Fearless February Extension Wrap Up!

My Fearless February one week extension is over and due to a heavy business work load I couldn't get any additional sewing for myself done (insert sad face here). Well I'm not one to cry over spilled milk.....well usually I do but I'm learning it really is a waste of time. I didn't get everything done that I ORIGINALLY planned but I did add a few new pieces to my wardrobe and other's wardrobes!

(Off the shoulder gold top I added a gold strap to it and wore on date night with Hubby. Need to get a pic of it)

 

(Another top I made)

 (2 Legging---olive green and dark gray and olive green pencil skirt & black pencil skirt. The gray leggings and black skirt are both WIP)

 (Scarves I donated to a fundraiser)

 (Dress I made and wore to that fundraiser)

(Dress I made for my daughter to wear for the Father/Daughter banquet)

I plan to finish up those knit pieces and I desperately want to make my fur vest and cream colored blouse. Well I'll keep pushing through lot to do with my business and other ventures. Of course I'll keep ya'll posted. Have some exciting news I want to share as well. Will be divulging soon!!!! In the meantime HAPPY SEWING!!!

My Fearless February Sewing Goals.......

Wow, I'm really inspired by all of you who are planning on joining in on the Fearless February Sew-Along I detailed in my last post!!!! I could just feel all of your exciting energy leap off the page when I read each and every one of your comments! That's the spirit!!!!! Your drive, courage and tenacity are palpable. I can't wait to post pics of all of your attempted/finished projects. If you're interested in joining along feel free to leave a comment in my last post.

Well I wanted to announce my Fearless February sewing goalsand yes I intend to sew "around the clock" especially in February. It's time to be FEARLESS and get alot done.  I don't have everything ironed out but here's what's on the list so far.......

#1.  Make my Hubby a Jacket!

#2.  Make my daughter this coat! Butterick 5946

#3. Make another pair of pants for myself!

Style Undecided

#4. Make a coat or jacket for myself!

Style Undecided

#5. Drape a top for myself!

Style Undecided

#6 Finish draping the gown from this POST on my half scale form.

Ok, here's what I've got so far. I should have all of my decisions made by February 1st.  From the sounds of the last blog post most of your own Fearless February plans were coming along well. I hope they continue to do so. Again, if you're interested you're welcome to join. Just mention it as a comment in the last blog post. I look forward to seeing/posting all of my and your finished pieces!!! Happy planning!!!! Ooops....BTW, please allow for me to do a shameless plug. I'm teaching another Burda Webinar on this Thursday, Jan 30th entitled "CUSTOM ORDERS: CONTRACTING WITH CLIENTS FROM CONSULT TO FINISHED PRODUCT" if you sew for others or are planning to in the future this webinar is a MUST. It will be chalked full of invaluable info. Check it out here.....http://register.burdastyle.com/Course?CourseId=9000-38. 

Who's on board with the Fearless February Sew-Along???

It's almost that time again!!!! I'm glad to announce the 2nd Fearless February Sew-Along. This is one cool Sew-Along!!! Read about the purpose of this Sew-Along HERE.

The rules are simple---BE FEARLESS!!!

 Use this month to tackle the following project(s):

-Anything you've been putting off sewing!

-Anything you've been AFRAID to sew!

-Try pattern draping or drafting

-Sew with a fabric that's intimidated you in the past.

-Recreate a garment of interest.

Again, read more about the challenge purpose HERE

Last year was great and you guys really stepped up to the challenge!!! I was pretty proud of my own accomplishments HERE. I'll list my challenge goals in the next post. I've got some exciting plans! I intend to MAXIMIZE the month and get alot done!!!! I can't wait to share!!!

Again you decide what you want to do. Let me know if you want to participate---(it starts Feb 1st and lasts the entire month). I'd love to highlight your finished product(s)!!! Ok, who's interested in participating?????

Pants Fitting: Working Smarter NOT Harder---Pants Fitting Series Part 2 of 3

A few people were curious to how I go about doing my pants fittings so I thought I'd oblige them. There's really nothing magical to what I do just a series of steps

Here's how I do my pants fitting.......

