Friday, February 28, 2020

Corduroy Sculthorpe Pants

Another day, another pair of Sculthorpe Pants!




After making my tester version of the Muna and Broad Sculthorpe Pants, I wanted to make another pair immediately. 


I'd been waiting for a pattern to use with this Merchant and Mills needlecord I bought at Fabrications Ottowa when I was in town for Ottowa Frocktails in 2018.


Funny/embarrassing story about this fabric: it was sold as a remnant, rolled up with a price tag on it. I assumed that the price on the tag was for the whole piece, but turns out the price was by the yard (or meter, maybe, because Canada), and the piece was like 2.5 yards (or meters, maybe, because Canada). By the time I realized it, it was all rung up and in the bag and I was too embarrassed to back off of the purchase. So, this was one of my more expensive fabric purchases!


And, with this expensive fabric, did I overthink things for months and then decide "screw it" and ultimately underthink things a bit? Yes. 


I overthought how to use the fabric for months, but ultimately cut these Sculthorpe Pants with the side panel with the nap going in the wrong direction. Doh! It's not great, but it could have been worse.

A a slight change I made, to save fabric and to reduce bulk, is to cut the lower half of the pocket piece (at the fold line) out of thin cotton scraps (I forgot to take a photo). Instead of one long pocket piece out of the main fabric, the upper part is corduroy and it's seamed to the cotton at the bottom of the pocket. Worked nicely!


Anyway, this is the Sculthorpe Pants in size iii, same as my tester version, but lengthened 1 inch (meaning I think it's a total of 2 inches longer than my tester version, which were shorter than designed). Fit is great, still.


However, I can't decide if the corduroy is too bulky for this pattern? Or maybe it's because I am struggling with how to style these pants for Vermont winter? My aim was winter-appropriate pants, but now that I have them, I'm not sure what to wear them with on top, or for shoes. 


Here's I'm just wearing a RTW t-shirt and my Blundstones, but it's clearly not right. Textured tops are too much, long cardigans cover the cool pockets, I don't really want to tuck in, boots are too bulky, but I can't wear basically any other type of shoe or show any ankle in Vermont winter.

Hmm... I'll figure it out.


Anyway, still loving the fit on these Muna and Broad Sculthorpe pants, despite my personal struggles with this particular pair!