Soooooo. Not everything we sew turns out the way we want. Even worse, sometimes we sew something up, match the plaid like a dream, have a beautiful fly, and . . . Yeah, sometimes the finished garment is a *womp womp* nightmare. Ugh.
I started out writing this post about a pair of trousers, and then said trousers turned into a plaid, cashmere wadder. I’m now left with no trousers, but, I decided to press on with this post for the sheer reason that part of a collective is about the process, the success, and the failure. Though, in this case I’m calling these pants a “failess”, meaning a half fail, and a half success on the execution of plaid, that fly front, and–well–because the process was fun.
The pattern culprit: Vogue V8836. View C. Very Easy Vogue to boot.
I shamelessly crowdsourced the pattern, asking if I should brave new water or go down the TNT path. Le sigh. The crowd and I leaned toward the Vogue pattern.
Man. I so wanted to be Marlene Deitrich. I almost had it! So close, but kismet was not in the air for this one.
First up: I didn’t bother hemming these or putting the button on the waist. Once that waistband was in I was all “Oh hells no on a frozen Saturday in hell itself!”
And . . . so that we can discuss this pattern without wondering if I’m over reacting, here’s a side view (since we are all going to be side-eyeing these anyway). Do you feel my pain yet?
Ok, and for my own vanity, I can really make pants folks. Of course, the real point is that just because a sewing project bombs doesn’t meant you should give up. Of course, when bombtastic horrors happen, promptly walk to your closet and find a completed project that you love. Remember that over the sad horror shows.
Thurlows, Baby. Thurlows. And yes, my purple plaid are the bomb. I’ve got a black pair, that are faded past grey, with half naked men lining the pockets. No fear, they’ll show up in May for Me Made. Always do. And yea, ain’t none of us on the east coast anywhere near shorts right now.
And these:
One of my Thurlow posts, but . . . wait for Me Made May. Thurlows will appear. Trust me. So with those in mind, I remind myself that pants do come out. These, now, are just ones of those things . . .
Okay, so that Vogue . . . now that we we know pants are possible!
I cut a size 22. I shortened them two inches before cutting. Next, matched my plaid like a sewing diva.
Was so good . . .
Le sigh, for dramatics.
Then . . . Then I scooped a whopping two inch seam from the crotch, a half inch seam from the rear (and that made me feel great, honestly), and still the crotch is like a frumpy flag down there. Yes, this is on top of the 5/8ths seam allowance. Wowsa!
Okay, full on side eye:
What is with that crotch length? Fly paper for freaks is what it is. Imagine it before I scooped all that excess out!
I would say so much shame, but yea . . . things happen folks. Sometimes a pattern is just not meant to be. If I had a small, flat butt, a small, flat as a pancake stomach, and straight, flat hips (over my pear-like ones) then yeah . . . I could so be pulling a Marlene right now. C’est la vie.
Instead . . . I have a folded up pair of pants that are hibernating until next winter when I cut them up into a paneled pencil skirt. See? Cashmere blend saved, warmth found for next winter as I refuse to believe this one will not end. It might be the el cheapo, questionable cashmere from an infamously famous “always going out of business” shop in the garment district, but . . . it’s still worth saving for a skirt in the future.
Sum total:
Pattern Rating (1-5)
- Size Range: 4 (there was one size after the one I cut)
- Instructions: 3 (The fly insertion was iffy, but that is also a personal taste issue of sorts. )
- Construction Process: 5
- Eh . . . the fly insertion is iffy, I read it and thought it needed to remind a sewer to–ya know–have the overlap to make the fly closed and showing the zipper. I tend to insert flies in an old school way, as someone once said “we stopped inserting flies like that in the ’40s! You and your over detail.” Eh . . . we each have our own methods, so I keep my fly insertion method. The rest of the instructions are what you expect for pants. Sewing up the crotch was particularly well illustrated though.
- Of course, I also believe the process is what you make of it. I was in my head, in a good place–actually I was remembering a beautiful week of work on the southern coast of Turkey and a day in Greece–so the pants were a great deal of fun to sew from a learning and technical standpoint.
- Final Fit: eh
- Overall Rating: 1
This pattern . . . it ain’t for the curvy. I escaped my own chaotic portal for a few hours on these, but. . . never again.
Rest assured, my table is already going with the next project: a palate cleanse of TNT goodness: a Nettie bodysuit and a couple more bras. So, when the trousers go to hell in a hand basket, set out to make some near instant gratification pieces to ease your seam-ripped soul.
So now that I gave you my horror show du jour, tell me . . . what are some sad makes of your own? Oh, we all have them. Yes, yes we do.