1. Make all the necessary pattern alterations. I compare flat pattern measurements with those of the pattern. As I mentioned before I also compare RTW pants measurement with those of the pattern. I outlined my pattern adjustments here. I also look at the pants leg widths and lengths to make sure they're ok. When I'm satisfied with the results I proceed to cut out the pattern. I have to admit that most of my pattern adjustments are done at the flat pattern stage.

(Pattern adjustments)

(Pattern being compared with RTW pants that fit well)

2. If I'm working with a new pants pattern I ALWAYS make a muslin. My muslin is either made out of the usual bleached muslin fabric or something or a similar fabric to what I plan to sew. If there are any side pockets then they're taped to the pants piece and they're cut out as a unit with the pants piece. So basically I'm just cutting out 2 front and back pieces. I don't tend to fiddle with other details (back pockets, etc) during the fitting.  I will cut out back yoke piece of course because it's important for fitting purpose. I don't even bother cutting out the waistband.

3. Here's how I assemble my pants for a fitting (and actually when I sew them if no fancy top stitching is involved)
-Sew front pant to back pattern at sides. Do the same with the other leg.
-Insert one set of pants legs into the other with right sides facing.
-I sew up the crotch below the fly to leave an opening so I can try on the pants (if there's no fly then I leave front upper pants open about 5" or so). Stop sewing about 1" away from the inseam on both pants front and pick back up sewing 1" after crossing over back pants inseam. I basically leave a gaping hole in where the inseams connect. By leaving this open it just makes it easier for me to do any inseam adjustments. Sometimes I may have to adjust the front or back inseam and with them left unsewn it's easier to do that.

4. I try on the pants with seams out. I pin the front crotch up at the appropriate seam allowance. With the pants inside-out and the seams visible it's easier for me to do the necessary tweaks.  This is especially helpful when making crotch adjustments.

(Fitting with seam allowance out for easier tweaking)

5. I place 1" elastic at the waist. At this point I make observations of the pants and begin to do my normal suite of adjustments. I move the pants up or down until I get the crotch depth right. I look to see if any length needs to be added in the back (which is where I sometimes come up short). If the length issue are resolved then I look at the circumference and take in or let out as necessary. I suggest you consult your preferred pants fitting book(s) for helpful advice on the adjustments you need to make for your body type.

6. Once I've noted the changes I go back and correct them on my tissue. I never usually make any drastic changes which is why I just transfer the changes to the tissue. If I made drastic changes I would probably just use my muslin as a pattern instead.

Ok, so there you have it! I told you my methods weren't complex. See, you didn't believe me (wink)! As I mentioned before I do most o of my pants corrections at the flat pattern stage. In my opinion it can be really difficult to tweak pants. For me to start with a pattern that's similar to my measurements and a RTW pants that I have and know fits helps me avoid most of the crazy, unnecessary fitting woes. It's been my experience that when I've got the crotch curve/length/depth in the right ball park all I have to do are minor tweaks--such as deepening back darts, fixing gaposis in the waistband or yoke, etc. Which is why I go to great lengths to make sure my pattern adjustments are done ahead of time & I've compared the pattern with RTW as a backup strategy.

Ok, I don't know if this was that helpful but I hope it helped put some of you people who have been working tirelessly. Trust me I understand the struggle. Everyone does things different so I'm sure you will find what works for you. If anyone has any other pointers they want to share feel free. Never underestimate how your experiences can be helpful to others!!!!  In the next post I'll summarize what I've learned about fitting pants (strategies/tips).....

"My Pants Fitting Journey"---Pants Fitting Series Part I of 3

So I thought it would be kinda cool to do a few posts detailing my Pants fitting journey. I know fitting and sewing pants can be so cumbersome and I've seen so many people give up on it out of frustration. Trust me I know that frustration all too well---I've dealt with it for YEARS!!! It's enough to make you want to pull your hair out and cry. I'm hoping these posts will be of some help and at the very least encourage you to jump back in if you've given up the hope of ever making pants that fit---especially if you really desire to do so. Well, here's my story.......

My pants sewing journey REALLY began about 2 years ago. You may recall 2 of my trials with Jalie 2909 documented HERE and HERE. I'd taken a couple weeks off from sewing to study fitting pants and I believe that it paid off and was a good effort. I even used some RTW pants to help make me with adjustments to the pattern. But despite that I still had a few fit problems.....

