Liminal: an adjective meaning something that occupies a transitional space, that space right at the border between something that was, and something that will be. Sewing is my meditation and my prayer, my best shot at just being.
Drawing and painting work that way for me too. But today I'm sewing. I'm sewing these pants, wonderful comfortable spring-like pants.
The fabric is linen in a narrow stripe that reads gray. The darker threads are blue but the effect is gray, I think. It is a lovely piece of fabric, perhaps a bit stiff for this billowy pattern, but that's OK. It works for me. Today. Now. I'm working hard to eliminate that thought, that cliche, do these pants make me look fat?
I added a patch pocket, as I often do to finished pants. I would never tuck in a blouse with these pants (or any others) and so I don't need a beautiful pocket, but I like a useful one. This sits close to the waistband and is almost invisible unless I use it. I'm not sure why, but I don't think of it until I've finished pants.
The pattern is the Hudson pants pattern from the Sewing Workshop, one I've used a lot. I haven't put the darts in, choosing instead to add an inverted pleat to each side.
I faced the hem with a 2" wide bias strip of cotton to give it a bit of weight.
I fussed a bit over the waistband, happily reworking it 3 times. The Hudson pants pattern includes a cut-on waistband. This is problematic because of the typical changes I make to accommodate my shape. The top edge of the pants is so off-grain that a cut-on waistband is hard to neatly fold. Why bother? This time, I remembered to eliminate it. I added a waistband cut with the lengthwise grain of this wonderful stripe.
 |
| Top is the Cottage Shirt. |
The side seams are straight up and down, so I eliminated those too, making what Louise Cutting calls One Seams.
That's it. Just a comfortable pair of pants to wear today. Now.
 |
| Top is the MixIt Top |
*This title comes from a recent (and challenging) post by Richard Rohr, alluding to the layered way I experience sewing.
The pants looks great on you and the whole outfit with the green and red tops are elegant.
ReplyDeleteI looked at the hudson pattern on The sewing workshop website, unfortunately they sell it as a bundle and it is expensive. that's a pity, they have some amazing patterns.
I liked all of your outfits on you - glad to see what the patterns look like when made up. I need to get busy and start sewing again.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Martha. Thank you. I like the idea of hem facing on pants. I've done it once or twice but have to remember it more often!
ReplyDelete