More Eureka!

Today I completed yet another pair of Eureka! pants from Fit for Art. After having been fitted by Rae at the Atlanta Expo last March, I have a perfectly-fitted-for-now pattern for fitted pants. What fun to know that almost any pair I make will fit.

This pair is as close to jeans as I get these days. I recently purchased this beautiful navy blue cotton denim from The Sewing Workshop for exactly this project. Often I make purchases without any particular plan. This time was different. I knew that a hole in my wardrobe could be filled by dark navy denim pants.

Because I could count on the fit, I decided to try something a little different. I used Sandra Betzina's excellent instructions from her Power Sewing book to make a fly front. Strictly speaking I think it's a mock fly front but, seriously, who wants all that bulk that you get with a real fly front.

Sandra's technique does not require a matching zipper. It will never show.

Adding a fly front meant that I needed a waistband, something I often avoid by creating a facing or even binding the waist edge. I made this waistband as narrow as I could and still accommodate an appropriate button. I think it finished at under an inch wide.

Even after I trimmed, graded and pounded it, the area for the buttonhole was too bulky for my wonderful Bernina automatic buttonhole maker. Luckily I made several samples and discovered this before even trying on the actual waistband. It was a no-go. My Bernina also has a separate foot for manual buttonholes that I almost never use. It worked out perfectly for this. It's so nice to options!

Because I am (really, really) trying to lose weight, I changed the construction order. In particular I attached the waistband to the front waist sections and the back waist before stitching the sideseams. That is, I cut and attached a waistband section to each front waist (on either side of the zipper) and a separate waistband to the back waist.

I am ever-hopeful that I'll need to take the side seams up some day soon and this will make that easier.

Also just finished this small gift for fiber art friends who are getting married. Each person in our group is making them a 5x7 piece of art. I do love fiber art. It never has to fit.

MMM Day 3

For Day 3, I chose this trio: jeans, white shirt, and patterned pull-over.

Pull-over:

The pattern is Hearts A Flutter from Cutting Line Design. It is longer in the back than in the front with deep slits at the hip. I vaguely remember enjoying the construction process, but it's been quite a while. I added navy piping to highlight the interesting lines of this pattern. I should make this again. It's such a good pattern!

I love the cotton fabric and would buy a bolt of it if I could. Alas, I purchased this from the now-defunct Silk Road fabric shop in Austin, TX. They had such delicious fabrics. This one seems to have a positive and negative side and I believe it is from India.

Jeans:

The jeans are made from a medium weight dark denim. I used an OOP pattern from Sandra Betzina for Vogue (#7179). Several years ago I had the honor of taking a three-day class from the one, the only, fabulous Sandra Betzina. She was a delightful person, and sounded just the way I remembered her from Sew Perfect on TV.  She fitted these princess-seamed pants to me.

Top:

This is a TNT pattern for me - the top portion of the Mix It pattern from the Sewing Workshop. I've made it so many times that I've lost count. It is just a great top for hot weather and a perfect under layer when it's not so hot. I used a cotton pique for it.

Pants Fitting with Sandra Betzina

Sewers know. It's the Holy Grail of fitting. That pair of pants that fits just right. Pants that look good while standing and feel good while sitting.

This time around I chose a pants pattern with princess seams in the front and back. It is designed for woven materials. There are no darts, just 4 vertical seams and a center back zip. No waistband.

Vogue 7179 - Sandra Betzina's Today's Fit OOP

This pattern had particular appeal to me for two reasons. First my increasingly flat behind is hard to fit. I cannot see it properly. And having a seam right over the problem area had some potential for a fix. The second reason is that I had the opportunity to be fitted by Sandra Betzina and so I wanted to use one of her patterns.

The workshop started with Sandra determining the best size for each of us based on the pattern block used for her patterns for Vogue. This was accomplished with basic measurements she took plus samples made up in each of the following patterns.