1. I couldn't get rid of back leg wrinkles
2. Couldn't get comfortable fit in rear.
3. My front crotch was too tight. I'd shortened the crotch depth from the original pattern but didn't quite know how to add room in this area.

I made a little more progress in the the Fall of last year with this attempt, again using Jalie 2909. I came away with a better pants fitting strategy but still didn't nail the fit......

Although I didn't quite figure things out entirely I kept reading/watching everything I could on pants fitting. I was determined to get it eventually.....

Fast forward to the Fearless February Sew Along (FFSA), just a few months later, where I decided to have another go at it!!! Suprisingly this time I figured it out and improved my fitting abilities tremendously.

My FFSA Pants Fitting Strategy:
1. Change the pants pattern. I tried again to resume work with Jalie 2909 and got no where. I spent more than half of February fiddling with it before I switched to Burda 7192. I wanted to pick something fit for a slimmer woman's figure and was drafted well.
2. Looked to RTW again for answers. I had to see the difference between the pattern and what I was actually wearing that fit. I knew by comparing I'd find the answers.

I made up my Burda 7192 muslin and used the information I'd studied up on to make changes to the muslin. I still had some back leg wrinkles and the pattern gathered under my rear. I did a few adjustments to the pattern and everything except the crotch looked great. I also found some helpful tips in this other fit book but I still had some crotch issues and back leg wrinkles and I knew I wouldn't resolve it by just minor tweaking. And I DEFINITELY WASN'T going to make more than 2-3 muslins (although the possibility of 10 were mentioned by the book's author). So I had to get radical!!!!! I decided to deconstruct a pair of pants that were similar in style and fit well. I never wore them---they were from NY & CO. and were a mulberry color. Whatever compelled me to buy them I don't know but they were perfect for deconstruction and comparison with Burda 7192.

Well I took it apart and aligned it with Burda 7192 and instantly found my issues.....

(deconstructed NY & CO. pants on top of Burda 7192 pattern. As you can see the pattern were pretty much similar minus the crotch shape.

(red line show changes to front crotch. Lowered the front inseam)

 (back crotch curve lowered which helped to add to the crotch length and fully cover my rear)

(muslin after making changes! Butt & back crotch fit looked GREAT!!!)

And as a result I sucessfully made Burda 7192, my gray pants.

But keep in mind that the changes I made to get these pants to fit were specific to this style of pants. You can't just copy your crotch curve from one pair of pants and apply it to all styles. Case in point---try taking apart 3 different styles of pants (fitted, semi fitted, loose) and look at the front/back crotch shapes and lengths. I've done it--it's really cool!!! You'll notice they're all a bit different since they're drafted to fit your body differently. The fitted pair of pants is likely to have a shorter crotch curve whereas the loose pair may have a longer one since the pants will hang from the body more. I learned this when I immediately made my pair of denim capris following this pattern. I had to make slightly different changes to the crotch.

(Excuse my horrible bathroom photos. LOL! Muslin for Burda 7863---the denim capris pattern. This muslin was made out of a crosswise stretching knit. As you can see the crotch depth was too long. I had to go in and shorten it a bit.)

 (The back crotch was too tight. I had to add a little to the back inseam and lengthen the back crotch a smidge).

(The final result after all of the fittings---Burda 7863. The fit wasn't absolute perfect. Still had some minor crotch issues to work out  but I loved the end results!!!)

From those experience I gained some additional knowledge about how to fit my figure type. Here it is...

Pants Fitting Figure Analysis:
1. My Derriere is more full than high. It's dropped in the recent years due to age and inactivity (unfortunately not hitting the gym like I used to).
2. I have fuller inner thighs. In some cases I need to add to my inseam a bit and taper to nothing.

(example alteration from book "Fitting and Pattern Alteration" for my fuller rear. This usually takes of the fuller thigh issue.)

3. My crotch depth & length is shorter than it is in the back (my waist is at an angle---higher in the back then the front).
4. Due to my rear I have gaposis in the back and rely on darts for contouring. If it's pants with a waistband I likely take out the extra there or if it's jeans with a yoke I can take out darts in the yoke (one on each side) and then take out the excess in the center back seam of the waistband.

Remember it's out of experience with fitting/sewing pants that you give yourself more knowledge to build off of for the next try.....

