Plain, grey, work-appropriate trousers are perhaps not the most exciting garment to blog about, but they fit, which makes me want to do a little happy dance. (Actually, I did do a little happy dance. The first time I put them on I bounced into the room singing TROUSERS TROUSERS TROUSERS YAY, which may have alarmed Martin a bit). My wardrobe was sorely in need of these since I can count the pairs of trousers that fit me on one hand while still being free to engage in a quick thumb wrestle, so my first victory of the year is a pretty big one.
These started life as Simplicity 2700, which didn't last very long as Oh My God that muslin was baaaaad. So very bad. I wish I had taken a photo of it before I started hacking it to pieces because it was so hilariously awful. It looked like my arse was melting. I had a few confused attempts at trying to save it before giving up and starting from scratch drafting my own trouser block, using Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear (I love this book).
Much better. Incidentally I've started using Instagram this year (@pieandhandkerchiefs), and one of my workmates thought these were the finished trousers that I'd made. I appreciate that as a non-sewer she won't necessarily know what a muslin is for, but I'm a little concerned that she thinks that bright blue stripy clown pants would neatly fit into my personal style.
While I abandoned the main pattern, I did continue to use the (slightly adjusted to fit) waistband, pocket and fly pieces from Simplicity 2700, as well as mostly following their instructions for the construction. Aside from one dumb moment ironing interfacing to the wrong side it all went rather well considering how many years ago I last made any trousers. The only issue I had was how weirdly short the zip fly was which makes the trousers a bit difficult to pull on, so that's something I'll definitely change if I make these again. It's especially odd as the envelope specifies a 7" zip, but the fly piece, minus seam allowances, is only about 4" long so there's a lot of unnecessary zip wastage and a highly inelegant shimmy to try and get them over my thighs.
My favourite part of these is the secret happy pockets. All trousers should have these. Especially office trousers. Except they aren't super secret any more since I can't resist showing everyone who cares and plenty of people who don't.
This is possibly my biggest victory of the project - 3 completed buttonholes and still juuuust enough thread to attach the buttons and hand sew the hems without having to order more online. I can't find Gutermann anywhere in the shops near me and I refuse to buy Coats thread because I'm still recovering from all the thread nest headaches it gave me in university. I have of course subsequently found another reel of grey thread since having this panic but I feel that's beside the point.
Anyhoo, enjoy these photos of my magnificently clad lower half, while I bask in the trousery smugness and try to talk myself out of wearing the same thing to work every day this week!
Here's to more 2016 successes!
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