Making Pants is Rocket Science Part 1
This picture illustrates clearly how I feel as I start my pants challenge!
Happy New Year! We’ve just pushed off from the starting line of 2015 and personally, I’ve got my fingers crossed that this year is gonna be the best ever yet!
With regards to years, while writing this, I’ve realized I just passed my 2nd anniversary of starting up Sewlikeinparis. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been banging away on my keyboard for that long! I remember when I started… I was so scared. It felt like I was jumping off a high dive into a pool with no clothes on in front of a grandstand of spectators, worrying I would belly flop! And I felt bombarded by all the warnings about the dangers of the internet! On occasion I found myself entertaining the thought, “what if there are internet boogie men who try to steal my personal information and expose me in Facebook, Twitter, Spokeo or some other sensitive information vacuum sucker up-er! Well I’m over that now! It’s been an awesome experience that I’ve truly enjoyed… and I’m certainly not done yet!
I’ve shared many things through my posts, feelings of success, frustrations accompanied by rants, a few disasters, songs, jokes and toasts, but I’m not sure if I’ve shared enough epic fails! Believe me, I’ve had my share, especially when it comes to making “PANTS”! I know there are those that get to enjoy the sweet taste of success from accomplishing this great feat, I’ve met some of them and they say it’s easy. I call BULL. I think making pants is rocket science. I’m sure of it! I’ve lost track of the number of muslins I’ve made, say…7, maybe 10, nah… more like 15! I’m actually not sure – I quit counting after 6. I’ve even sewn from good fabric 4 pair of trousers and 2 pair of jeans, and all ended up in the trash! Certainly sounds like an “epic fail” to me. But I’m tired of failures and ready for success so I’m challenging myself to learn how to make pants that fit!
In order to meet this new challenge, I decided to start from the basics; meaning, no fitted jeans, no low-rise waist, no skinny legs, but rather, plain classic women’s trousers. And I’m not going to draft my own… I’ll save that for later. I’m going to take baby steps on this project, meaning that I’m not going to be in a hurry and the perfect pattern for this, I think, is Vogue 7881.
Claire Shaeffer’s Vogue 7881
These pants are straight-legged with a contour yoke waistband. They can be made as dart-less (option A) or with darts (option B). The pattern is part of the Claire Shaeffer Couture Collection so couture techniques and construction are given for option A and stream-lined instructions for option B for quality ready-to-wear. I know I said baby steps… but to me, this is baby steps. Yes, there is lots of hand sewing involved, specifically, thread tracing the major construction lines but I see this as really digging in, one baby step at a time. All the thread tracings will show me what is going on when I’m trying to fit the pants to my butt! Yes, the butt! This is where all the action is happening… all the unwanted wrinkles, or pooling bagginess, or uncomfortable tightness! Getting pants to fit my butt is the maker or breaker here!
I have a friend who studied pattern design at Parsons in New York and she sat with me this last week and explained how the “pitch” of the curve of the back center seam affects the fit of a pair of pants. Hopefully I’ve understood it well enough to explain. The curve of the back center seam of a (back) pattern piece for a pair of pants is at a “pitch” that matches the shape of the model’s derriere. Since no two butt shapes are alike, the pitch of the curve will vary. Darts, go figure… are what is used to adjust the curve and change the pitch. With every pair of pants I’ve made, it’s always the same; there’s a pooling of fabric to the right and left side of the center back seam under my butt cheeks! This I’ve learned, may be a pitch of the curve problem. I guess I’ll just fly by the pitch of my pants and see what happens!
Below is a picture of my pattern piece with a fold (dart) at the center back seam. It’s 1″ inch that decreases to nothing at the side seam. I don’t want to change the side seam because it has to match the front side seam. My friend warned me that this dart may cause some tightness a little up from it’s location and if so, I will need to add back in some of what I just took out! It’s all about the dart!
Because I’ve taken out 1″ inch on the back center seam length, I need to add that 1′ inch back to the top of the back center seam, and from that point re-draw the waist ending at the top of the original side seam. See picture below. I will also need to re-draw the crotch area seam line where the fold (dart) creates a discrepancy.
Below are some miniature pants back examples to provide visuals of what happens to the pitch of the curve on the back center seam when a dart is added.