Lastly, I wouldn't have been able to get this far without great resources. I collect and read EVERYTHING I can get my hands on usually. Here my fave's.....

My Favorite Resources: 
I pretty much listed them in my 2010 posts (links above in 2nd paragraph) but here's the 3 most beneficial books to me. I LOVE these books!!!! The Singer is awesome due to the color photos and explanation of crotch shapes, how posture affect pants pattern, etc. The FP&A book is fantastic due to it's wide range of pattern alterations presented. BTW, this is the OLD version---I'm aiming to get the 2009 version. Of course there's PFRP---who doesn't love Palmer/Pletsch books. Such a good combo of photos and drawings. I also listened to Peggy Sager's of Silhouette Patterns, webcasts on fitting pants. I blogged about them HERE.

Anyhow that's all for now. Within the next week I hope to do 2 more pants journey posts focusing on "how I fit pants"---how I make/fit my muslins and how I sew the final pants. I kinda have my own process. And another post as a synopsis of "all I've learned so far about pants fitting"--personal insights, strategies, etc. Again not alot of people post this type of info so I thought I'd share. Hope it's helpful:).......Ok, my eyes are getting heavy so I'm off to bed.......

Fearless February SA Wrap Up/ March Sewing Goals

Hey Guys again thanks for all you support and participation in the Fearless February Sew Along!!!! The month was AWESOME!!!! Remember you can check out the projects from other participants HERE. I thought a video would be a good way to do a wrap-up for the month.....

My Fearless February Finished Projects:
- Burda 7192 Gray Pants
- Burda 7863 Denim Capris
- Vogue 1020 Little Black Dress

Also I did get to wear my Vogue 1020 Little Black Dress dress this weekend but being that I did so at funeral so I didn't get a picture. Again I've made the dress 3 times--- here's a pic of my first version I made 2 years ago.....

BTW, I failed to adequately review it in the last post ( I really shouldn't write posts when I'm tired). Vogue 1020 is a SUPER easy dress to sew!!!! I sewed the entire thing on my serger (I did baste with my conventional machine first to check the fit) and finished the hemlines and neckline with my coverstitch machine. I also reinforced the shoulder with clear elastic and the ruched side. A super easy dress that can be completed in a couple of hours (a little longer for me since I'm a slow sewer- LOL)!!!

Ok, my next post will detail my pants fitting journey. I'm so excited to share.........

Vogue 1020---- The Little Black Dress

It's day 28---the last day of the Fearless February Challenge!!!!! It's just a few minutes after 10pm and I'm calling it the end of the challenge for me. I was hoping to finish up another piece---Burda 7236 Jacket. I was 70% done. Darn----oooh so close. Well I'll just show it off in a few days. Well I did manage to complete my Little Black Dress. It's Vogue 1020 and is actually the 3rd time I've made it. I love this dress! It's fitted and has lovely rouching on the side. This dress has convinced me that I need to definitely get back on my workout routine. Hey swimsuit season is near anyway and I need to kick the laziness.

So it wouldn't look like a basic black dress I used a thicker knit fabric with a bit of gabardine-like texture that you can see up close. I also paired the dress with a chunky black/white/silver necklace. This is a cute dress that I'm very pleased with.

(fabric texture and ruching up close)

(side view)

Ok that's my last Fearless February Challenge garment. Next up is my review of the month...... Can't wait to recap my experiences for the month!!!

Give your FEARS a BIG HUG????

I was just sitting here at work on my lunch break thinking of the remainder of sewing that I'm trying to squeeze in the next 2 days before the Fearless February Sew-Along ends. My mind also wandered to something I heard on yesterday. I was listening to Dr. Henry Cloud who is the author of the NY Times Bestselling Book "Boundaries" (Hands down one of the BEST books I've ever read ---definitely a LIFECHANGER!!!). Anyhow he was a guest on the New Life Live radio show and the topic of fear came up. At the very end of his discussion he summarized how one should deal with fear (the unhealthy kind) and I declare it's some of the best and simplest advice I've heard on the subject (and I've heard/read alot of advice).

