The road to jeans making begins with trousers, apparently. Technically, these pants are a wearable muslin but they kind of fail in that regard because I ignored all advice, direction, and sense in selecting a fabric that didn’t have the 30% stretch called for in the pattern. But I’ve been wanting plaid trousers—dammit— and I struggle to find bottom weights in colors and textures I liked. (Pants makers, any tips?) I like heavier weight denims and pants. I actually find them more comfortable (not to mention longer wearing) than their counterparts but finding them with enough stretch has been a pain
Fitting is the pants-making struggle so I tried to make it easier on myself by using Deer and Doe’s Safran pattern. Their proportions generally fit me well so I figure it was the closest to an out-of-the-box fit I was going to get.
I cut a size 42 based off of my hip measurement-somehow believing that the trousers would manifest an extra 10% stretch? I guess? Obviously, fit was a fail BUT it ended up being fortuitous.
Enter my stash of black pleather, precisely purchased for sewing emergencies. (like a first aid kit, but for sewing!) Now the plaid has racing stripes and I actually think they make the pants— if I do say so myself. I’m also satisfied enough in the fit of these that— if they had the correct amount of stretch— the pattern would have worked out. (Spoiler, they did.)
The one problem is that they gap a little at the back due to my stripe addition. (Not obvious in the first photos I took but became more pronounced after wearing.) Normally I would take off the waistband and do an alteration but I've been wanting to play with alteration techniques for folks that don't sew. (Most of my social media followers!) I put some elastic in the back by hand during my last hand sewing and mending session. I'm usually annoyed by the look of elastic waists but I'm pretty pleased with this. It ruffles a little at the top but since I can easily have my top cover it. I'm also pretty sure additional stitching would more evenly distribute the excess fabric and reduce the ruffles. (Also, totally looking for suggestions for mending and alteration fixes folks are interested in learning!)
Pattern: Deer and Doe Safran. Awesome, as usual. I love a good pattern booklet and I get to pretend I'm practicing my long unused French. Highly recommend Deer and Doe for pear- shaped ladies and those of the generally Ample Butt. (Goes to a 48in. hip but hear that the Cashmerette Ames Jeans are great too if you need a larger size. That one goes to 59 in hip.)
Fabric: Stretch bottom weight from Mill End in Portland, OR. Pockets and waistband from my mom’s quilting scrap stash.