time than it would take me to drive to the alterations shop.  After about six pairs you will be fearless even in the face of three-digit-dollar jeans! 

Next Post: Tuesday, December 28, 2010:  I am taking a few days off for the Holidays to visit family.  I’m sure after all of that food and family I will be eager to get back to my machine.  Looking forward to showing you what new things I have done.

Leggings from Kwik Sew Swim and Action Wear by Kerstin Martensson

Leggings from Kwik Sew Swim and Action Wear

Even as I bought the McCall’s 6173 Leggings pattern I had an idea that I already owned something like it.  I knew I had a book of exercise clothing master patterns and after a little rooting through the pattern file boxes it turned up: Kwik Sew Swim and Action Wear by Kerstin Martensson.  Just as I thought a pair of leggings was included.  Since Kwik Sew specializes in creating patterns for knits I decided to make a practice muslin as contrast to a McCall’s 6173 which I reviewed on a previous post.

Pros:

• Leggings have one pattern piece.
• Easy to sew.
• Kwik Sew for years has provided knit patterns of all kinds; therefore you can expect a certain quality and consistency.
• Hips, crotch and waist are well-fitting on the first try.

Kwik Sew Leggings Practice Muslin:The knees are baggy when sewn from the pattern.

Cons:

• Though there is only one pattern piece you must use 60 inch fabric.
• This pattern ends at mid-calf instead of at the ankles as many leggings do. 
• You have to trace the pattern.
• The legs are baggy on the first fitting.  If a woman’s legs filled out the original pattern then the hips portion would probably be much too small. 

Kwik Sew Leggings:To the viewer's left is my first narrowing of the legs, and to the right is my final and second narrowing of the leg inseam. I must have taken a good four inches off the leg as the inseam approached the knee.

Some Assembly Required:

As one does for pants without an outside side seam, sew up the front crotch, the back crotch, then sew the legs at the inseam.

A three step zig zag stitch. If is sometimes recommended for knits and many basic machines that do a zig zag, also have this stitch.

I used a three step zig zag stitch just to see how it wears.

I didn’t bother to serge these.  Good thing I didn’t because they too required some tweaking.

Fabric:

An old knit bedsheet.  The muslin turned out wearable if I use it for PJ bottoms with a long tee.

Finetuning:

Overall I like this pattern better than the McCall’s.  When I traced it I saw that extra length is given in the back crotch – a good sign that I wouldn’t have to add several inches just to get the pants up to my waist. 

You can see the back rises up at the waistline giving some much needed extra room in the seat.

Measure from your crotch where you leg begins to steeply narrow right before your knee.  Then measure on down to where you calf begins to widen.  Use the first measurement to narrow the leggings, and then pull back out a bit at the calf measurement.  For example, my thigh gets rather narrow at nine inches below the crotch line.  I narrowed down to an XS using an slightly angled line. My calf begins to widen at 16 inches below my crotch, so as I angled the line back out a bit as I approached the sixteen inch line.

Here is an illustration of where I took my leg measurements to customize the inseam. I made the same alteration to both front and back inseam.

 

This is what I came up with.

Kwik Sew Leggings:Inseam alteration. This one does not look so different than my previous version of McCall's 6173.

It appears that fitting the legs is custom.  Neither pattern got a good fit here without tweaking.

Will I Sew it Again:

Yes, as soon as I am off the fabric fast I’m off to find some fashion fabric.

Advice to Others:

Leggings are currently very tight and you might want to cut the legs a size or two less than your hip size.

Overall Style Grade: A-, the minus only because the leggings do not reach the ankles.

Results Grade:A -, terrific pattern except that the legs must be custom cut.

Next Post:Tuesday, October 12, 2010:I don’t know what I am going to sew this weekend, but it won’t be leggings 😉

McCall’s 6173 or P356:Leggings:Pattern Review

Leggings.

I know you wish you had a pair.

Just like these.

McCall's 6173, though my envelope says P356. No, this is not the fabric in which I intend to make the final version.

 

McCall’s P356 Leggings, Option B

McCall's 6173

Leggings are in all the stores now and I was pleased to see that McCalls had a pattern. Spying it on a stand near the pattern cabinets at JoAnn’s I bought on impulse. I was doubly pleased when the very youthful cashier thought the pattern was so hip that she said after ringing me up she was going directly back to snag herself one.

