Vogue 1517 pants in stretch faux suede

More crazy lighting.  It looks like I took these photos on the surface of the sun or something, not a shady spot in the backyard!  Anyway, the pants are black (not navy) and the sweater is lavender (not white).  The cowl is detailed here.

These pants are Vogue 1517 from last fall.  I have finished the jacket, also, which I started waaaay before these pants.  I think I finished it not long before the move, so you know how that goes... Pics of that coming soon.

I cannot for the life of me remember where I got this fabulous fabric.  I thought it was GorgeousFabrics.com but I can't find it in my order history.  I don't think it was Pennie Fabrics in Florida.  Maybe it was from SawyerBrook.com.  I'm not sure.  Anyway, it is a great stretchy faux suede.  It has just enough stretch for these pull-on pants.  I think the fit of mine turned out pretty spot-on to the fit on the model.

I usually lengthen my pants by a few inches, but I forgot on these.  When they were finished, I decided they were a smidge shorter than I wanted so I added a little cuff on the bottom.  This turned out really well.  The fabric holds a fold beautifully, so I can leave them unrolled, cuff them up, or roll them halfway, so they go with any shoes I might want to wear.  In these photos, they are half-cuffed - rolled up just enough to cover the seam.

The fit on these is quite good.  I always have good luck with Vogue pants.  They are a little wrinkly, but I don't think you can avoid that with a close-fitting pant.

I am very happy with the fit from the side view - no bagging under the butt or in the crotch region.

My only dislike about these is the narrow waistband.  I find myself hiking them up quite a bit, and I think that could be improved with a wider elastic waistband.  Of course, this is something that I could fix in 30 minutes, and who knows, maybe I will, but they are fine for now.

I tried to get a nice view of the vertical seaming and top-stitching.  This is the best I got.

These pants fit right in my wardrobe.  I am still a big fan of skinny pant and long tops.  I am trying to come around to the "new" silhouette of roomier pants, but you know me - I'll always be a few years behind.

Vogue 1439, kind of

Has it REALLY been more than three months since I've posted?  I guess moving really takes it out of me!  Well, I am pretty much settled into Pennsylvania now.  There are still plenty of pictures to hang on the walls and rooms to be painted, but I have been in my new sewing space quite a bit lately, and I have some things to show for it.  

First up is some pink pants.  These are not at all my favorite pants ever.  :-(  They came out pretty baggy, probably due to the stretchy fabric, and I forgot to lower the front rise, so they sit higher on the waist than I'd like.  I'm trying to embrace them as more of a casual chino style than the skinny pants I am used to wearing these days.  We'll see...

 I used the same pattern as my favorite red pants, Vogue 1439.  I think the problems are, as I said above, the fabric is stretchier than the red, and I didn't lower the rise.  I also added some standard pockets, going for more of a jeans look.  That makes it harder to adjust the width at the hips later.

 Looking at this side view, I'm kind of hating the combo of the leg width and where it hits at the hem.  Ugh.  I am thinking maybe just taking in the side seams an inch or two and see what happens.  It couldn't hurt to try.

 The fit is good, though.  I just don't love how the style turned out.  The look great in the back!

Today, I tried to wear them more casually, rolled up a bit and with sneakers.  I like them more today, but I still don't love them, and they have grown through the day.  The fabric is a stretch denim from JoAnns, but it's a very lightweight denim.  

What do you think?  Leave them as is?  Take in the side seams?  Just let them go?

StyeArc Elle Pants (and some other stuff)

This is kind of a 3-for sewing post.  There are three recently sewn garments, but only one of them is from a pattern, so I'm putting them all here.

These pants are StyleArc's Elle Pant, with many thanks to my local sewing friend, Myra, for enabling me to finally try the company.  She seems to wear pants made from this pattern often, and they always look great!

