SUMMER BREEZES PANTS COLLECTION...

...I know, it's about time - right?  I started working on pants for my Summer Breezes Wardrobe collection back on April 21st.  It was a long road people, but I do want to send out a big THANK YOU out to all   who stood on the sideline advising and cheering me on.  (I have the tendency of making a big deal out of everything - don't I?, - it's just my nature folks.)    I've had the idea for the Summer Breezes collection for several years - even named it, but just could never come up with the just the right fabrics in colors and prints that I loved at one time to make it come into being.  This is the same reason I've always found it hard to pull together any other hand crafted capsule or collection. 
 
But for this summer I decided to just go for it using fabrics that I had on hand and adding others along the way until I felt the collection was complete.  My vision of a summer wardrobe is one that is light,   airy and filled with water colors - ones that you think of for a mini beachy vacation or rendezvous.  Georgia is so HOT  people, and that makes little Summer Breezes a welcome treat when ever they do come along!  You get the picture I'm sure.

So today I debuted my cobalt pants with a top from last years sewalong which I think matched up pretty nicely.

I'm in love!!!  Not too snug, not too loose, no pulling or adjusting needed during the day.  They didn't grow on me as the day wore on, and everyone LOVED the color.  I'm happy folks, and feel that my month's worth of fitting work has paid off.  That's saying a lot for me when it comes to hand crafted pants.  I told my students about my print pair and they want me to wear them tomorrow for them to see because we only have four more days of school left.

Finally, a picture with one of my most favorite students, Briona.

She's graduating 3rd in her class.  Love her!  She's received a full ride college scholarship, and will major in music!  Briona never gave me one minutes trouble during the two years she was in my class.  Eager and thirsty for knowledge.  My prayers and a piece of my heart are going off to college with her too...

HAVE YOU HEARD...UPDATED

...about Project Sewn.  It's a real live virtual sewing adventure.  Only two more weeks left.  What a great idea!

THANKS FOR BEARING WITH ME...

...through my pants phase.  I've actually complete 5 pair - with only one pair being questionable.  The questionable pair (made prior to making a second muslin) is wearable (worn twice).  But due to the fabric choice, and a few wrinkles that I couldn't get rid of, I don't think they'll have closet longevity.   I recently completed pairs 4 and 5 that I am very happy with.  After a mini meltdown about a serious flaw  found in my beautiful stretch cotton sateen print fabric

I took my friend's advice and folded it width-wise.  Thank goodness - I was just barely had enough room for my pant length.  Full meltdown averted!

So here's another door picture of my latest projects

Black Gaberdine and print Cotton Sateen

To be honest, I have to admit that I'm about SICK of making pants.  Oh, I'm mighty glad that I've finally got the fit right, but there is something within me that forces me to work on an original plan until it's completely done is starting to wear on me.  Do you think I might have a little OCDness??? 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

TO MY MOMMY!!!

PANTS FITTING U...

...I'm still attending Pant's Fitting U.  Can't really give an anticipated graduation date, but I can tell you that I entered this semester willing and hungry to learn. 

I have completed two nice fitting pairs.  They are awaiting new tops that I have planned before I wear them.  I know that you'd probably like to see me wearing the pants to show the fit rather than a picture of them hanging on a door, but that's all I've got right now.  My plan was to make 5 pairs of great fitting  pants complete with a variety of matching tops - a complete 5 day wardrobe.  Wouldn't that be nice???  That's still the plan, but in the meantime,  here's a picture of my progress thus far

 

Cobalt Gaberdine and Aqua Linen Blend

 I'm currently making a much needed black pair, but I already have this fabric earmarked for my fourth pair.  This print definitely means that I am stepping out of my comfort zone, but  I've been wanting print pants f-o-r-e-v-e-r.  The colors fit perfectly in the vision I have for my "SUMMER BREEZES" wardrobe. 

Now it's back to work making the other 3 pair of pants a reality...



 

Pant's Muslin #2, and I Won Something...

...it took me an entire week to get back to my pant's fitting task because the week was so very busy.   By the time I got home each evening I was so pooped that I thought it best not to sew - so didn't.  In the meantime I watched two pants fitting videos - the one that was very helpful was from the Thread's Fitting DVD series, for waist and hips) and another one (which I won't even name) wasn't so helpful.

