Today we received the very sad news that Cilla Black has died. This is particularly poignant for our family as my Mum and Dad got together after going to a Cilla Black concert so I wouldn't be here if not for her. So have been doing fun stuff today listening to the tributes to Cilla on the radio. Fun stuff equates to finishing off a pair of trousers I started making earlier this week! I have a real problem buying trousers as the tops of my legs are very large compared to the rest of them so if I get a pair if trousers to fit my waist and the rest of my legs they are so tight at the top, and if they fit the tops of my legs, they're massive everywhere else. After doing lots of internet research using every search term I could think of including 'wide leg' or 'cropped trousers' and combinations and variations of these I happened upon the following pattern:
I was particularly delighted with the pattern because I have a skirt that I bought around 5 years ago but have never owned a top that would go with it. The top (which is part of the pattern) will be perfect!
For now though, I've focused on the trousers. It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago and so with some of my birthday money I treated myself to some new dressmaking scissors...
They are amazing and I was excited to use them for the first time on this project. One thing I was still concerned with though was the legs. As it turned out, the legs weren't the issue! I'm quite round from waist to hip but I properly go in at my waist and I wanted to make sure they would fit. So when I measure around my widest part I discovered the pattern to be around 10 cms too small. So I added in some extra material - you may be able to see the red lines in these pictures...
On pattern piece 14 I extended on the left hand side (foolishly didn't extend into the crotch though too so they are a bit snug around my hips).
My sewing machine is a classic. I was bought it for my 17th birthday (I'm now 41) so whilst it was modern in its day, it's now 24 years old. It's a Brother VX-2013. Good luck if you ever want to find out anything about it. I think Brother only made 2. Mine and one for a woman who needed a replacement part for hers - pretty much the only other reference I've ever found to this model on the internet!!
My mum and sister have been suggesting I have a new one for Christmas but I'm the sort of person who hates to replace things like this if they still work and this does. It starts to get very noisy and wobbles my table sometimes but then every so often (such as for this project) I remember to oil it and it's back to running perfectly again! Maybe it's me that needs oiling occasionally too!
I am also the lucky owner of Janome 8002DX overlocker.
This was a present from my family for my 40th and is one of the most amazing gadgets I've ever owned. These trousers I made in fake linen so it frays quite badly. With the overlocker you get such a professional finish and the fraying ceases to be an issue.
I started making the trousers on Wednesday whilst still on annual leave. It was a really simple pattern to follow with the most challenging part being putting in the invisible zip but I think I did it quite nicely!
I finished them off today! I'd stopped on Wednesday because the waistband was supposed to be 2 inches but this was just too big for me, I needed it to be an inch wide. I was tired at the point I stopped on Wednesday and so I was concerned I might end up cutting the waistband wrong so I finished the waistband today, did the turnups and added in the hook and eye and then they were done!!
I am delighted with them. As I mentioned they're a little snug round my hips but they'll be fine. This is what they look like on:
It's been a long time since I made trousers but this pattern might get me to start doing them again. I think the long version is great so in the coming months I'll probably give the longer version a go.
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