Picture #1: The pants back pattern piece before doing anything.
Picture 2: I have drawn lines on the example to show how the fold (dart) is created that will change the pitch of the curve.
**Note: The lines I drew on my actual pattern piece were not arbitrary. I’ll explain:
At the back center seam, I started the bottom line at the point where the bagging is most problematic and drew it diagonally upwards to the side seam at the point where I’ve found through fitting with muslins that it seems to start. The point is about 4 to 5 inches down from the top of the side seam, including the waistband.
The top line I started 1 ” above the bottom one at the back center seam, ending at the same side seam point of the bottom line.
Picture #3: I’ve folded the bottom line up to the top line. Now the top of the back center seam has dropped lower and so the amount folded out will have to be added back to the top and a segment of the curve will need to be filled in to correct the discrepancy.
Picture #4: I have laid the folded pant back on the top of the original one that has not been changed which gives a visual of what is happening with the pitch of the back center curve. This change does not change the width or circumference of the back of the pants, just shifts the curve in the seat area. This adjustment will hopefully clear up the bagginess I get in the back. It will be with the fitting of my muslin when I will know for sure!
**Note that because my fold in the miniature example is roughly 1/4″ inch instead of 1″ inch, the change is not as drastic.
After I completed the adjustment I just discussed, I then traced my back pattern piece using tracing paper I purchased by the roll from Nancy’s Notions, and also drew in the corrections resulting from the adjustment. I went ahead and traced the front pattern and waistband pieces as well, preserving them in their original form in the event this fails and I have to start over!
I think I’ve reached a stopping point for this post but no worries… I’ll be back with Part 2 after I’ve met with my friend who is going to help me with my fitting! It will either be on to making my fabulous pants or back to the drawing board!
Salut! Jessica
Read MoreSimplicity 2362 LBD with Shoes I Love
Dresses, and more recently skirts, are my favorite things to make because I really like wearing them, especially in the spring and summer months. They are comfortable (most of the time) and when I wear them, I feel pretty… even with no make-up and hair from hell! But, dresses and skirts don’t stand well alone… they must be accessorized with shoes! Me and my girls feel shoes make or break the outfit! We try to hold onto comfort, but if going to an event that involves mostly sitting, comfort often goes out the window and instead we wear what we term “fashion shoes“.
Recently I went on the hunt for a pair of black strappy heels which my wardrobe is lacking. I was hoping to find comfortable ones that still looked like “fashion shoes“. I started with wandering through the pages of internet shoe shops looking for my black jewels but there were none to be found. Then, on a brief trip to my local Macy’s, hence the heading picture above, I stumbled onto my dream shoes. Why I didn’t see them on-line is beyond me but now that I have a style name, up they pop on a brief search!
They are Anne Klein’s Akopolize, 3″ heel (comfortable) yet still simple gorgeous high heels! On the discount rack no less! It was a total hands down win in my book and I can’t wait to wear them with a few of my new dresses that are in the works. One that I’m just finishing is made from Simplicity 2362.
The instructions are not too difficult though trying to match up dots in the pocket areas and bodice to bodice seams may make one want to throw things… only temporarily! It’s a pretty cool design and there are a number of variations that make it a jewel to have. My plan for its first test run was a “little black dress” My inspiration for an LBD (little black dress) started with a magazine my kids gave me for Mother’s Day, Designer Techniques, from The best of threads Collector’s Edition.
There is an article in it by Susan Khalje titled “Make your own Little Black Dress from Start to Finish” that includes step-by-step couture details. It was after reading this article, that I decided to make myself an LBD and incorporate some couture techniques while I was at it! Admittedly, there was another reason for wanting to do this… I realized after rummaging through my closet several weeks ago, that I didn’t have any LBD’s! I do have several long black evening gowns and a casual yet dressy pair of flared pants with a matching sleeveless top made from black cotton lycra but no LBD’s! Can you believe it! Not one! Truthfully, I kind of feel embarrassed. I am going to change that though. I have plans for more LBD’s in the near future so be prepared to see a bit of black!
