This is a review of the Seamster patterns Rose Hip Tights
Mari asked me to test her new tight pattern. Cool tights. Even at my age I love tights and have often admired the “cool” ones. Never bought them though. Too expensive for the ones that might fit me if I could even find them! I have several pairs of the plus sized plain tights. They seem to fit well when you put them on. You stand in front of the mirror in your bedroom and think ” that looks pretty good”. You realize when you bend down to put on your shoes, that was a mistake. They roll down a bit and you wiggle them back up. Little did you realize that when you get home from your evening out, that the only thing you remember from that wonderful night, was that you had to find a quiet corner so you could adjust those da$$n things. The tights waistband spent the evening down around the crotch or worse!!!! The tights come off and they either hit the garbage or the bottom of the drawer and you give up on wearing dresses and concentrate on making dressier pants. You might even have “funeral” pants instead of a funeral dress.
Cool tights! How fun is that. Mari’s instructions are that if you are in doubt, size down. I sized up for my first pair. Too big! I did my best to take them in and they are a lovely pair of tights. So I went back to trace the size XL. I was a 45″ hip last year! I did a 1inch addition at the center back waist line. I call this my “plumber butt” adjustment. I do this on almost every pair of pants I make. This pair is perfect. I can wear them all day and never never have to find a place to quietly adjust or wiggle them back up. I love that I can use 1 1/2″ elastic at the waist. I feel nice and secure with sturdy elastic. I love that the ankle does not bag. I love that all of my cool knits can be cool tights. I love that my tights are not in anyway sedate or ordinary. Complete strangers are stopping on the street to ask where I bought them.
I love the foot on these tights. There are no seams to rub anywhere in your shoes. There is a very very clever foot on these tights. I think I want to make a pair with stripes on the foot and plain on the rest of the tight. I also want to make a pair for my 6′ tall sister with her size 13 foot. She has way more problem than I do with fit.
Careful now. They are addicting! Now I have to find my skirt patterns!
These look fantastic. Thanks for the review! I too have spent an evening out slyly adjusting my tights and wishing they fit better.
OK, you have me excited about trying this pattern!
your review has really inspired me and I’m ready to give this pattern a try…however, one question….can you lengthen the foot? I wear a men’s size 12.5–my heel to toe is 11.5″. I always have problems with “plus size” hose because it’s too big in the waist hip to stay up and not long enough in the leg and full enough in the thigh….this looks like it would work because I could adjust the length and get the top to fit. Thanks for response in advance!
Yes you can lengthen the foot quite easily. I did it on a pair for my sister. The sizing for the pattern mentions shoe size. So the largest foot size using my memory is I believe size 11 or a euro size 42! Easy to fix! Elaine
Great review! Me want!!!!
I think this may be my favorite pattern review ever. Great story, fit issues were described and clearly explained how they were resolved. A perfect pairing of photos and fabric used to illustrate (I can see what you mean about the feet fit), a fab model in charming poses. All that AND the pattern itself sounds like it does what you want it to do. I often wonder if a positive review of a pattern is mostly a positive reaction to finally having something that fits better than RTW, and less than the pattern in question. This is both. And hey, nice tights!
This is a great review of this pattern. Love that these are footed!
I did make a pair for my sister. I added 1/2″ in length above the knee and the same below the knee. I added about 1/4″ to the largest sized foot to accommodate her size 13 feet. She would have liked a bit more crotch depth at the top so I added 1 inch all the way around the top of the waistline and she will use her 2 ” elastic next pair.
Awesome!!
I did not use an over locker for either pair of tights. I sewed the first row with a regular stitch and then added a row of zig zag stitching really close to the first row. I have a new serger now and will make my next pair with it.
I had my best luck fabric wise with the poly knits. Less rolling of the fabric. Watch the amount of stretch in your fabric. I believe Mari calls for fabric with 50% stretch across grain and at least 25% in the length wise grain.
I made these with a 45″ hip and they still fit even though I am now a 47″ hip. I did not add any length to the pattern as the stretch in my fabric was good lengthwise . I have a 32″ inseam.
Thanks for this info! I’m the same size as you (and tall and big, too), so it’s nice to know that these will fit well.
Your tights look great! I have the same problem with bought ones slipping down, and I’m a shortie. One question though – do you need an overlocker (serger) to make them?
My tip for RTW rights: wear underpants over top of them. I wore tights almost everyday all through my teenage years (i was punk/alternative and write some crazy clothes, plus I got chafe badly if I didn’t) and I always for undies over. Not only does the elastic at the top of the legs help keep them up, but if you need to hoist then up your can do it by pulling up the top of the undies, rather than being to adjust at the legs/crotch
Great suggestion! I’ll try it!
Good idea – I bought some bike short-looking things from Junonia and they do the same thing, plus this eliminates the dreaded thigh rub.
Super helpful review and super cute tights!
Totally recognize your fitting description of pantyhose and tights. I’m 5’3 1/2″ tall and round and they don’t fit us shorter gals either.
Will have to try these.
Brilliant! I love your tights, they’re gorgeous! Not something I would EVER have thought of making for myself, given that I recognise ALL your descriptions of ill-fitting tights and can add a couple that plague the shorter rounder gals amongst us. Thanks so much for the review.
A very useful review, thanks for sharing.
I have seen a couple reviews for these tights and I am definitely intrigued by them. I hope to be able to pick up the pattern, once I get a few other projects off the table. However, each review praising them makes them less and less likely that I’ll wait.
Great review. I think I will order this pattern.