She's Got Legs - Part 2 Burda Pant 9 2010 108

I loved the clean, preppy look of these Boden pants that popped up in my google search for pants.

Boden is a British clothing retailer selling primarily online, mail order and catalogue. I remember getting a unsolicited Boden catalog a couple years back and being impressed by the bright, modern patterned fabrics used for classic styles of clothing.  At the time the European sizing put me off ordering. They now have a USA website.
 
This style has a contour waistband, slant pockets, and slim ankle length legs.  They are available in a wide range of colors. The web site  calls this version  the " TIPPED PANT - A fashion-forward take on the definitive tailored pant. Featuring luxurious detail around the curved cuffs and pockets, these  are just that little bit different. "   I particularly liked the two color trim on the shaped hems of the legs and the pockets opening. 

 

 My best fitting pant pattern, the Eureka Pants that Fit, have tapered, not slim legs. I found a Burda pattern with the style of leg I wanted,  Burda 9 2010 108, and combined the two patterns,  using the Eureka pant pattern above the crotch level and the shape of the Burda pants below the crotch. 

 

The pattern is downloadable from this link.  Burda pants-09/2010 108

The fabric  I used is “Dress Denim” from JoAnn Fabrics, a blend of poly rayon and lycra navy with a dark microdot weave.
 
The trim is ¼ inch  red and white stripes of bias binding applied to the pocket opening and the shaped hem.

To replicate the trim I used purchased bias binding.   1 package white bias tape extra wide double fold and 1 package red double fold bias tape quilt binding.  It was super easy to apply and looks just like the inspiration trim. 

First step was to cut the white binding in half along the middle fold line. One side will be ½ inch wide, the other will be slightly wider than ½ inch. It is folded this way to facilitate the application method using the package instructions.  I did not use this method.

 

 

First step was to cut the white binding in half along the middle fold line.

 

 

Lay ½ in  width  binding with cut edge along cut edge of fabric.

 Top stitch  close to folded edge with white thread. 

 Lay one folded edge of red bias binding ¼ “ from topstitched edge of white binding. 

 Top stitch close to folded edge with red thread.  

 

 

 

 

 Wrap excess red binding around the cut edge to the  back side of fabric and hand sew in place, using white top stitching line as a guide.

 

 
Shaped Hems
 
I hemmed my pants  and applied the binding to the hemmed edge. I could have eliminated the hem and applied the binding to a cut edge of the bottom of the pants . I kept the hem because I wanted some firmness and weight at the bottom of the leg. The last 3 inches of the outside leg  seam  was left unsewn. After hemming I made a curved template that I used to cut the curved shape at the bottom of the  side seam.   I applied the white and red binding to the hem edge curving around the corners and along the side seams. Where the raw ends of the bias meet the side seam I  treated the bias  like welting on a pocket opening. 

 

Y cut at end of seam  before trim is secured

Hem trim

 

 



Pocket trim

 

 

 

Sewing friends have commented that I have a nice pair of pants whose colors are appropriate for wearing on  patriotic occasions; Memorial Day, 4th of July, and  Military Appreciation Fridays at work.

 

She's Got Legs - Part 1 Burda Pant 10-2011 127

Sometimes I use the contests on sewing sites and blogs to motivate my sewing.  More often than not I do the research and planning, purchasing, and finish a project, but rarely enter the contest.      My enjoyment comes from the process and the finished product.

This time it was the Pants Contest on Pattern Review.  I have lots of black, navy,  and gray work pants and the usual selection of jeans, straight leg, skinny, flared etc. So what kind of pant to make?  I love to do google searches where I put in a descriptive term, the word “pant” and look at the images.  You never know what will pop up. I sewed two pairs of pants

The first one was a flare leg pant. Picture source: Illustrated Fashion Alphabet Check out this site for great fashion info and history.

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I have to alter the back of every commercial pant pattern  I sew and it gets old. About a year ago I attended a pant fitting workshop with Rae Cumbie .  We sewed and fit muslin of her Eureka Pants that Fit pattern.

 I left the workshop that day with a great fitting trouser with a slightly tapered leg. I have sewn several pairs of them for work.   But I wanted some other style pants with the same great fit.  Yes, in theory I could have drafted flare leg on the Eureka, but after  reading several  different methods in my drafting library and being totally overwhelmed,  I  decided to try superimposing the Eureka  pant pattern over a Burda  pant  pattern that had the leg shape I wanted.  And that was this pattern.

 
"These mid rise boot cut trousers are ultra-flattering. They lengthen the leg with a slight flare. The back is left smooth but the front has decorative patch pockets for a finished look." The pattern is available for download at this link.       Burda Pant 10/2011 #127

  The first thing I did was establish the center line on the front and back pattern pieces, of both the Eureka pants and the Burda pants. I assumed both patterns had been drafted using standard pants drafting techniques, which puts the middle of the front halfway between the side and the crotch point.    And midway between the inseams and out seams from hem to knee on both front and back. Continue the  fold to waistline. This establishes the center on each piece, which should be parallel to the grain line. Note: grain line is often marked on the pattern, but is not necessarily in the center.

   I lined up the crotch line of both front patterns. This will work on pants styles where the crotch is worn/drafted at a normal level.   It would not necessarily work for culottes and wide leg pants which often have dropped crotches.   My front Eureka pattern matched the Burda pattern pretty closely, front crotch curve,  side seam and waist seam. That made me feel more comfortable about using this superimpose method   The back pattern piece is where all the differences were.

My bottom is low and flat so I do not need all the fabric, waistline darts, and the center back dart (back wedge)  needed for a higher, curvier bottom.  I used the Eureka pattern shape above the crotch line on the back. And the Burda leg shape below the crotch line.  Below is the Eureka pattern (pale yellow and outlined in green on top of the Burda flare pattern (white).

 

 

The fabric was purchased from Marcy Tilton a couple of years ago and supposedly it was used by a French company for pants.  The fabric has a tiny bit of stretch. It was sold by the panel and  expensive.  The border print ran along one end of the panel. There were some white (unprinted) spots in the print and the fabric was actually in my give away pile when I thought.."what have I got to lose…"  I did have to so some descrete piecing in the back crotch.

These pants have an interesting patch pocket with a welted opening.   I had the welt lines marked on the front pants pattern pieces when I decided to read the directions and discovered the welts were made in the patch pocket pieces.  Hmm nice design.  If you mess up the welts, the pants are not a loss.

1. Make welts in the patch pocket shape



welts basted in place

Welts sewn and basted shut with zigzag stitch

2.Sew lining to patch pocket shape on three sides.

lining sewn to patch pocket

3.In lining, cut slit under welts and hand sew  to  welt seam

Sew patch pocket to pant front. I used an edge stitch foot.

 

 

 

 A fun pair of pants with a retro flare!