He said that when it comes to Fear we should (and in this order)
1. "Hug it Out" with Fear!!!
2. Ignore it
3. Act

Ok, I've heard similar advice but what really struck me was the "hug it out" part. That's kinda an odd way to think about handling one's fear. I mean I've always heard advice to "recognize one's fear". I've even heard advice to "embrace one's fear" which I believe he was alluding to here but in a way taking it a STEP MUCH FURTHER. What I take from this is we need to become intimately acquainted with our fears!!!! I mean take some time to really own them, acknowledge them, hold them close and know them inside out ----in great detail. After you've processed and accepted them then, and only then can you adequately decide to reject and ignore them and go on to act in a way contrary to them. I think too many times we are ashamed of our fears. We get a glimpse of them and run in the opposite direction. And thus we never take the time to really look into ourselves and look at the fear for what it is. It's almost like we know it's there but we keep choosing to ignore it. And all the while it keeps lurking and haunting us.

I'm not trying to be all psychological here (I'll leave that to the professionals) but I have to admit that during this Fearless February Sew Along alot of the fears I had weren't as big as I thought. I think would've recognized that if I'd taken time to really look at the fear for what it was and drew it near and embraced it----you know had a hug session with it. Now make no mistake, my sewing challenges were real. Fitting pants had always been a struggle in the past but I admit it was always fear that kept me from being relentless in trying to overcome them. I have to admit that after a couple of trials here and there I kinda got discouraged and let the notion of having well fit pants fall to the side. Well as you know, the last 2 projects I completed were pants (gray pants and denim capris) and I definitely feel proud of my efforts! I no longer have that fear. I still have a few challenges to work out but the fear is gone. As a result I feel really empowered to keep on sewing and tackling other sewing fears that I have. I guess the best way I can describe what I've learned.......

So I encourage you to have a good "hug-out" session with your sewing fears. It's ok, you're human---everyone fears something. Look at them for what they are. Even say them (in great detail) out loud to hear yourself. And after you've had that intimate time together make sure you kick them to the curb!!!! Because there's no time for fear......you've got ALOT of great sewing to do (wink)!!!!!

Burda 7863---My First "Homemade" Denim Capris!

It's day 24 of the Fearless February Challenge and I've cranked out garment #2--- a pair of denim capris. I'm delighted to admit that this is my first time sewing a pair of denim capris. I've avoided sewing any denim jean due to pure laziness (not a fan of all that topstitching) and of course my initial struggles with fitting pants. I'm pretty pleased with my first attempt. And to be quite honest all that topstitching wasn't bothersome at all---actually alot of fun. I'm definitely happy I decided to take on this project. Here's my review......

(Front view)

Burda 7863

Time to Sew: About 6 hours or so. 

Sewing Ease (scale 1 easy to 10 difficult):

Not difficult at all. I'd give it about a 5 since itt involves alot of topstitching---Since my other sewing machine was down I had to keep switching between my stitching and topstitching threads.

Pattern Description:

Slim 3/4 length jeans.

Pattern Sizing:

I cut and sewed the size 14

(Side view)

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

YES!!!

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Pretty much!

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I liked the simple style of the pattern. It's very well drafted and it's very fitted which is how I like my capris.

(Back views---I created my pocket design and sewed it on my machine)

Fabric Used:

Dark Indigo Denim with some stretch that I've had in my stash for a while.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

-Warning---the front crotch depth is long. You can tell from the pattern envelope model pics. I removed a little over 1" of depth but it still was a bit long.

-I omitted the pocket flaps and belt loops.

-Created a design on the pattern

-Didn't do the side seam topstitching. I was nervous the white topstiching on the dark indigo would be too much.

-Cut the front pockets down in size and made them mock. The pockets extended to the fly front and were just too big for my taste.

-Added 2 darts to the yoke---removing 6/8 in. each.

-Had slight gaposis in the waistband so I removed it by adding dart to back waistband seam.

-I cuffed the hem.

What would you do differently next time?:

-Add a bit more ease. I overestimated my denim's stretch and made my jeans a bit tight thinking they'd relax a bit. They do but it just takes a bit of stretching. Next time I'll add just a little more ease.

-I'd wash my denim with a can of coke as I hear is recommended to really get the denim fibers to soften up and relax.

-I'd also reduce the crotch length a bit more since there was some wrinkling.

(a little wrinkling in the crotch due to long crotch length)

( even after removing 1" crotch depth, it was still a little long for me)

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

This is a great pattern! I definitely recommend it!