You definitely pattern matched like a pro. Serious skills that I have yet to learn.
I tried this pattern last year. I initially ended up with a similar fate to your lovely hard work. What I did find though, is the pattern does work with softer, more floaty fabrics soooo much better. Think I’ve palazzo trousers.
I made a simple a-line skirt yesterday that looks like a bunchy sack of misery on me. BUT, I have a plan to try and rescue it and meanwhile I am going to make a TNT half-circle to restore my faith!
First- the only way to get a decent pants fit is to use the Threads article called Draft your own pants for a perfect fit. http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/22794/draft-your-own-pattern-for-pants-that-fit
No one seems to do curvy sized pants patterns well at all. I’ve followed this article, then used the pattern by laying it on top of the commercial pattern. That way I don’t have to draft the details.
No need to cut up the pants, just stitch a center front, center back and you’ll have a cute skirt!
Thank you so much for sharing. The honesty and the humor were just such a perfect antidote for failure. It is so comforting to know I have sew sisters who also have collisions with reality, but still keep stitching. Nice to know i am not alone!
Thanks! Anytime!
Reading through your post, I wonder what you mean by scooped out the crotch? And then the rear? The pattern envelope shows high waisted pleated pants, but yours appear to be sitting much lower. Perhaps that’s part of the problem? The fullness of the leg also looks like the intended design, though the envelope suggests a flared fullness….sometimes the envelope lies. :-p Anyway, too bad these didn’t work out. I have this pattern but haven’t sewn it because pleat front pants sounds like a bad idea — but the envelope was so effortlessly stylish I had to have them, anyway!
I had to take in the crotch and rear as they were soooo droopy on me.
It’s just a bad design for a my figure. C’est la vie.
To me, it doesn’t even look like the same pattern you showed us. They look way too tight in crotch & thighs. Having lived thru the era of pleated pants i know they are supposed to lay flat. Not trying to be rude. My jeans tend to fit this way. Since i am not a fitting expert i would really like to see what Mrs. mole would have to say about adjusting these pants. (As that would help me as well)
This was the best fit I could get. Sad, but true. . .in short, this pattern is not for me. 🙁
It’s a shame they didn’t work out, although on the line drawing they look to be an extremely loose fitting pant!
I’m curious why you gave it a 4 for sizing range though – it only goes up to a 48 inch hip. I think I’m at least 7 inches away from that! And I know a lot of curvy sewers are in the same boat as me.
Hi Michelle,
That four is because this pattern envelope only goes to a 48. But . . . Vogue divides the envelopes into three sizes, there are some more after this and in larger sizes too.
With this pattern though, there is no third tranche of sizes. Size 24 is it, sadly.
Did you make a muslin, or just cut straight away into your good fabric? Although I HATE muslins, I do find them absolutely necessary for pants patterns.
Yea, out of muslin fabric. That was the problem . . . my fabric was heavier and draped differently.
I haven’t summoned the courage to make trousers- so much room for error – but I have to say Ioved this post for the humour and the pace of it. And that plaid matching is fantastic. Looking forward to the upcycle.
Thanks. Yea, plaid matching is my jam.
This month I have been working my pants mojo and trying to come up with a TNT… my belly/thigh/bum trifecta makes pants an enigma…. I am working with the Endeavours (cake patterns) and having excellent learning opportunities: I had a similar reaction to my first pair this month (dans la poubelle!) when I went with my full hip measurement. I read a post (http://itch-to-stitch.com/youre-wrong-hip-measurements-dont-work/) that suggested I use a stick to include my belly in the full hip calculation and I had much better luck. (I’ll put the images on flicker…)
OMG!! What fabulous info….back to my ill-fitting pants muslin to see what I can do. Thx!
This a great tip.
Hi Heather,
I actually have a pattern (well a hybrid) down to a TNT now. I just made jeans (number seven), and yea . . . no pleats, down to an art.
In a few weeks I’ll do a write up on how I took two patterns and details from RTW to finally get the fit down and pocket size perfect. 😉
I’ll keep an eye out for that one, I’m definitely interested in some jeans making.
Yup. Pretty much my tum and my booty go in two different directions at almost the same time. When I just had one (booty), I could do the draped trousers. Now, no. I have to make them into one measurement (using the stick to smooth that process out is brilliant)
To compensate for all that fabric around the top part of my lower anatomy, I taper to the ankles with as pleasing a round shape as I can.
Or make jeans. If you have a pair that fit, I cannot recommend the Kenneth King Jeanius class on Craftsy enough. The man changed my life.