As to why I would want to bother with all the extra work of couture methods… well, because I’m worth it! And an added benefit is that many of the techniques really help to improve sewing skills. Plus you get the pleasure of creating with beautiful fabrics, especially silk. I absolutely love working with silk. Yeah, it can be a pain in the butt to cut your garment pieces out of but I love the way it feels and the ruffling sound it makes when I handle it.
So on with my LBD. The fabric of course is black though unfortunately not silk (the couture idea came after purchasing the black fabric) I didn’t bother taking a picture of the fabric because… well… it’s black! The texture was the reason for my choice. Let me explain… when I think of a black dress, I envision a tuxedo — more specifically, a man wearing one. There is a breathtaking elegance that resonates from the wearer which can pull in eyes from every direction. The white shirt looks crisp, the bow tie perfectly held in place and the black coat and pants so complimenting. So when I was choosing my fabric, I kept these thoughts in my mind and settled for a black sateen which has a subtle diamond shape pattern in it, is a deep black (is there such a thing?), and has a small bit of stretch yet holds it shape.
http://davidreevesbespoke.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/tuxedodinner-suit-special/
To start the process, a muslin was in order. I usually always do a muslin. Yes, I know it’s extra work but so worth it! There’s nothing worse than sewing your heart out and dreaming of wearing the garment when it’s finished and then discovering that it doesn’t fit properly and likely will never get worn! Been there done that! For this dress, I only made one muslin and it was just the bodice since the skirt I felt confident wouldn’t be a problem. This is because I have made so many dresses that I pretty much know how much circumference I need in the waist and hip area but if I was sewing for someone else, I would have made the whole enchilada! Here is the front of it.
I basted in a 22″ blue zipper so I could close up the back properly, to check for fit.
Notice that the pleats are not matching up. I didn’t even think about matching pleats when I sewed it, and then when taking pictures, they got my attention. This is an example of a good reason for a muslin. I was now aware to pay more attention when sewing my actual bodice.
For interfacing, I used dark brown silk organza. I chose it for three reasons. 1) It was silk organza, 2) the color brown wouldn’t interfere with my black fashion fabric, and 3) the brown was 60″ wide at $15.99 a yard whereas the black was only 44″ wide and $15.99 a yard. It was a no brainer!
The pattern instructions have you interface the lining, probably because the pleats in the bodice front could get to bulky, but I wanted those pleats to hold their shape, remember the bow tie and white shirt crispness… so I hand-basted my silk organza interfacing pieces to the actual bodice pieces.
The right side of the bodice front.
The back side of the front.
I applied interfacing to all my other bodice pieces in the same way, using the silk organza. Below is a picture of the front bodice side pieces. I didn’t take a picture of the back bodice pieces because I think you’ve got the idea! 🙂
Okay, so this is where I have to confess… I didn’t follow the pattern instructions for assembling the dress. Yeah… what’s new! I’m such a rule breaker! I did start off in the right direction. I sewed the bodice front pieces together… but the back bodice pieces I set aside. I did attach the straps next only there is an important point here… with “visions of tuxedos dancing in my head”, I had decided to create pleats rather than gathers at the ends of the straps. I planned for this when cutting them out of my fabric. Lastly, I then applied the front bodice lining, not silk, but rather a $10.99 a yard beautiful drapey perfect shade of black lining fabric. I did not understitch. I decided to do the understitching after I sewed the front and back bodice together.
With the front bodice finished, I was now ready to tackle the assembly of the pockets #7 to the front yoke #8 pattern piece and then attach this to the skirt front. Keeping couture techniques in mind, I first sewed the pockets to the pocket sides in french seams. I did this by matching the left and right pockets to the front yokes, wrong side to wrong side. I sewed a 3/8″ inch seam, cut off all but 1/8″ inch, pressed the seams flat, then turned each right side in and sewed a 1/4″ inch seam as far as possible to the dot that matches up to the skirt front dot. It’s a little tricky but the finish is worth it. I then finished the upper pocket/skirt seam allowances using my own method which I explain in more detail shortly. The underside seam allowance of each pocket that doesn’t show when it’s folded towards the front, I trimmed with pinking shears. This fabric really attracts lint. It doesn’t look especially black in the picture below.