Wardrobe Versatility:

They're denim capris---they practically go with everything.

Conclusion:

I love my capris!!! I practically live in them during the Summer and I'm delighted that I can make my own. I plan to make them in a rainbow of colors!!!!

Progress Report and My Barbie Fit Model

First of all thanks SO much for all of the compliments on my charcoal gray pants. Your encouragement and kind words are so invaluable. It always gives me what I need to move forward. Well it's day 19 of the Fearless February Sew-Along. I know I mentioned I wanted to do a post documenting my pants fitting strategy. I want to put that on the back burner for right now. Mainly because I'm working on my next PANTS project and I've learned some new info to share and at the same I don't want to lose any momentum since I still have a few more projects to cram into the month---which ends week---Eeekkk!!!!. So I've got to focus, focus, focus on sewing. I'll definitely share my pants fitting "how-to's" at the end of the challenge.

Ok, my current project is Burda 7863.

I'm making a pair of denim capris. I LOVE capris and am trying to make a few pairs this year. So this is my test pattern. I've already done my muslin and just had to do a few tweaks to the pattern. But overall it looks promising. Just need to cut out and put together.

Also, part of my FFSA challenge is to drape a top or dress. Well I think I'm going to go with a top. I'm thinking of some designs and since I'm so visual it helps to have a fit model. Well that's where Barbie comes in.  I'm not talking about the 12" one I'm referring to the 38" one---The My Size Barbie. I bought mine off of Ebay YEARS ago for the sole purpose of using it try my designs on---especially after reading how others have used it for that reason. I knew one day I'd get there and that day is now so out of the closet she emerged. I'll give more details on how-to's later but here's Barbie with the "Wee-One". My daughter can't keep her hands off of it but she realizes it's Mommy's "toy". Also, guess it would be a good idea for me to make a cover-up or something for Barbie so she isn't so exposed. Anyhow, more details on my work with Barbie to come.....

Also, many of you FFSA participants are really rocking out your projects!!!! Some of you are way ahead of me!!!! Not everyone on the FFSA participant list has begun their projects. If you have and want to update everyone on your progress feel free to leave a comment below and a link to your website. I know some of you have in a some of my recent posts but feel free to do so again. When I do a final FFSA wrap-up I'll be sure to include everyone who did finish their project. Ok that's it for now.......

Burda 7192----Loving My Charcoal Gray Pants!!!

It's day 17 of the Fearless February Sew Along and I finally have my first garment to show for!!! Don't worry, the other pieces should role out more quickly. You may recall that I started off the month trying to sew up Jalie 2909 and wasn't able to resolve the back leg wrinkles so I switched over to Burda 7192. I'm so glad I made the switch and although I had a few issues trying to tweak the fit eventually I figured it out---yay, I figured it out (Thank you Jesus!!!!) and I've made a pair of pants I'm pretty proud of!

Now, I must admit that these pants are a SWEET VICTORY for me! I've been trying to learn how to fit pants for YEARSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! I've studied how to fit pants for YEARS! You may recall the posts I've done on the subject. But even with that I still couldn't quite get it right. Then on last week the "light bulb finally came on" and I did it. I had an epiphany of sorts. I'll be honest---it didn't take rocket science or brilliance. Actually, just a little work and ingenuity. That's it---plain and simple. I'll tell you what I did in the next post! But for now, let me show you my pants. They're not 100% perfect but I think they turned out great! I wore them for the past 8 hours and have been all over the place---in and out of the car, at church, at the store, etc. and they still look pretty good--only had a few wrinkles. That's my usual test on how good a garment is---by the way it holds up to wear! So these definitely get an A+. So here's my review......

(Yayyyy, my pants after 8 hours of wear! They still looked great!)

Burda 7192

Time to Sew:

These weren't too bad at all. I was able to tackle it in a few hours.

Sewing Ease (scale 1 easy to 10 difficult):

Not hard at all. I'd give this about a 5. As a whole pants without any fancy designs are pretty easy to sew. You just sew up the legs (front/back piece)--put the 2 tubes in each other and sew up the crotch curve. Then progress with the rest.

Pattern Description: 
Pants with mock yoke pockets.

Pattern Sizing:

Size 14

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

YES!

Were the instructions easy to follow?

