Cookin' & Craftin': January 2023

I'm so thankful for the sewing community and the fun challenges that prompt me to tackle sewing tasks that are lingering on my to-do list.

I've really been struggling with sizing these days. I'm bigger than I used to be, but sizing up has not been foolproof for me. Earlier this year I cut two pairs of pants my measurements and sewed them up.

But they both ended up turning out enormous for some reason! They've both been bunched up in a corner for many months... but happily Sew Fancy Pants, hosted by Nicole, and the #JFFIChallenge2023, hosted by Wyldwood Creative prompted me to dig them out and give them another try!

Dani Pant: This pair of pants has a tortured origin story even beyond the sizing issues. This is the True Bias Dani pant, which I originally cut out last year, maybe in the spring?

This is view D, the tapered pant with the full elastic waistband. I skipped the side seam and back pockets out of laziness and a lack of fabric.

The fabric is speckled Essex cotton linen in black. I love the multi-colored speckles and the texture they give the fabric! Of course you cannot see the speckles because my photography skills have failed yet again.

I first started with size 20 from the curvy range, which corresponded with my measurements, and, as I said, they were huge in the legs. Like comically so. I tried to to turn them inside out and sew up the side seams a bit, but it wasn't looking right, so I ultimately unpicked them.

Remind me never to unpick a black garment with black serging. Ug. Once I had them taken apart, I cut down to a size 16, and got to re-sewing them.

But the torture didn't stop there... I somehow managed to sew and serge the two front legs together as well as the two back legs before I noticed. More unpicking. Sigh.

Ultimately I made it through alive and with a pair of decently fitting pants, though! Now that I'm closer on the fit for the Dani pattern, I'd be up for trying the fly front view, and the shorts look pretty cute!

Miller Trouser: The second pair of too-big elastic waist pants. These are the Paper Theory Miller Trousers, a relaxed fit trouser that sits at the natural waist, has a pleat in the front leg and darts in the back waist.

Like the Dani pants, I cut the Miller size that corresponded to my measurements, size 22. But they were enormous. I tried to re-cutting in a smaller size, but couldn't quite make it work the way the pockets are done. So to the bunched up corner they went for 6+ months.

When I took them out recently to try again, I opted to re-sew them, but with a 3/4 inch seam allowance on the side seams and inseams. I also sewed the crotch seam with a 3/4 inch seam allowance at both ends near the waist, but tapering to 3/8 inch at the bottom of the curve. This worked out pretty well!

The fabric is Ventana twill in ivy that I bought from Fancy Tiger Crafts a couple years back. Always on the hunt for the perfect olive green bottom weight.

In the end I'm fairly happy with my Miller Trousers. Oversized, but with my fit changes, no longer ridiculously so. I wish the waist was a little bit higher; I feel like these might be the type of pants I have to constantly tug up because they hit my belly at the widest point.