Now I was ready to finish the edges of the side seam allowances. I do have a serger and yes, I have serged many an edge but this is my couture LBD so we can’t have that! I have several books on couture that describe the technique for finishing seam allowances but because I have never really done it, I was a bit confused. So I do what I always do when I am not sure, I wing it! With that, I cut 1 and 1/4″ inch strips of black china silk for this task. I use the real china silk, not the polyester. Silk chiffon is the fabric of choice for doing this as mentioned in my books, but I didn’t have any of that on hand so I decided the china silk would suffice. I first sewed the strips to the outside edge of the seam allowance, raw edge to raw edge in a 3/8″ inch seam.
Next, I pressed the seam flat, then turned it out and pressed again.
Then I turned the skirt over and turned up the edge of the silk strip to the edge of the skirt seam allowance edge, creating a fold, and then pressed again. It’s hard to see the fold in this picture.
Lastly, I folded the strip one more time, up and over the edges, holding it firmly in place and at the same time stitching a 1/4″ inch seam.
As you can see, my work looks a little lacking. The seam should follow along the inner edge of the strip, and it doesn’t, even though I think I sewed a pretty even stitch. I must not have been exactly accurate when first sewing my strips on. Also, I may not have cut my 1 1/4′ inch strips with good precision either. At least I now have an idea as to how finishing seams work, so I will go back and read the instructions again… it may make more sense now. It certainly seems anal retentive to be so fussy about seam allowances, but in the couture world, perfection seems to be one of the reasons for why a garment is so expensive. As to my efforts… well, they will improve with practice but what I’ve done here is acceptable and I can live with it and feel good about it, so end of story!
After finishing the raw edges but without disrupting the 5/8″ inch seam allowance, I was then ready to assemble! I first attached the front bodice to the skirt front.
Assembling the back of the dress started with first sewing the 2 bodice backs to the 2 skirt backs but I did not sew the center back seam. Instead, I finished the edges of the seam allowances like I explained earlier. Now I was ready to install the zipper. I am an invisible zipper addict, so this was my closure choice. Regardless of the kind of zipper, they are easy to install when you are working with flat pieces which is why I chose to assemble the dress the way I did. After the operation zipper closure installation process was completed (whew, that’s a hefty bunch of words!), I went ahead and sewed the center back seam.
Now I’ can finally attach the front and back of the dress together. Here are a few pictures to show you how I did it.
Step 1: With the back side face up and the front side face down (right side to right side), laying on my sewing table by my sewing machine, I was ready to baste the straps to the top of the back bodice pieces.
Step 2: Before I sewed the back bodice facings permanently on, I first basted the sides and tried on my dress. Two things I discovered were: The straps needed a bit of adjusting, and I wanted a little closer fit in the bodice. Both of these issues were easy peasey to fix! After removing the basting stitches from the sides, I laid the two parts back on my sewing table like I did before, adjusted the straps and then basted them in place again. Now I was ready to sew on the facings.
Step 3: Next were the side seams. I wanted to tighten the bodice up a smidge so instead of 5/8″ seams, I sewed 6/8″ inch (3/4″) seams. It was a little tricky at the bodice level because of the angle at the top of the side seams, but with patience, I got it. Actually, I DID do a bit of swearing… mainly because I couldn’t get the seams of the bodice front and back to match up on one side. Okay, I did a lot of swearing! I sewed a seam starting at the bottom of the lining (top of the picture), continuing on through the bodice and down to the bottom of the skirt in a continuous seam.
After pressing all my seams, I was now ready for another try-on. I was happy! It fit perfectly. However, there was this little nagging thought that I just couldn’t shake. What about a skirt lining. The pattern doesn’t call for it but… but… I am the queen of lining! How can I not line? And lining feels so soft against the skin, especially if it’s silk… or Bemberg lining fabric… Bemberg would be nice. Of course, this meant another delay getting this post posted! Hmmm……. well crap… sorry to do this but I can’t help myself… I am going to have to post this in two parts. I will be back really soon! Right now it’s time to go to the fabric store!
Salute! Jessica
Read MoreBlouse in Silk plus Vigoss Skinny Jeans Renewed
My Wisteria is blossoming!
