Making trousers

Helloooo!  I do apologise for the lack of posts since the New Year, but things have been a little busy. In a good way, I hasten to add!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year.  As I said previously, we had DD home for the holidays and it was bliss.  Pure bliss.  We pottered and puttered and had a relaxing time.  Because we weren't rushing around, we finally had a chance to explore making her some trousers.  She normally wears skinny cords and the like, but needs more dressy trousers for certain times, such as when she was on her internship last summer.

In the same way she has difficulty buying shirts, as she is so tall and slim, trousers are a similar problem and the ones she bought last summer proved to be a disappointment.  One pair, from a large department store, started to come apart after a couple of weeks, so that was very frustrating.

Anyway, it is years and years since I have made trousers, so we selected a simple pattern, with built in alteration help.  It's a McCalls Palmer Pletsch pattern, number 6361:

We weren't keen at first on the photographs, as they looked a little old fashioned, but looking at the schematic on the back, it seemed to be just what she wanted.

Palmer Pletsch patterns come with detailed instructions on how to tissue fit, as well as 1" seam allowances on main seams, for extra adjustment to further fit-as-you-go.  There are extra hints and adjustment lines drawn on the pattern pieces to help you too.

After measuring DD we selected her size, added 1" to the leg length, and folded out all the adjustable width in the legs.  We tissue fitted (a bit fiddly, but easier than we thought) and seemed satisfied with the rest of the fit.

The trousers themselves were easy to sew.  The zip insertion was a little unusual, and I think I would do it the standard way next time.

DD wanted them to be 'ankle grazing' length, but we think we will make the next pair full length, although they would look better if she had put socks on!  She always wears brogues with trousers, so we don't have to accommodate heels.

DD was reluctant to pose for photos, but I got the best ones I could before she wandered off...

The darts in the back sit better in real life than in the photo, and the pockets sit flatter.  I think the flash on the camera must have highlighted them, and not in a good way!

In readiness for the next pair we have folded out a little more of the fabric on the rear thigh, to slim them down a little more.  I will also make the pockets from a lighter weight fabric, to prevent them showing through.

For a prototype though, we were quite pleased, and DD said they fitted better than any of the trousers she bought last summer for her internship, so I was very happy!

Once we have perfected the fit, I will be able to churn them out and post them to her, like I do the shirts.  

I love sewing for DD, so I am pleased to have added something else to the equation.  Even more pleasure to be had.

Donna x