Crazy Pants (or how to embarrass a kid)

"Are you actually going to wear those in public?" asked my son. "Why yes," I replied. "In fact, I am wearing them to work tomorrow!"

I was feeling like a lazy sewer for awhile and I decided I needed something a tad more involved to sew. I have been loving the new fringe trend of printed pants. I've always been a sucker for printed pants ever since I was a little girl. Just ask my mom about my 7 Up pants! My favorite pair of pants had 7 Up logos printed all over them. Even in high school I had some crazy pants. My favorite were pink and purple floral pants from Benetton.

You Look Fab wrote a Blog Post about them and I obviously vote YAY on them.

You Look Fab

This fabric was an original purchase about three years or so ago from my local indie...Fabric Gallery. I thought for sure it would be a coat or jacket but it's been screaming for me to make it into pants for the last couple of months. I guess it would be considered a brocade. It frayed horrible when I sewed it but other than that it was great.

I've been doing my best to utilize stash patterns and fabric. I really wanted to order the new Colette cigarette pants but I was good. I found this pattern and always have great luck with Burda pants and these were no exception.



I wasn't sure about the added bulk of the gathering on the waistband so I left it off. I'm glad I did. The reviews for the pattern are less than stellar but that's mostly due to Burda's crappy instructions which is normal in my opinion. I didn't even use them at all. As usual, I followed Sandra Betzina's Flyfront Zipper Tutoral...it never fails! I left off the little pocket in the back, just a waist of time I think. If you don't need instructions or can find them elsewhere, these are wonderfully drafted pants. They aren't so skinny that I look like an apple on a stick. They are more straight legged. I shortened them a smidge so they hit right at my ankle. I think they are meant to be a bit shorter though.







I really like them with this shirt.



Below are pictures of my practice pair. These are a cotton blend I think. There was three yards in a FabricMart mystery bundle. It is wonderful fabric. I have enough left to make a straight skirt at a later date. I wore them today so they are wrinkled. After wearing them, I think they might have some wool in them.

This pair I cut out a size 42 and only took 3/8 inch seams on the side seams. I am usually a large 42 or a small 44...kinda in between. This pattern only went up to 42. I found them to be pretty generous this way and did a straight 42 for the crazy pants. These are really comfortable though and I will get a ton of wear out of them. I wore them all day today running errands. A great alternative to jeans which I am liking less and less as I get older.

Kwik Sew 3561...A Montage

My life has been in quite the turmoil lately. I feel like George Jetson screaming, "Jane, stop this crazy thing!"



But nonetheless I have wanted to sew. I'm not in the mindset for anything complicate or new at the moment. There is something to be said for TNT patterns that you love and are totally versatile. I call it "Idiot" sewing.

I was going out of town and I wanted some comfortable and verstile dresses. Jeans take up so much room and I really don't find them all that comfortable anymore.

So I made three versions of my favorite dress...Kwik Sew 3561

Version 1: This is the regular shorter length pattern. The fabric is a wool jersey blend but it is so soft and comfy. I feel like I'm wearing jammies. It kind of has a mottled but not quite tiedyed look to it. I skipped the facings and created a neck edging. I serged it on with clear elastic then folded it over and used my double needle to finish it. Love it! Next time though, I will angle the neck edging so it's slightly smaller on the inside and lays better.




Version 2: This is a rayon knit. For this one, I did the same neckline treatment but cut it cross wise so the stripes were opposite. I made sleeve cuffs and a hem cuff in the same manner. I wanted this one a smidge longer.




Version 3: This was an afterthought. I finished it the night before I got on a plane! I bought this gorgeous scarf and wanted to wear it (sorry not in the picture) so I needed a dress. I had this purple that matched it well so I whipped it up in the short sleeves version for something different. I also decided to cut the back in two pieces for a CB seam. It enabled me to curve it along my back for a nicer line. I think I will do this from now on. I really like it.




Before making these I tried to experimenting with other patterns before going back to this one. I did the McCall 6335 but found it ran huge!!! I would need to go down two sizes to get it to fit right. I salvaged the one I made to be wearable but I don't think I'm a fan of it.



I also tried an Onion pattern, the number which escapes me, but it is a raglan sleeved shift dress. It flares more. I kind of like it but my fabric was super stretchy and I think it needs a bit less stretch to hold it's shape. I might finish it. It was practice worthy fabric so no loss.

These were all made back on October, that's how bad I have been at posting. I did do another round of TNT patterns featuring Vogue 8597. This is another pattern I've made before, but about two years ago. I made three versions. Two tops and one I lengthened to a maxi dress...it looks awesome. I made it for my BFF for her college graduation. I did take pictures of me in it so my next post will be of those. I need to take pictures of the tops.