PANTS y'all!

Okay, so my top favorite thing to do inside is read. I am a librarian.

A close second would be sewing, of course (especially if I have a nice audiobook to listen to).

My third favorite thing would be watching old tv shows. Thank goodness for netflix! I am working my way through all 1,225 episodes of Dark Shadows, and my latest obsession is The Dick van Dyke Show. After watching about half of one episode, a decision had been reached: I MUST have Laura Petrie's pants.

The Dick van Dyke Show stars Dick van Dyke (who else?) and Mary Tyler Moore as the young married couple Rob and Laura Petrie, a tv writer and she a homemaker and stay at home mother. Apparently, Mary, who was 24 at the time, caused some scandal by wearing pants on television! While she does appear in some amazing dresses, especially when entertaining at home or going out, she most usually appears in skinny cigarette pants which were quite a sensation!

I have had Colette's Clover pattern for ages, but I have always been terrified to make pants. They are such a challenge item in the sewing community! Plus, if shopping for pants is so dang hard, making them yourself has got to be harder, right?

But the combination of neeeeeding Laura Petrie's everything pants and having this crazy idea for a new year's wardrobe challenge finally pushed me over the edge and I did it! I made pants!

Instead of using the Clover pattern, I went vintage with the pants from Simplicity 7087, my original "weekender" pattern from 1967 (I'm now using Simplicity 5229, so I'll be fitting those pants next! NO CHEATING). I cut out a straight size 14, and was actually surprised by how easily they went together!

smug because I made PANTS

I used a navy blue zero-stretch twill from my stash for my pants as a potentially-wearable muslin. I don't know what the content is but it doesn't feel like 100% cotton. Actually it feels not great, its like uniform fabric.

do you like my new glasses? they are pink!

Overall, I'm fairly happy with the fit for a first try. I don't think I'll be wearing these out in public, though, because of THIS NONSENSE:

MOM JEANS BUTT ahhhhhaahaha. Between the fabric and the fit, they look like US Postal Service pants.

Although you can't see the top of the pants on the envelope drawing, they go up ABOVE my navel and they have one pair of darts on the front waistline and two pairs on the back.

pretty sure I should be a pin-up model

So clearly there are some fit issues--I already took in the legs a bit before these photos, and I would like for them to be a little skinnier.. But honestly, I thought these pants looked PRETTY GOOD except for the saggy butt before I saw these pictures. So its definitely not that bad in real life. The navy is also darker, though.

Here is the front crotch area. I think the wrinkles higher up are from my hands. I didn't but a button on the waistline, because I might take these apart and recut the back pieces. They also aren't hemmed shhhhh

And the back crotch/butt. My pants, I think, have many of the same issues as Lauren's clovers. I have some wrinkles on the side as she did. 

BUT

MOSTLY

I really think these pants are okay! I have to remember that I used fabric with NO STRETCH whatsoever. The pattern doesn't call for a stretch fabric, so I went for it. The waist/hip ratio is perfect. And they are comfortable. And they fit okay out of the packet! And I MADE PANTS.

Bonus photo! Me and my roommate's dog:

And, p.s., version 2 is MUCH better. Stick around!

xoxo allie

Sewing in 2014, and my Weekender Wardrobe of Choice

There have been a LOT of sewing resolutions in the last few days! I have only one resolution, and it ties into my Weekender Wardrobe plans:

Take my time creating handmade items I am proud of and love to wear.

Simple, right?

One of the reasons I want to make this Weekend Wardrobe is that I want to start wearing more handmade every day, which will help me shift my "look" to more vintage-inspired. My challenge is balancing this with sewing more practical items that work with my lifestyle--I work in a library, so my workplace is casual and I spend some time every day walking around, bending, crawling, reaching, etc. I want to take my time and plan out my Weekend Wardrobe to maximize its usefulness. I think well all have one-off pieces in our closets that don't get worn because they don't match anything else or don't fit or whatever. I have been trying really hard to be conscientious and make things I think I'll get a lot of use out of, but I still sometimes mess up. For example:

I love my spring shift dress in theory, and I did wear it this summer--but the fit is just off. This was pre-Laurel, and I think the fit on the laurel is much better than even this modified version. I'll likely scavenge the trim from this dress and remake the same silhouette with a different fabric and pattern.

So, while prepping to make my wardrobe pattern, I'm keeping in mind wardrobe-building, wearability, and my vintage inspirations.

The first choice to make is my Weekend Wardrobe pattern of choice: I bought two, and I think both have their places in my closet eventually.

I got Simplicity 7087 in the mail first and I was so excited to start I have already stitched up the pants from that pattern. But I really think that the selection of items in Simplicity 5299 will get more wear:

While I like the a-line skirt and already sewed up the pants in the pink and yellow ensemble, I think the full skirt will get more wear. I like the three-quarter length sleeves and the binding detail on the jacket. Since I currently wear a ton of tee/cardi combinations, the sleeveless top should slide into daily rotation, but I also like that the top has the option of sleeves. Choosing this pattern means I'll be fitting a second pair of trousers, but I could certainly use the experience!

xoxo

miss allie