Lucinda pants

Here, as promised, are my photos of the Lucinda pants from Style Arc I made yesterday.

My measurements put my waist at a size 14 and my hips at a 12. I fussed around for a bit about what size to use since Style Arcs are one size. But then I was honest with myself and figured out that my larger waist doesn't instantly become a smaller hip and that my stomach was probably a 14 too.

So these are straight out of the envelope, or in this case, straight off the dining room table where I stuck together all those little papers from my printer (made an Etsy purchase) in size 14.

The lovely fashion drawing of this picture is a bit deceptive unless you have a lovely fashion drawing body. I found the pleats at the front waist added a bit to the middle but really weren't the full down the leg pleats I remember from the last time I made pleated pants.

As to the question of whether or not they could be made in ponte, the answer is no, these were made in a lovely bamboo single knit from Patch Halifax, where I do some teaching, and they really need the drape.

Trudy pointed out yesterday that a person who had a larger waist could in fact just leave out the pleats (that might make them work in ponte) with a hip sized pattern. Just at thought and I might try that.

I also want to point out that yes I know there are a few diagonal wrinkles coming up from the centre crotch, but being a person who has spent about 10,000 hours looking at pants fitting problems there are a few issues that are about some body shapes in pants and not about the pattern. Women who have large abdomens (runs in my family all relatives who read this can back me up on that) and thinner legs are not going to eliminate the excess fabric at the top of the front of their legs without articulating the belly shape. I should know.

So from that point of view I would say the previously mentioned wrinkles are more because of the previously mentioned issue than otherwise.

And I have worn a shorter T shirt with these pictures for educational purposes but would wear something longer in real life of course.

So all that said here are my Lucinda shots:

Imagine these is a longer top. Please.

Good thing no one I know will see these shots. Just everyone on the www. What I do in the name of education is unbelievable. 

And here we go again. I know you want to see these close ups before you sew these yourself. You are counting on me.

A close-up of the pleats on me. 

Really are these not totally comfortable looking? 

In the next few days I am going to show them again with some longer T shirts I have made, so only the legs will show, and I think you will see what I mean about them being real favourite pants.

For comparison I am also going to show you a bit of an experiment I did with the Barb pants trying to narrow the bottom of the leg. Not totally successful as when I tapered in the leg I sacrificed more than I should have over the hip so I think I might take another crack at this idea.

The fabric is a stretch woven, so they are more comfortable than they look, but no where near as comfortable as the Lucinda.

At any rate I am going to find these pants really handy when I eventually run away to join the circus. 

But maybe not before:

Yup off to the circus.

The only appropriate comment here is OMG.

Ditto

Oh well.

I tried the banana for breakfast diet you know. For two bananas. Then Trudy showed up yesterday after having swung by the nice German bakery. Enough said. I felt more like myself with breakfast I have to say.

Two skirt reviews and evidence of why I am ditching the black

I have continued with my comfortable skirt sewing experiments and in the process, using up my drab stash.

I have just decided the black and grey I worked in for decades isn't me.

When I see photos of myself dressed like this, as you will too here, I wonder what I was thinking - except from following every bit of fashion advice I ever read which was to have a good classic wardrobe of basics in classic colours.

I mean really.

I may be basic but I sure am not classic and that should have been my first clue.

Now moving on to what you are really interested in and that would be two pattern reviews.

The theme of this one is cut counts.

Here are the two patterns:

The Susan skirt from Stylearc:

This is basically a knit circle skirt sort of but with a back yoke and a shaped front panel to distribute the fullness at the hem but keep it closer to the body at the hips and waist. 

The cut of the front panel means that the side panels fall along the "straight grain," although knit doesn't have a grain you know what I mean, the lengthwise direction. This cut keeps the sides hanging straight down with a flare a the bottom and prevents the pointy look you get when an A line or wide bottomed skirt is cut like an A.

Does any of this make sense? Or only to me?

My point is that the cut is clever and the extra seams make a difference.

Here is that skirt on me in some sombre straight from the Gulag colours you are only going to see on me when I am doing the wearable muslin thing.

Imagine this skirt in coral like the picture and we would both be happier:

Probably I should have tucked the top in and worn a belt, and probably not the shoes I bought on the Golan Heights (for real) but at the time these pictures were taken I was nursing a finger that had been sliced open washing the slicing attachment from the Cusinart which just goes to show that a person is safer, not to mention happier, spending her time sewing rather than doing dishes.

I have my hand up to prevent blood loss, although do you know peroxide is wonderful for removing blood stains?

Next skirt.

This one is the julep skirt from SkinnyBitchCurvyChick:

The fabric is a knit with sort of a fake leather thing going on, bought when Carolyn and I were on a rampage in the garment district last year.

Now this pattern is simple with a front and back basically cut like large A shapes with the back part sloped down to one of those draggy hems I don't really like.

In fairness to the pattern maker I did take a lot of this back stuff off - just didn't do it for me as a work skirt for the winter and besides the inside of the fabric would have shown - and as a result it is uneven and looks more like a incompetently sewn skirt than a skirt that is supposed to be uneven at the bottom - operator error.

What you will notice, and I did as the hem circumferences are similar, is how the flare in this skirt is so centralized and less well-distributed. Basically down the front with the sides sort of pointing out.

I really am happier with the first skirt.

The lesson here, and one I knew but keep forgetting, is that the more pattern pieces often the better the fit and the design.

Now that's that. Onto something brighter.

Armchair sewing

I am on the mend but not back to my fighting weight yet (this is a metaphor) and my spouse seems to be having a go with this bug too. Last night he called out "You skunk" in his sleep which was either a) evidence he has the bug b) his dream retaliating to my dream of having left him for a short, and I stress fictional time, for a sewing celebrity who wears leopard print rain boots. 

We are currently sharing the same sick bed, a woman cold and a man cold, for a bit this morning. That means I have got up taken someone small to go pee, put in a wash and hung out a wash and my dear husband has stared at the ceiling laid out straight just in case and announced "it's all in God's hands."


Sometimes I am sure you think I make this stuff up. Absolutely not.


I have decided to recover completely today as my Style Arc order arrived yesterday. In addition to the replacement Sacha shirt and the Coco jacket I ordered these:

Still in recovery over some ponte that pilled I have decided stretch wovens are the better pant for me - none of that knee bump thing going on. Also I picked up about 12 yards of RPL from Fabricmart that is staring at me.

Since I am only a temporary resident of Florida I have to think ahead to cold weather. Shams made a wonderful version of this. I think both a jacket and a coat would be useful. Something I actually need for my real life.

Continuing on my irresponsible sewer on vacation theme.

This will either make me look sharp or like a total idiot. Only one way to find out. My plan is to do a cotton twill version now out of the fabric above and if it works do a jumper for winter for work.

I am thinking of this for a rain coat sort of thing. Of course the belt may not be good. I would also do a closure(s) so you can close the neckline.

My daughter's business also seems to be ticking right along and I think I am on button sewing duty later today. Pictures of that project later.