• Pros:
  Very easy construction. Just like sewing pajamas only with very skinny legs.
  Knits do not require a serger so very new sewers will be able to sew these successfully.
  Since the fit is so tight no one will notice any sewing or fitting snafus.
  A lot of RTW leggings are in shiny colors which enlarge many women’s legs, or they are very thin like pantyhose, negating the warmth factor. When you sew your own, you can pick patterns, weight, and amount of sheen you desire.

McCall's 6173 First Practice Muslin:The legs are way too loose to look like leggings.

• Cons:
  If you don’t have a serger, play around with your zig zag or consider running two lines of stitching for extra strength.
• Thin knits are best but their edges do curl as you sew. I just pin every six inches and then relax because I will need to straighten the edges as I go anyway. Relaxing instead of being annoyed does the trick for me. Also you may want to purchase cheap gift tissue paper and run that along the feed dogs if the knit is giving you too much trouble.
• The pattern came out too large to be worn as proper leggings. I cut the hip portions at extra-large for comfort, but I could have cut the legs between a medium and a large. The pattern did not run down to a medium, making this a pattern alteration that might scare new sewers who haven’t yet made many pattern adjustments.
• The legs are straight when they could be curved in and out to follow the leg. This could make them fit really well and is easily done, but a newbie sewer might not know about that adjustment.
• Simple as it is the pattern could have more finesse. Intermediate sewers will have no problems, but new sewers might feel discouraged when they see they might have to tackle some adjustments they might not have done before.
• Requires 60 inch fabric widths. Most knits come in that width, but a few don’t.
• Finding appropriate knits. I want a matte legging to go under tunic-y dresses and I think I can find such a knit in a solid color at either Hancock’s or JoAnn’s. But if you want metallic or a funky print, something really hip, you may have to do some serious online research to find a shop.

1. Some Assembly Required:
   Sew the front crotch seams together, and then the back crotch seams.
2. Fold down to meet the front crotch intersection to the back intersection. Then sew side seams, through crotch and down other leg. Yes, you can sew directionally, but on this you may not want to bother.
3. Attach elastic.
4. Finish hem at ankle. You can use stretch lace or simply turn under. Twin needle would mimic RTW but since leggings are often bunched a bit at the ankle no one will notice if you just do a single shallow zig zag stitch.

Fabric:
The first muslin is in an outdated print of knit pique with considerable stretch. It was probably the best weight for leggings. The second muslin is of an old knit bedsheet which accounts for the livid stripes.

Finetuning: 
Curve the sides seams to look like legs from the mid-thigh down. You might need to use a flexible curve.
Do not use a knit that unravels easily.
Take up the length at the knee. This pattern has too much material at the base of the knee.
No one will see the top. If you like extra room in the seat, for comfort consider cutting the hip and crotch a size large than the legs.

McCall's 6173: What the pattern initially looked like.

McCall's 6173: What it looked like after my pattern adjustments.

Will I Sew it Again:
Yes. I plan to make some dresses and very long tunics and then make the leggings to match. Leggings might be the only viable way to make casual dresses wearable during the cold Ohio February.
Advice to Others:
Practice on cheap knit to get the legs comfortably tight.
I added five inches to the back waist seam and tapered down to 0 at the front. I eventually cut it back to 3 inches with a taper but I found the back waist much too short on the original muslin.
Even if you are not petite, consider taking in at the knee foldline.
Overall Style Grade: A, because these things are in. I know they aren’t for everyone, but I nearly fell over when I saw a Big Four offer a pattern for something fashionable right in the moment! Most of the time it feels like they wait a year or so to see if the design will take off.
Results Grade: B, only because they take some tweaking to get right. I don’t think I should have had to add three inches to get the back waist seam to meet my waist. Any woman cutting an extra-large probably has some booty. Looking at the pattern out of the envelope it appeared very simple, like possibly the patternmaker had just graded up by rote, without any finetuning. Also, there is no curvature on the legs making some bunchiness at the knee.
Next Post: Friday, October 8, 2010; Stash Bash Week Update and the post on the leggings I promised my daughter

Leggings:2010-2011 Fall/Winter Fashion

Robin Hood and Little John by Louis Rhead 1912

Leggings.

