It was very blustery and nippy when this photo was taken.
I recently purchased a pair of boutique pants with extreme draping at the sides. I really like these pants, which you can see in the following picture.
Sandra Betzina jacket with RTW pants
When I saw the new Burda spring patterns, I decided to give #7344 a try, since they had a similar vibe to the pants I had purchased. When I went to cut out the tissue pattern, I was shocked at the size of it. This pattern piece, roughly the size of a Buick, had to be cut out on the floor.
My fabric wasn't quite long enough to accommodate the pattern, so I shortened the pant leg by 1". I couldn't possibly tell what size to use or if it needed altering, so I measured the top of the pant (sans pleats) and chose the size closest to my desired finished waist measurement.
Materials:
- Black microfiber from Fabrix
- 1" waistband elastic
Alterations and Modifications:
- As mentioned previously, I shortened the leg by 1". You can see this in the pattern piece above.
- I eliminated the zipper. This fabric has a generous 4-way stretch.
- I eliminated the yoke.
- Once I had the two legs sewn together, I tried it on. The crotch seam was too long by 3", so I shortened the entire waistline by 3". This was tricky, due to all the pleating. I had initially sewn the pleats 1/2" from the top of the original waistline. I then carefully laid them out and pinned them 3-1/2" further down and sewed them again. I then cut off the 3" excess evenly around the top of the pant.
- I sewed on a waistband casing and inserted elastic (instead of the yoke).
- The finished pant is left raw at the hem. The pant legs are VERY long. Even though I shortened them 1" (which is typical for me), they are maybe 6"-8" longer than my ankle. However, my sewing buddies tell me that they look better when ruched at the ankle, so I left the length.
As I sewed these pants (and they are a quick project), I had no idea if they would work. I wondered if I'd have wadder on my hands. I had no idea until the final fitting, after the waistband was completed. When I finally saw them, I was surprised at how much I liked them.