Taking the information I gathered from the Thread's DVD,  I took the changes made to muslin #1 (from last week), transferred them to my pattern, and made up muslin #2.  I was willing to sacrifice time for this extra work because I truly believed that it would yield great results.  Here's Muslin #2, and  I'm satisfied with the results.

MUSLIN #2

The muslin is comfortable sitting and standing (in fact, I'm wearing it right now).   I only had to try it on three times opposed to the usual 10 to 12 times (no kidding).  Could the muslin be better fit?  I believe that it could be tweaked further if I had the use of extra hands and another set of eyes.  But for my solitary efforts of fitting myself by myself, I think I did a good job.  I feel that I've learned a lot about pants fitting this go around, and am certain that if someone else needed help fitting pants I could be a valuable help.

There are five pair of pants in my summer wardrobe plans.  Hope I have zippers stashed in all the right colors.  Speaking of zippers - I usually pull out a special set of instructions I have for front fly zippers.  Recently I couldn't find my laminated copy and had to wing the zipper insertion.  I found that I've been using the instructions as a crutch.  Oh well, my skills are progressing...

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I won something really nice recently!  I love winning!  Who doesn't, right???

I won Kelly's give-a-way - Mimi G's Mermaid Fishtail Maxi Skirt Tutorial!

Thanks Kelly and Thanks Mimi G!

PANTS FITTING ISSUES...(detailed post)

...I can't believe that I didn't make a single pair of pants during the fall/winter season.  If you'll remember, it was back in September when I became completely involved with my Carnival of Skirts - that later turned into a sew-a-long -  and I didn't stop until mid-January when I began completely involved with making over my fabulous pea coat.  Boy didn't I enjoy wearing all those skirts ALL WINTER LONG!  Now I find myself in desperate need of new pants.

Last weekend I tried a new pants pattern - didn't work, caused disgust, trashed them immediately - don't even want to talk about that pattern.   So now I'm coming to terms with my old TNT pant pattern.  Yes, it's an OLD pattern, but I've been able to come up with some pretty nice looking and fitting pants from this pattern.  I wore a pair made from it a few weeks ago and a sewing friend asked if I made them.  She said that had she not known that I make the majority of my clothes, she would have thought they were RTW.  I trust her judgment not only because I was flattered, but it did serve to help with my confidence level.

When I make this pattern I turn the front tucks into darts for a more modern appeal.

Every pair made from this pattern have not been a total success, but the majority have.  Yet, I call it a TNT.   BUT if I still have to work out kinks, wrinkles, or other fitting issues IS IT TRULY A TNT PATTERN???  So I went back to the drawing board with the same old pattern - determined that when I need a new pair of pants, I'll be able to pick this thing up and simply whip up a pair - voila, yeah just like that!

So I:

•  re-traced the original pattern
• cut a new muslin without any preconceived alterations- starting from scratch
• extra tedious work - yes!  But I plan on it being well worth it  

  What does it matter that my pants are made alike?  I contend, especially when time is of the essence, that correct fit, good construction, and quality fabric is really all that matters with this particular garment. 

Here's a picture of my major pants fitting issue and what I'm doing to eliminate it:

Pockets are sagging a little, but I can fix that by stabilizing that area during pocket construction.

It's odd, but this pattern fits me perfectly in the back.  But as you can see from the front, I'm plagued with diagonal wrinkles that extend from the crouch to the side seam.  Here you can see that I've  following Peggy Sagers advice:

• working with a muslin I've pinched out the wrinkles, pinned up the excess (right side) in a diagonal dart, and then stitched the dart in (left side). 
• Peggy (see, now I'm acting like I really know her personally) suggests disassembling the muslin and using it as the actual pattern rather than chancing error when transferring the alteration it to the original pattern piece.

Next I'll:

• mark all basted seam allowances that I've altered to make a better fit, 
• then remove all the basting stitches, completely dissembling the muslin, and
• use the muslin pieces as my pattern. 

I won't make a second muslin because I think my diagonal wrinkle problem will be solved.  I have three pairs of pants planned as my next sewing projects, one pair being (believe it or not) floral. 

Maybe by mid week I'll have a new pair of wrinkle free pants...