My pants fabric is a stretchy woven with a fuzzy texture, like velveteen.  I bought the fabric at Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota and purchased another fabric at the same time for a second pair of these pants.  I made this pair first since the fabric was less expensive.  That's my version of a muslin.  Ha!

The vest is also a fabric from Pennie Fabrics.  It is such a fun, unique wool fabric that I had to have some.  I was originally planning a sleeveless top to wear over a long-sleeved tee, but in the end, I decided to try a waterfall cardigan-style vest.  It is "self drafted," but really, it's just a big rectangle with holes cut for arms and hemmed all the way around and at the armholes.  Looking at these photos, I'm going to take another look at the hems and trim any bits sticking out and give it a good pressing.  The edges look sloppy to me here.

Back to the pants - I do have an issue with horizontal lines forming around the legs while wearing.  Does this mean they are a little too snug?  Does anyone know?  I'm not sure whether to cut my next pair a half inch larger at the outseam to try and combat that.  I don't want to give up the close fit, though.  These are supposed to be skinny pants, like woven leggings.  I guess if I do cut them a bit larger, I can always take out the extra if I want.

 The top is made from a very stretchy ribbed knit  from Fabric.com that I purchased specifically with this outfit in mind.  Since it was so stretchy, I didn't want to use a regular pattern but instead traced a similar purchased tee shirt in my closet.  It worked out fine.

 For the hems, I just zig-zagged over the raw edges.

 I wanted to play with the ribs at the neckline and so I used the cross-grain.  Um, don't do that.  I should have known better.  It doesn't have enough stretch this way.  It barely fits over my head!

So overall, a successful winter outfit... just in time for spring to arrive here in Florida.   :-)

Outfit Remix

I am still getting caught up on posting new garments.  I am planning to roll them out one every second day. 

I took a photo of my outfit today, though, since I'm trying to do some remixing in my outfits.  I tend to wear the exact same outfits over and over.  I don't think I have every done this combo before, though, not that it's earth-shattering.  :-)  

The pants are Simplicity 1696 and the blouse is Simplicity 3789.

Vogue 1439 pants in RED

These pants are my favorite ever!!  Between the zippered pockets and the awesome fabric that does NOT bag out at the end of the day, they are my best yet.

 The pattern is Vogue 1439.

I was drawn to the fun little zippered pocket on the front.  I made the zipper exposed on my version in keeping with my more casual fabric, and I'm really pleased with how it came out.

 ...so pleased in fact, that I used zippers on the back welt pockets as well,even though the pattern includes regular single welt pockets.

 I am happy with the fit of these also.  I have documented my own personal challenges with fitting pant legs for my "protruding thighs." Ugh I hate that fitting term.

Overall, a great pattern I may make again.  The fabric is from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota and it is really fantastic.  Nassir (the owner) kept telling me how great this pants fabric is, so I finally bought some, and yes, he was right!  It has some stretch but doesn't bag out.  The recovery lasts all day.  I would love to get some in white or a pale tan, but I think he only had bright colors last time I was there.

 I must sheepishly admit that I bought this top at Target a week ago.  I even have a couple of striped knit  fabrics waiting to become tees, but I saw this and couldn't not succumb.  I have a slight stripe infatuation.

Simplicity 1696 in black textured cotton

Hello!  Well, I got my act together today and photographed one of my un-blogged sewn projects.  Of course, these cropped pants are probably 6 months old, but you have to start somewhere, right?

This is my third version of Simplicity 1696.  I also made them in army green and navy/white jacquard.

I left off any back pockets on this pair - real or faux.  The fit in the legs is the best I've done with this pattern, though.  I took out some length in the back pattern piece right under the bum where I was getting wrinkles before.  I'm sure the fit also has a lot to do with the stretch factor of this fabric.  :-)

The waistband could be snugger, but who wants to rip all those side seams and waistband top stitching?