There is so much I want to share and I’m not sure just where to start. I try so hard to not write monster blogs. I’ll do my best to try and keep it minimal. But I’m drinking wine while I do this so I really can’t make any promises! With the absolutely beautiful weather we are having, it seemed such a nice idea to sit on the patio, sip Chardonnay and write to you.
OKay… so… let’s start with the blouse that I designed, drafted and made in some inexpensive fabric that I posted about a while back. I was inspired by a blouse that Emily VanCamp wore on the TV show, Revenge. I can’t believe I’m still watching it… I hate TV because of all the commercials! It’s Netflix’s fault because that’s where I got hooked on it! No rant, promise! Anyways, there were a few discrepancies when it was finished, but overall I was happy with it. After putting it on the back burner for a bit to work on Vogue 8972 dress project, I decided to go back at it so that’s where I’ll dive in.
Here is a picture of it and if you want, you can go here to read more about it..
There were a few things that I needed to change.
1) The front was a little shorter than I wanted. When I extended it in length on my pattern, I also had to redraw the back at the side seams to match the front side seams but that was pretty simple.
2) The pleats were in sort of weird positions when I had to apply the neck yoke so I moved them more towards the side and away from center.
3) Instead of a 1 inch neck yoke, I reduced it to 3/4 inch. Not sure if I like it the way it is now or better when it was an inch wide, but…it’s just a minor detail, nothing to get excited about. (still not super happy with how the yoke lays around the neck but that just may be the way I am sewing it on)
4) The last two changes were lowering the front and back neck lines, 1/4 inch for the front and 1/2 inch for the back.
So this time when I made it up, I used some cream silk Crepe De Chine that I had. I love sewing with silk because it feels so luscious! And it feels so nice to wear, though I did discover that it’s still pretty shear. Will wear a cami under it unless I feel really bold on a night out with the girls! Woo hoo!
Haute Couture fascinates me, so while I was making this top, I decided to pretend I was a famous fashion designer, sewer kind of person (I think the wine is starting to kick in! :P) and have some fun. I used tailor tacking to mark my pleats. It was still a bit of a challenge to get all the folds equal, and running evenly straight from top to bottom but I managed.
I took these pictures to show you what they look like. If you look at the picture on the right, it’s a closer view. For those that aren’t sure how to do this I’ll try to briefly explain.
I insert my sewing needle downward (like I am sewing) about 1/8 alongside the center point (this can be whatever side you want to start at) and then push the needle back up through the center point, then I push the needle back down through the center point again, and bring it back up about 1/8 inch away from the center opposite from where you started. Through this process, from the start when I first pull my thread through, I leave several inches at the end where I started, a big loop at the center and leave several inches at the end where I finished. (see the picture above on the right)
When you have finished, you pull the pattern tissue/paper away. Most of the time the tissue just slips off unless it hangs up at the center point where you stitched in and out. When this is done, you then have to clip the thread that lies between the two sides of cut fabric pieces, leaving equal parts of thread for each side.
So when it was time for me to make my pleats (on the outside), I used these tailor tacks for my guides.
The tacks under the pleats are for the dart.
A Hong Kong finish on the seams was my first plan but I didn’t have any silk organza on-hand so I ended up using my pinking shears on the seam allowances. I did finish my armholes with bias I cut from my Crepe De Chine and then used my 1/2 inch Daisy Bias Tape maker. Silk looks so smooth so I didn’t want to use any top-stitching in my construction. This meant a lot of hand sewing but hey, I’m a famous designer sewer person and I do like to hand sew so this worked out just fine.
My silk bias tape turned out very nice… thank goodness!
Covered buttons look so elegant so this was also a feature that I wanted to include in my silk blouse. They are not hard to do. You can buy the metal buttons and the tool to make them. Here’s how it works.
1) First, you have to cut out circles of fabric. The package that the buttons come in has a template. They don’t have to be perfect, just large enough to cover the round metal cap. I did a double layer because the Crepe De Chine was too sheer.
One of my circles looks a little oval. I was not drinking wine at the time!
2) You gather up all your widgets. The metal button dome and matching back, the blue pusher and white mold tools that you can purchase in a package from most sewing stores including JoAnn Fabric. My sewing machine fuzz remover is my tucking weapon! You’ll see in a minute.