They are in all the fashion mags now.  I bought a few this summer and was eager to give them a try at the first whisp of fall crispiness.  Choosing my outfit the night before I thought my recently sewn navy pencil skirt would pair nicely with black leggings and a black ¾ sleeve fitted tee.  I even had the requisite pair of perfect ballet flats.  I did not want to be completely monochromatic but was too timid to venture into the more daring color combos.   

Terrific in theory, but terrible in execution.   The colors meshed nicely but I kept looking in the mirror.  At 5’5” I rarely look short.  Neither am I willowy.  My legs are actually exactly half my height which puts me right in the middle of female leg length proportions.   For several minutes I stared at myself trying to pinpoint what was wrong.  I looked – dumpy.

Leggings are supposed to make me look sleek!  Not dumpy.  My husband stopped putting his shoes on for a moment and said, “The skirt needs to be shorter.”  I must have given him a sharp glance telling him that he was being “oh so typical male.”  But his expression was completely bereft of guile or double entendre.  He said, “For real.  It’s not right.”

I guess, after nearly a decade of marriage in which he has been asked to evaluate every practice muslin I make, he has gathered some fitting wisdom.   My ego cannot withstand showing you a photo of how dreadful it looked on my own form.  Instead I am going to show you some illustrations I did in Paint.

What I Originally Did

First Pic:This is what it looked like proportionally with my pencil skirt paired with leggings. It looks as if I am dressed more for warmth than for image.

What I Should Have Done

Improved:The proportions are better when pairing leggings with a straight skirt, if the skirt hem is above the knee.

I had the leggings on and I moved my skirt hem to several places on my leg to find the best spot.  Alas, I have no skirt that is that hem length, but at least I know.   Since everyone has an individual body type you can’t assume that the skirt lengths you see in the fashion mags will work on your legs, but you don’t have to cross leggings off your list.

McCalls 6173:Leggings

This is just an example of my one leggings attempt.  But I am undaunted.   I have bought McCalls 6173 and I am searching out just the right weight knit, thicker than storebought, but thinner than Beefy-Tee.  I also think I need to make up some cute three-inch-above–the-knee woolen skirts. 

Though I will probably stick to a monochromatic look, leggings are much more versatile.  Though skin-tight themselves, when worn with the right clothes, they can provide some extra modesty and warmth to a winter outfit.  Fashion blogger, Sally McGraw of Already Pretty has provided a wonderful tutorial entitled How to Wear Leggings.   I encourage you to check out her post and then have a general look-see around her wonderful website.  A lot of great pics and wonderful advice about having fun with fashion, I make sure to regularly peek in at her daily posts.   

 

Next Post: Tuesday, October 5, 2010: I don’t know what I will sew this weekend – but whatever it is, I will tell you about it on Tuesday.

Side Seam Zippers Puckering at Bottom

PUCKER UP!

 

Except the kind of pucker I am dealing with is not so pleasing. 

 My side seam zippers are puckering at the bottom. 

 

Unless I tell every pattern with side seam zips to kiss off, I will have to confront this problem.

But I have sewing amnesia. 

I don’t remember being bothered by unsuccessful side seam zips in the past, but come to think of it, they are a distant memory.  I have avoided the side seam zipper for years.  Not intentionally.  I have grown so disgusted with pants patterns that I have not needed a side seam zipper since I haven’t gotten beyond a muslin in pants fitting.  On skirts I like to use a back zip because my waistline fluctuates and it easy to nip in at the sides without dealing with the side zipper.

Times have changed.  I have a pants pattern that I like and I need to make a side seam zip in a closely fitting garment.   

But I am perplexed as to why they are puckering at the bottom.

Interfacing

Yes – I have interfaced. 

Pattern Alterations

I do have a standard side seam pattern alteration.  My hips are much straighter than most patterns so I eliminate much of the curve.  I thought that would make zipper insertion easier.  It hasn’t.  

 

Is there a trick to side seam zippers? 