Vogue 1165 - top pattern for wovens

Vogue 1411 - pants pattern for knits

We tried on samples of each pattern until she identified the size to use. She also noted changes that would need to be made in the sizes indicated. For example, I need one size in the waist and another in the hips. The samples gave us all a good starting place.

After this initial fitting, I went back to the hotel, prepared Vogue 7179 above and cut it out in a medium weight denim. The next day I basted it together so that Sandra could tweak this specific pants pattern. After adjusting as she suggested, I was pretty close to a good fit.

At that point I decided to postpone completion of the first pair of Vogue 7179 until I could go back and adjust the pattern tissue. After returning home, I did that and started a second pair of pants. My thinking was that I probably screwed something up and so I wanted to keep the first pair easy to study until I was sure.

That second pair was too darned tight. I let out the side seams and they are ok. This second pair really is a muslin. The fabric is a very cheap, very firm, very light gray cotton canvas. They look a little institutional because of the color and they are really too firm to be comfortable. The lesson? select fabric that feels good! I now have a pair of pants that will be fun to dye, print, paint, screen and mess around in.

After this second pair though, I gained confidence in my pattern tissue and finished that first pair - the denim ones. They feel great!

And so I made a third pair. This time I used a purple (!) bottom weight Japanese cotton purchased from Louise Cutting at the recent Atlanta Expo. On the bolt it had a slightly slick appearance. After washing and drying, they have more of a soft denim feel and look.

They feel great too!

Now about that purple. I was a little worried about purple pants. I wondered if they would become closet orphans with no toppers. But today I started pulling out my spring clothes and, Voila!

Purple pants are my new neutral. I have more purple left in the stash!

By Sarah Veblen's definition, these pants are slacks as opposed to trousers (looser) or jeans (tighter). I like that right now, especially in a fabric that has very little drape. For drapey fabrics, I tend toward the trouser look. For that look, I like tapered one-seams from Cutting Line Designs or Sewing Workshop plaza pants:

Cutting Line Designs One-Seams

Sewing Workshop Plaza Pants

I did mock up a pair of those stretch pants of Sandra's, Vogue 1411, during the workshop too. I made a test pair in a teal ponte purchased in the shop where the workshop took place. Sandra also tweaked the fit on those. I have low expectations for that pattern though, as they are too close fitting. I might like them in black but this teal color will allow me to see if they are at all appropriate for my shape even with a tunic.

Because Sandra brought a lot of samples, I was also able to try on this pattern:

Vogue 1234

I was surprised at how much I liked it. I looked at it in the store mirror, but you know how mirrors lie. I sure wish I had ask someone to take a picture of me in it. 

If I make that Sandra pattern, I'll probably extend the cap sleeves into elbow length. It might have real possibilities with sufficient coverage.

In any event, I finished the Sandra Betzina workshop with much greater respect and admiration for her patterns and her styling. 

Sewing with Sandra Betzina

For the past two days I have been in a Sandra Betzina workshop. What fun!

I've longed for a class with this super star since the days of her excellent TV show. I watched those shows over and over again. So when I met her yesterday it was like seeing an old friend. For me anyway.

And you know how these classes go. Interesting and cheerful classmates surround me. Sewers are the best. 

Saturday started with a trunk show. Nothing like it to get your sewing mojo pumped up. Then she measured and fitted us for her Vogue pattern block. 

Day 2, I've made a denim toile of narrow leg pants with princess seams. After a couple of Sandra tweaks, I'm very happy. Now I need to transfer the changes to the pattern tissue. 

Tonight I cut out a toile for stable knit pants. I get one more day with Sandra so I'm anxious to baste these together. Here's hoping I can finish this workshop with two great pants patterns. 

But it doesn't matter much what happens tomorrow. I'm already thoroughly happy and grateful for this opportunity. Sandra like so many sewing teachers is generous and encouraging. 

I'll post better pictures and pattern details very soon.