Sew Crafty Chemist: Finished Item: Butterick 5908 (Plus Sewing FAILS!)

Monday, August 5, 2013

Finished Item: Butterick 5908 (Plus Sewing FAILS!)

If you saw my last post, you know that I went on a muslin'ing adventure last week. Part because I have this lovely suiting fabric in a black "denim" look and I wanted to make up trousers with red facings, zipper and bias tape. I had a very clear picture in my mind but wanted it to be perfect.

Yowza!

After working up muslins 3 or 4 times (I didn't show them all) I decided I was happy with what my sheet was doing :) I rationalized that the fashion fabric would behave a little differently (of course) and would skim the body better than the cotton sheet did.

I am VERY pleased with the result. I am going to make a couple more tweaks to this pattern - adding a little more front thigh room, and adding just a smidge to the leg opening - and then I'll be making a couple pairs with this pattern.

My husband asked, "Now that those fit, can't you just use it for all of your pants?" (-aka- a TNT pattern). He's so smart! But, we know that I will still make myself fight with another pattern because well...that's how I am! :)

The most important part! :) We all strive for that great backside fit! I am happy. My left side (shoulder/hip) sits a bit lower than my right...I am not going to try to remove these few wrinkles!

The front - The leg opening could be a little wider and I need a bit more space for my crazy pronounced quads

I'm doing the chicken dance? I have decided I hate these types of pockets...I might cut the pocket front/yoke part as one with the front pant leg on my red/black pair.

But pockets ARE awesome! :)

I had to make several fitting adjustments, but none too crazy IMO, and not enough to make me think this is a bad pattern. Front and back adjustments (and I tapered down to the knee, removing about 1/2" in front and 1" in back at the knee).

Back pattern piece

Front pattern piece (the lower line is where I initially took the tuck...then I realized my zipper would be way down in my crotch if I did that!)

The prettiness!

The front tab is crazy hard to turn out successfully. Sheesh. And I have to keep working on getting a nice, flat fly-front. But hey, LOOK at how those plaids line up! Booyah!!! The hook and eye closures I had on hand aren't for pants I don't think...they seem more like the type I've seen on skirts/dresses. I'm going to have to pick up a pack of more heavy-duty versions.

I didn't use pretty facings but thought I could use some color inside, and had matching royal blue zipper and bias tape. It's like a punch of happiness in my pants! Wait - is that inappropriate?? :-)

All the interior seams are serged pretty, the pocket lining is a dark grey poly lining material.

I'm wearing them today and they're pretty dang comfortable.

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That was the good. The bad?

I was so excited to make S1696 in a coral (STRETCH) bottomweight material.

They were going to be super fitted and super cute. And then...I did the unthinkable...I didn't check the direction of the stretch and had cut out all the accompanying pieces AND the front in the wrong direction of stretch. I almost cried. And I shut down the sewing room.

But my husband talked me into starting a different project and I cut S1806 in an amazingly bright jade-green cotton voile. Voile was a suggested material!! Voile has far too much body for this pattern...it needs something light and with drape. Ah. The color is ridiculously fussy and the facings are stupid. I hate that my seams show and that they aren't true princess seams, they're fairly straight. That's stupid too. And it makes you look pregnant.

The sleeves and back are awesome though...I want to try to salvage it. I will revisit at some point later on.