I used the #20 which is 1/2 inch.
3) Next – Center the white mold over your fabric. You’ll probably figure out your own technique for doing this. I’m just trying to explain this in steps so bear with me.
4) Now flip it over and place the dome part of the button, top down over the top of the fabric.
5) With the fabric sandwiched between the mold and the button top, now push the metal button top down into the mold.
6) Here is where my fancy fuzz tool comes in. Oh… and my circles of fabric are larger than they need to be. Yes, there is a template and I could have cut out the exact size from my fabric but this is where things can go bad. The exact template size j-u-s-t fits and if the circles aren’t perfect and if everything is not centered, then it’s a bomb! I purposefully cut the circles larger to see what I could get a way with. With the non-fuzz removing end, I tuck in all the fabric as neatly and smoothly as I can.
7) The button bottom is now placed with the flat end down over the folded fabric.
8) While holding everything in place, you take the blue pusher and place it with the opening over the top of the hook part of the button bottom and then squeeze it and the white mold together.
9) When you are done squeezing, then comes the moment of truth… did it work. This is how it feels to me almost every time!
Voila! Silk covered buttons. If I was really going all out Haute couture,
I would have also covered the button bottoms.
Here are all my finished buttons with several extra if one comes apart or I lose one!
Here they are sewn onto my blouse.
Oh yes, and I also hand bound all my button holes. They are not too bad, but with practice I know I can get better!
The front of the blouse with all the pleats…
Well I think I’ve written a monster, but… it’s all for you! With that I’m going to just keep on going because the next part is the cool part! At least I think it is!
Remember the title of this post that included Vigoss Skinny Jeans Renewed. Well… I purchased a pair last year, several pair in fact. Getting skinny jeans that fit me is tricky business. In order to get them over my thighs, I have to get a slightly larger waist. On one particular occasion, I decided to buy a pair in a waist size that fit so I wouldn’t have to wear a belt. I proudly wore them shopping for the first time a few weeks later and the legs were so too tight that as I walked, they would pull down. It was awful! My coolness that day melted into a day of hell! My first thought when I got home was to hurk them in the garbage. Then I thought, maybe I can fix them to somehow fit me so I tossed them in the “later days” project pile and forgot about them! Then, last month at the American Sewing Guild garment lunch bunch group meeting, one lady who I so adore, Lottie, suggested we do a sewing challenge. Different ideas were tossed around but I think what was most important was that we try to remake, or renew something showing our creative side. I went home and pondered this while digging through the “later days” pile and there they were, those evil skinny jeans! I knew what I was going to do… I was going to make a skirt out of them.
I took out the inseams first. Then I calculated how long I wanted the skirt to be including the hem, then cut off the legs! Served them right! There was now missing fabric in the center of the front and back shaped like triangles. Using pieces of tracing paper that I laid under the edges, I drew these shapes. Then I added an inch on the two sides for my seam allowances. and used them as pattern pieces. After removing the inseams from those evil skinny legs, I played with my pattern pieces until I figured out how I wanted them to look. I decided to stay on the side of caution and only cut out the back side first because it was the larger section and I wanted room for error. It took several tries on both sides until I got the fit I wanted but it wasn’t much trouble. I think the hardest part was sewing in the tip of the triangle on the top because I was sewing through the felled seam on the jeans. It’s all experimental so you just have to go with the flow.
Here is my new skirt on the inside and the template.
On the outside. I top-stitched along the two sides of the triangle at 1/4 inch.
Close-up of the V
And the back on the inside…
And on the outside…
Well, there it is! My very own silk blouse and newly invented Vigoss skirt! It took me a trip around Africa to explain it all but there are so many things that I wanted to share with you and by golly I did it! Take care and will be back soon!
Salute! Jessica
Read More
About Me
Portland, Oregon, United States
Hi there! I’m Jessica Brandon and I am a clothes-loving sewing artist. When I am not sewing, blogging or shopping for shoes for my creations, I fill in the remainder of my days spending time with my children, playing ice hockey, gardening and making and drinking wine!
Up Coming Projects:
Vogue 1426
Vogue 7881
McCall's 7089
Vogue 8997
Vogue 1431
Vogue 9006
Vogue 8991