Has anyone else confronted and solved the pucker problem?

Next Post: Thursday, July 1, 2010; McCalls 5695 Girls Smock: Pattern Review

Pants Drafting: At Last – A Finished Wearable Pair

 At Last – A Wearable Pair of Shorts!

Here they are.  I had my husband take the photos outside hoping for more light.  With more light you get more shadow so the pics are both good and bad.  I had been wearing them throughout the day and they are a bit wrinkled but overall this is the best fit I have achieved ever in sewing pants for myself.    

Final Pants Draft: Front View

Final Pants Draft: Side View

Final Pants Draft: Back View. This picture is all bum. I had to laugh. Believe it or not this is the most modest rendition as any other size crop left too much bare skin exposed.

These shorts are not perfect.  There is some seamstress-y stuff like a tiny pucker at my lapped zipper but overall I was very pleased.  They fit better than most store-bought. The photos show deeper folds than are apparent in real life.  (I am starting to understand why we look ten pounds heavier in a photo, every minor shadow in our clothing is magnified.)

Fabric

I had remnant of navy gabardine.  I’m thankful that shorts take so little fabric as good quality gabardine can be pricey.  Alas, this was just JoAnn’s run of the mill stuff, but now that I have a working pants pattern my mind is opening up to new possibilities,  like the RTW-alike quality men’s trouserweight available at a nearby family-owned fabric store.

 Zero Waistband Wearing Ease

Who Knew!?

The waistband now fits as I took out the wearing ease.  Knowing how uncomfortable a too tight band is on a plus size torso, I was concerned about this adjustment.  In the past I have added to the waistband area, unconscious that I was ensuring a poor fit.  Contrary to my instincts less wearing ease is crucial in certain areas.

Sway Back or Back Chub

When I turn I can see a tiny gap in the pants at my sway back, but it is minimal and the pants no longer risk falling off.  I will warn you, pattern drafting will lay bare any body-type denial you may have previously entertained.  To my consternation, even though I made the proper sway back alteration, it isn’t only a sway back causing that little gap.  My back chub stand away from the spine, the swell of the chub creating a larger dip at the spine that isn’t technically part of my sway back issue. I will have to live with it or lose the chub. 

Any More Alterations?

My only future alteration is to slightly slant out the side seams as straight shorts are not as flattering to me as those with a flare. 

Anything else I do will not alter the pattern but simply add stylistic features such as pockets, or change up darts for pleats.   I am eager to pull out scraps to practice welt pockets excited that for the first time in my sewing experience I have a pattern that will allow me to make a custom pair of dress slacks.

The End of the Body Shots

A Sigh of Relief.

Seeing and posting for the world to see, such detailed close-ups of my torso has been hard for me.  In real life I deliberately choose clothing that allows me to selectively ignore this part of my body.  Undergoing the pattern drafting process has brought me more in touch with the realities of my figure.  I know other sewers struggle with pants fitting and I wanted my readers to see the reality, and that called for photos on a live model.  Putting delicacies aside I posted the real-life photos of my muffin-top, Buddha-belly and bubble-butt for the all world to see.  

—-And I promised myself I would stop when this was all over.—–

Those of you who post photos of yourselves wearing the outfits, I admire you and envy how put together you look.  But for me, I am returning to my favorite model – Millie Mannequin.  Her figure is so nice, make-up is never an issue, her time is at my disposal, and she is possessed of endless patience, standing for hours on end letting me poke pins into her.

Millie Mannequin: Sew Store-Bought Top Model.

It’s hard not to like her.  

She is a bit wobbly, (there’s been talk!), and her center bar is prone to collapse her torso to the floor without warning, (a condition seen as confirming all those salacious suspicions.)  But then what friend doesn’t have a few faults.  To my shame, I have occasionally cussed her out over these minor failings, but she has always forgiven me forthwith – and reminds me that it is probably a good time to take a break 🙂

When undertaking a personal pattern drafting shots of the live model are key for illustrating fit and alterations.  When there is no other way I will post photos of myself, but for now, Millie officially returns as top model for Sew Store-Bought.

Next Post: Tuesday, June 15, 2010; A Review of the Book I used for the Pants Pattern Drafting