Simplicity 2477

I finished my second pair of pants muslins. I wanted to use the standard set of alterations, with Kay's help with the ab fit, in a new pattern with a fuller leg. 

There were a few technical challenges here - cotton broadcloth, which is totally the wrong fabric for pants and doesn't hang right, and an iron that is the functional equivalent of trying to press with a warm coffee cup.


That said I am pretty pleased with the fit. I made the full waistline and the "boot cut" leg although it really isn't all that shaped, view E. As in the earlier, slimmer pant, a couple of posts ago I shifted the centre front zipper to a side zipper and ran the zipper up through the contoured waistband to the top - something I see all of the time in RTW.


I think I got a little over enthused about adding more to the centre back for butt covering length and the extra 1/2" I added for this pair will not be added to another pair in good fabric.


I took Kay's suggestion and added a further 1/2" to centre front, flattening that curve. (For a complete list of  flat pattern alterations I made for my wide waisted, developed belly (neat description eh?) and rear end see earlier post).


Here are the pictures, with commentary.

Incapably ironed side shot illustrating why not to sew broadcloth pants but also showing that Kay knows how to fit, please contact her directly for her billable rate.

The promised butt shot, in the sun, clearly illustrating why you don't tuck in your T shirt.

Butt shot in the shade with dog being rude.

Black pants are hopeless to photograph, I can't decide which shot is worse - your choice. Also of interest is I always seem to stand at a tilt.

OK, now you have recovered from the shots, where do I go from here with these pants?

Well, in about a week, back to Nova Scotia. To a fully equipped sewing room and tons of fabric. I will probably make some of these in wool crepe for the winter, lined, and some kind of summer version. I am also going to transfer this nice waist high top to my earlier slimmer pants.

Note that I added to the waist and upper hip area only on these size 14 pants, despite the fact that my hip and waist measurements are 16 and 18 respectively. I actually think these pant legs are as full as I want them and certainly don't look as slim or as boot cut as the picture and illustrations suggest. Think of how wide a size 18 leg would look on me.

I think that this approach - matching the pattern to the smallest body dimension, in my case my legs, works pretty well and I am quite pleased with this.

I think I can just go ahead and start sewing real pants now.