This is my second finished make from my three makes vintage pattern pledge. My first, a skirt from a Betsey Johnson design is here and these trousers are from the same pattern. I made these a while ago but it took me a while to get them photographed and even longer to blog about. They are a mixed success.
Forgive the rather anonymous poses, these pictures were taken the weekend our cat Mindy died so my face was all red and puffy from crying. Anyway, back to the trousers. They were made from Alison Glass Handcrafted in Geese which is a monotone graphite white print. The end result was a rather high contrast for trousers as you can see from the snap below so I dyed them with Dylon hand wash dye in navy. I tend to keep away from the machine stuff have ruined a machine seal with it in the past.
Like the skirt, the pattern fits pretty well and I like a wide trouser but the fabric doesn't really have sufficient drape to carry off this shape and without heeled shoes on they do not really work. They also don't have pockets and whilst this was OK with the skirt, trousers without pockets always seem a little pointless to me. I feel self conscious wearing them and find it hard to match them with any tops in my wardrobe. I don't wear much dark clothing as it tends to drain me of colour. The top in these pics is from a Japanese pattern book, 'She Wears the Pants' and all details can be found here.
There is a very '90s feel to these, and I guess to many of the modern swathe of Batik prints that are coming through at the moment and I don't think it's really for me. I really fell for this fabric when it came out but sometimes you need to look beyond that and ask yourself if it truly suits you and I think this one is definitely up for question.
Ho hum. Not sure what to do with these, they haven't even had a wearing yet! I will be moving on to the jacket part of this pattern next in mustard corduroy and I think that is distinctly safer territory!
I see what you mean about the lack of drape. They would look much nicer in something more flowy. I wonder if you could draft pockets somehow? The shape is really nice on you, and I love the yoke.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about your cat, Kerry. It's so frustrating when you spend time making something that leaves you feeling a bit meh and you know you'll never wear it, isn't it. I actually really love the fit of these on you, but can see what you mean about the fabric. Do you ever donate your handmade clothes to the charity shop? I've thought of doing this, but haven't quite got there yet - I don't know why but I feel odd passing my stitches on to others that I've never met before, but have no logic for feeling this way, when I frequently pass on my children's clothes that have huge sentimental value - I think it just feels oddly personal...x
ReplyDeleteI like the shape and yoke -this style in a different fabric would really work for you (with welt pockets at the yoke line?).
ReplyDeleteI am loving the dyed fabric -the tone on tone of the 'geese'. I wonder what you could repurpose these into?
Could you make a just above the knee skirt like we do with old jeans?
ReplyDeleteCut off and use a piece of the leg to fill in the vee?
I can totally see this.
I actually thought your pants looked great! I love the way you dyed them, and I think the full, stiffish shape is neat! Maybe I'm still attached to the nineties... :D
ReplyDeleteI'll be honest...I can see why you don't like these. The fit looks fabulous, though, and the style definitely suits you - is there any chance that the fabric will soften and therefore become more drapey with wear/washing? They could be 'house trousers' until that happens...
ReplyDeleteP.S. Sorry to hear about Mindy xx
P.P.S. Could you salvage the fabric and make a skirt?
I think the dye job is great, but I see how they aren't you... do they work as a comfy pair of lounge/pajama pants?
ReplyDelete