Some days you make good things. Some days you make bad things and some days you make something that just makes you confused.
These pants confuse me.
It’s Simplicity 1377 elastic waist pants. Here are some photos of them being worn today in the wet and wind. I’ve got them paired with a RTW spray jacket and mum knitted beret and scarf.
I wanted some long pants to take hospital and to wear afterwards. Not having time for a toile I did what I usually do in those circumstances and measured the pattern pieces. I checked the length. Width at thigh, waist circumference and it was looking fine so I cut out. This is some stash fabric which I’ve used before to make The Englishman a jinbei from. It’s soft and has a decent drape.
The pants themselves were straight forward to put together and before I added the elastic I popped them on. They were short in the crotch like really short. You could see my underpants at the back and it barely covered the front of my underwear. I did some double checking and it has a sewn on waistband. So I cut out the waistband, added the elastic and attached it to the pants.
They still look weird. The back is really short and the front is weirdly long (yes I’ve double checked to make sure I hadn’t put them on the wrong way round). Having the sewn on waistband looks cheap and is bulky too, the legs are a decent width and the ankles don’t flap about while you are wearing them, it’s just the crotch is all wrong.
While wearing them it feels both like they are falling down and as if you are giving yourself a wedgie at the same time.
I haven’t had a chance to properly analyze the pattern but instinct says a grown on waistband would look better and solve some of the height issues. The crotch depth on front and back should be raised, the back crotch should be scooped out (especially for anyone who like me has a rounded bottom) and I’d look at where the crotch join is? It’s possible it’s too far forward which is causing the “falling” feeling? Not sure as some of the other fixes may take care of that before you need to get to that point.
All in all, not so successful but while they look and feel terrible they do the job. Filling the gap in my wardrobe till the post surgery swelling goes down and I can fit back into my regular clothes but I don’t think I would make again.
Pattern: Simplicity 1377
Alterations: too many to justify using the pattern again
Fabric: from the stash
Lightning McStitch
Oh I know that exact feeling of wedgie and falling down at the same time. I know the feeling of having wasted time on a pattern too so commiserations on that front.
Onwards and upwards hey.
Susan Goodwin
it’s made me think I should make my own pants block so at least that’s a challenge I haven’t undertaken for awhile.