Pattern Review - Burda B6770 Pants

Lately I've found myself buying patterns that I never would have thought I would like - the cape in my previous post, for example!  Which brings me to this Burda Style pants pattern:

First of all, I haven't really gotten around to making myself real non-leggings pants yet, although my apartment is full of muslins.  I saw this, and bought it, I'm not sure why - I was sober and of sound mind and body.  I kind of liked the pleat, but doubted it would look good on my body.  I decided to make view A, first with some fruity rayon challis I'd just bought from Califabrics.com:

Fruity!!
Rayon challis from Califabrics.com

It is very lightweight and drapey and silky - perfect for this style.  I cut a size 12 - based on my hip I would have cut a 14, but I chose the 12 based on the finished measurements printed on the pattern (thanks Burda!) It came out to about 6" ease, which is plenty.

Burda instructions are sparse, but fine. This is a pretty simple pant to sew. Pockets, hip yoke, front to back, pleats, waistband, hem it - done.  The challenging aspect was my slippery silky fruit fabric to be honest.

In the end I left the waistband smooth and used 1.5" Fantastic Elastic instead of stitching as instructed, and since I was trying to squeeze these out of 2 yards of 45" fabric, I cropped them out of necessity!  They are a bit of an awkward length (view A, at least).  I am 5'4", and they come just to my ankle. I'd like them 2" longer or 4" shorter.

 I sewed these in about an hour or so and in the end I had some apple bottoms! And, quelle surprise - I LOVE THEM!  So comfy, and more flattering to my body than I had anticipated!  
I love them so much.   I love them so much, in fact, I decided I needed to make like 4 more pair.  I made a black and navy pair in rayon challis (also from Califabrics.com) and another patterned pair, this time in a lightweight cotton poplin I had just ordered from Mood:


I was trying to go outside my comfort zone with color, and had originally planned to make this a dress. But I was getting the stink-eye from Tim, so I had the brilliant idea it would be perfect for these pants.  This fabric was also a great choice, very lightweight, cut and pressed beautifully.  This pair I left ankle length (I cropped my black ones).




It might be hammer time
Close-up of the front
A pair of pleats on each side
So these are my favorite spring/summer pants. They are perfect for this weather when its 40F when I leave the house and 72F by lunchtime. I've made 4 pair in the last week....and I may not be finished!  They would also be great for fall in a drapey suiting fabric, or you could go casual and sew it in a  knit!
The lesson is, you never know how things will turn out after you say to yourself, "Why the hell did I just buy that?"!

Popular posts from this blog

A Carhartt-inspired jacket : (modified) McCalls 7638

Image
We recently received a catalog in the mail that contained a selection of Carhartt jackets, among other items.  Tim liked the look of this one: a sort of classic, basic mens' work jacket: So of course he asked if I could make him one!  He has a couple of handmade coats (a faux shearling from a few years ago and a Goldstream peacoat I made in early 2018) but wanted something a little more casual for everyday - but also warm enough for Syracuse winters. I found my fabrics first: Carhartt Expedition canvas from The Rain Shed with a faux shearling lining (from my stash, originally from Mood Fabrics.) For extra warmth, I tried something new: interlining the shearling with Thinsulate! I ordered a swatch set from the Rain Shed and chose CS100. The website information claims that "the Polyolefin microfibers trap body head and keep you warm even in damp conditions because its fibers absorb less than 1% of their weight in water." OK then! I couldn't really find a
Read more

Carhartt Canvas

Image
A version of this post originally appeared on the Cali & Co blog   I was beyond excited when I saw that Ron had listed Carhartt canvas in some 20 (20!!) colors on the Cali Fabrics site.  If you aren’t familiar with the brand, Carhartt is known for high-quality, premium-yet-affordable workwear in sturdy fabrics like denim and duck (aka, canvas). You may have seen their recent feature in Threads magazine, with a tutorial for the Detroit cuff. I knew this would be fantastic quality canvas and Cali Fabrics has it at a great price and it’s 69” wide! So, the fabric: the description online is very accurate. It is a 12 oz. heavyweight but it has a softer hand than you would expect – it isn’t stiff.  I washed it in cold water and tumble dried on low – this fabric really responds to a hot steamy iron especially when it is just a bit damp.  I recommend serging or pinking the edges pre-wash because it will fray a bit. The color didn’t fade or bleed at all and was very satur
Read more

Boss Blazer - Pagoda Shoulder Jasika!

Image
Looks like it’s time for what has become my annual blog post! I thought I’d share some details of my pagoda shoulder blazer.  A little history? Pierre Cardin is the inventor of the pagoda shoulder. The name refers to the cornices of Chinese towers. Cardin created new shoulder silhouette that dipped from the collar along the shoulder line, before rising again several inches from the edge. They became popular in styles for both men and women. Pierre Cardin himself was known for wearing the bold shoulders throughout the 1980s.   Pagoda shoulders later became a signature for Alexander McQueen, particularly in his menswear, but they were more subtle than the Cardin style.   Today the pagoda shoulder may be most commonly associated with Balmain, who often uses a highly exaggerated and sculptural version of the design.   Which brings us to my jacket – the fabric is Balmain deadstock from Selvedge and Bolts, so I thought I would do something with some Balmain flair. I started with the Jasika
Read more