My only issue with these (and with the other two pair, honestly) is that they fit great first thing in the morning, and then they get baggier throughout the day.  These are the worst for that, and I think it is because the fabric is textured and as I move around and sit in them, it kind of flattens out the texture.  Every time I wash and dry them, they go back to the original fit.

Here is a closeup of the fabric texture.  I t is another purchase from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota.

Vogue 1436

Well, I didn't even make it to round 2 in the Pattern Review Sewing Bee.  I'll just assume it's more to do with the simplicity of my blouse than my lame sewing skills.  :-)

If I'd had to fit pants for the bee, though, I think we all know I'd be out with these:

Ok, yes, I should have made a muslin. I got cocky.  From now on, all new pants patterns will be muslined by me, but it's really a moot point, because I will not be straying from my TNT (tried-and-true) for a long time.

Here they were last time I showed them.  They are Vogue 1436.  I was able to improve the back a bit, but the front fit suffered.  I think the proportions are just weird, too.  The high waist makes the zipper look too short and my rear look saggy.

I wore them with a longer sweater over top and it was fine for church.  I don't think I'll be wearing these often.  It would be a fun exercise to make some very similar in style but starting with my TNT pattern.  Not for a little while, though.  I'm over pants for the moment.  

I am of course most upset about using this gorgeous tropical wool from Pennie Fabrics in Sarasota for some blah pants.  Live and learn...to make that muslin!

Simplicity 1696 - My New TNT Pants

I have a new TNT pants pattern - Simplicity 1696.  It's one of their "Amazing Fit" patterns, and it delivered for me.  You definitely need to follow the pattern instructions (not go on auto-pilot, like I usually do) since there are some changes in the seam allowances and order of construction to make them easier to alter as you go along.

 I widened the legs a bit and lengthened them to full length to make some dressier trousers, but now that I know how they fit, I plan to make some more versions - maybe some skinny cords and some crops.

 The only fit change I needed to make was to scoop out the crotch an additional 3/8" and then take in the inner leg seams 3/8" tapered to nothing at the knee.  I think the crotch fit is great on these.  What say you?

 The only real problem I have and am not sure how to fix is the front pockets sticking out a bit.  I can work on that on the next iteration, though.  I will also lower the waistband 1/2", just for personal preference.  No more faux-back welt pockets either.  I'm going for the real thing, even if I stitch them shut with no pocket bags.  They are too bulky made this way.

 This pattern offered straight, average, and curvy fits pieces.  I thought I'd be straight or average since I consider my shape to be pretty rectangular these days.  Imagine my surprise to find out I'm "curvy" all of a sudden.  Any thoughts on getting rid of the wrinkles in the back below?  I think I'm in danger of over-fitting soon.  These already fit better than many of my store-bought pants.

Edited 9/20 - I was so excited about the pattern that I didn't even mention the fabric!  It's a recent purchase from Penny Fabric, a great fabric store in Sarasota (no website, sorry).  It's a cotton woven jaquard, I think, with navy and white.  I should have gotten a closeup.  It's gorgeous!  I'm thinking of getting the same fabric in tan/white on my next trip (if it's still there).

McCalls 6707

Here are some fun cropped trousers I made a couple months ago (for the botched SWAP contest, but oh well).  These are all photos I took to submit for the contest (and then forgot to!) but I have to say, I prefer them with a white tank that my mom happened to give me recently.

The pattern is McCalls 6707, and the fit on these is quite great, I have to say, and I did no big alterations.  Just took them in a smidge at the waist.

 These have a cute waistband detail, but I just don't like them with a shirt tucked in.  I don't have a tiny waist (not complaining... very happy with myself... etc. etc...), and prefer not to highlight that part of my body.  I blogged about the orange top here.

 This top is Vogue 1259, here.

 All in all a success in my book, that I'll be able to wear easily into fall.  I definitely recommend this pattern.  The fabric is from JoAnns, a plain gray twill and one of their "fashion bottomweights," I think, but I can't find it online anymore.

 This sweater is blogged about here.