For the most part. I had to pull out some other resources for clarification. For instance I didn't understand how they recommended sewing on the waist band. They recommended sewing it on as 2 separate pieces and then sew the center back seam. It could've been just me, but it was a tad bit confusing.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

The pattern is WELL drafted! I loved the wider leg and the slimmer fit at the waist. There were little "mock" pockets---I mean they were pockets but hardly usable. They could've just omitted them.

Fabric Used:

Charcoal gray suiting fabric. I think it was a medium weight gabardine. It was perfect for these pants!

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I didn't really make any major changes. I adjusted the fit of the pattern to suit my body and get a good fit such as crotch curve changes, etc. I'll discuss that in my NEXT POST. I did lengthen the pattern by 2". That actually ended up NOT being long enough--especially to wear with 3" heels. So I could only do a 5/8" hem on it. I knew I should have made it longer---especially since I have about a 34" inseam. I did have to eliminate the gaping in the center back of my waistband and that was easy to do---just added a dart in it.  I also skipped adding the crease. Also---I made some "unintentional changes"---aka mistakes.--LOL!!!I had a little snafu with the zipper insertion but recovered from it. It's sad because I clearly wasn't paying attention---I've used Sandra Betzina's fly front tutorial countless of times and have never had a problem with it. It's the best tutorial out there.

(no crazy back leg wrinkles!!!!!!!!!!)

What would you do differently next time?:

I would probably leave off the pockets since they aren't very useful.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Not sure if I'd sew it again but I highly recommend it. Since I'm so short-waisted, I usually wear my shirts out and thus don't need a pants with all of the pockets, belt loops and such---no one ever sees them. I like pockets and stuff in my fitted jeans/capris but not so much my slacks. Might not make much sense but it's my preference.

Wardrobe Versatility:

It's charcoal gray---it practically goes with everything. I'd love to pair it with bright colored sweaters (hence the bright pink) like bright yellow and orange. I think these are definitely a wardrobe staple.

Conclusion:

Very nice pair of pants!!! I couldn't be more pleased!!!!!

Ok, I have a few more garments to work on. Off to do some more sewing.....

Don't judge a book by it's cover.....

....or by quickly glancing through it's contents. It's day 6 of the Fearless February Sew Along and I'm trying to work out the fit kinks on my Burda 7192 pants muslin. I've been going through my library grabbing my fave pants fit books---reviewing materials just to make sure I'm not overlooking anything. In the midst of that I rediscovered a book I've had on my shelf for a good while now but really hadn't dove into it.

 When I first purchased this book I assumed it had very basic fit instructions and since I have LOTS of books on fit it just fell to the bottom of the pile. Well after flipping through it I realize it's a real gem. For one the photos of fit problems are very clear and so are the solutions. But the best part is I checked out the pants fitting section and low and behold I was quite suprised. The pants fitting section isn't overly exhaustive but immediately I FOUND MY FIT ISSUE outlined---right there in black and white. I mean there is an entire section devoted to my problem---which I really didn't know had a very descriptive name. It's a "Full Buttocks and Tilted Waist"! That's me!!!!!!!!! Short crotch in the front and long in the back!!! Out of all of the fitting books I have, I've never seen both issues addressed together and fit solutions offered.  See the fit suggestions below:

Now mind you this knowledge doesn't make my fit process any easier. The author says there's alot of trial and error needed to address these full butt/ tilted waist issues. I mean the first line of defense is to lengthen the back crotch curve which pulls due to lack of length. Other suggestions include scooping out the crotch, adding some to the outseam, etc. She also goes on to say that pants fitting isn't an easy process (I think we've all figured that one out) and that she sometime made upwards of 4 to 10 muslins to obtain a good fit. I think my jaw just fell off and hit the ground. There's just alot of big adjustments and small fine-tuning that sometimes has to happen. That sure is alot of muslins, but considering how much work it takes to perfect pants patterns it makes sense.

I'm happy to have discovered this info. It's nice to have a book that showcases "real" figures and fit solutions for them. This book is a great companion to Palmer Pletsch's "Fit for Real People".  Mind you I'm only on muslin #1 with Burda 7192  and still have a few more adjustments to make and alot of fine tuning. I hope I get closer with every step. I hope I don't get anywhere near to 10 muslins.......Hopefully with the in-depth suggestion above I won't have to:)