Your plaid matching was amazing! Congrats on that, but so sorry the pants didn’t work out. I think a pleated front with a fly is hard to wear if you have any hint of a tummy. I had my own fail lately with Lisette for Butterick B6168. I don’t think I’ll be attempting another wrap front top in a woven for a long while.
I had a bad experience with a Lisette tunic top, the one with the little v-cut-out at the neckline that came out last spring-6168. I’ve looked at all my Lisette patterns (I love the designs) and I think that for my body type they’re just not going to work very well. There isn’t enough front length, and the shoulder seems to have an EXTREME downward slope from neck to shoulder point. It’s a shame because I like the designs but they’re made for a slim, small breasted, pear shaped, extremely sloped shoulder figure, and I’m just not that shape. I did the sew along with it even, and took her advice on altering the bust (though she seemed baffled about what to do if your bust is more than 4″ over what the pattern calls for)-the shoulders rode up in the back, and I was constantly tugging it down-it was absolutely annoying to wear. It was a gorgeous teal linen, too, really broke my heart. It can all be worked around, but I just don’t want to work that much
I bought it because I saw some lovely versions and I’ve sewn a ton of her kid patterns, but though I am pear shaped I discovered I was just too busty and square shouldered. Sob! I just had to give up because I’d already spent too much brain power on it and nothing helped it fit better.
I know exactly what you mean-I don’t mind doing SOME alterations but when I nearly have to build it over again from the ground up, that is a sign that it is just not the pattern for me. I think I might alter an existing wrap front I have, one that I know fits me through the shoulders, and just add the little neck piece and a shaped waistband to that. I think that might be an easier way to have the effect without having to remake the wheel.
Thanks! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Fails . . . I have come to believe they are markers of being a “real sewer” now. We all have them. 🙂
Yes, I agree with many others that a different fabric – lighter with plenty of drape? – could make a difference. Also, I think this design is intended to have plenty of ease. Loved your post because it made me study your photos and think! Thank you.
Thanks. Yea, the fabric was a bad, bad choice. Oh well. I still had fun though.
Consider turning them into a pencil skirt, Like we do with jeans You definitely put in enough work on the plaid, may as well enjoy it.
Of course. And upside: pencils never fail me. LOL.
I really like the pants; however I agree the waist and front pleats don’t help. Have you considered trying to make a front panel with three buttons on each side, like old fashioned sailor pants sans pleats? Not too sure how that could be accomplished or if you even have enough fabric left over to try it.
That’s a cute idea . . . maybe in the future . . .
I would never have expected the fit results on your pants based on the pattern picture. Those pants look so loose almost like a culotte/skirt. Vogue strikes again. I’m not sure what you mean by scooping out the crotch? Is that a pattern alteration?
Oh, and what are Thurlows?
http://www.sewaholicpatterns.com/thurlow-trousers/
Yea, shortening the crotch . . . it was soooo long. And, yea, the picture was not the results.
A long crotch makes pants hang nicely, away from the body, in the manner of movie star pants from the 1930’s.
If you look closely at the movies of the 30’s and 40’s the style of pants almost looked like long skirts and there were generous amounts of fabrics and the crotch area wasn’t as fitted as we see today. I have found that pleat front pants on myself either accentuate the area I try to hide by spreading or I look like a barrel with too much fabric. So I stay away from this style.
Maybe you should hang them on a wall and frame them? Ha ha just kidding but you did do a super job on the plaid matching so they are a piece of artwork to me. Sorry about the fit!! I think those of us who sew for ourselves have all been there at some point and knowing we are not alone is important. Thanks so much for sharing with us 🙂
Anytime! 🙂 I do love some good plaid matching.
I would be tempted to try the pattern with a different fabric… something that might make those pleats in the front lay down better. Love view A!
Maybe. Maybe. . . Though, honestly, I think I’ll just avoid pleats for awhile.
This comes at a perfect time when I have two wadders sitting on my sewing table. Also, I can’t tell for sure but it looks like you may have the pleats in backwards on one side of the pants. If so, fixing them could make a world of difference in how the front lays on the body.
I was thinking the same thing about the pleats but maybe it’s the lighting..
I actually did the pleats twice. Really. 🙁
I believe the pleats on the left side are facing in the wrong direction. If you adjust them (flip the pleat) so that the opening faces the pocket it will make them lay flat. a bit more.
Loved the post and really like your writing style, very readable :).
Thanks. Very much.
I really love your post! And feel your pain! And I’m really glad you shared this adventure with your readers, because sometimes our sewing adventures are more about the process, not the finished result. Thanks for sharing!
It is . . . the process. I had a great amount of fun making these horrible pants. 🙂