Clothing Engineer

Burda 4/08 #113

I’ve been waiting forever for a cargo pants pattern like this, though I think I’d lengthen the legs to full length.

Correction: sagewillow has brought to my attention that this is in the April 2008 issue, not the 2007 issue.

Ever lusted after that sexy bowlegged look? If so, Vogue V8397 is the pattern for you.

I’ve noticed a trend of very weird, very oddly shaped coats, pants,
skirts, etc this fall. Lots of very big, boxy coats that seem to
swallow the models, skirts with heavy draping in the front, and very
high waisted pants that seem designed to make the wearer look as frumpy
as possible.

And now tapered bowleg pants are added to the mix.

I made these up a few weeks ago in brown 100% linen. I washed them a
few times before doing final alterations to the center back seam and
darts. These are basically a wearable muslin. The pictures below are
taken at the end of the day, so that’s why there are so many wrinkles
everywhere.

Here’s the front:

and here’s the back:

I
know the fit is not perfect, but it is a lot closer than anything I’ve
done so far. Here’s the different alterations I did with this pattern:

• For
  the center back seam: my waist is a 36, while my hip is a 40. I tapered
  in what I thought would be around where a 36 would fall, but this
  wasn’t nearly enough. I had to take in the darts a generous 1/4″, and
  taper in the CB seam at the top also by at least 1/4″…it might have
  been even 1/2″. (This pattern starts at a 38, so tracing the 36 line
  was not an option.
• While cutting, I based the CB crotch curve
  starting from a little less than the 38 line ending up at a little more
  than the 40 line.
• I decided to do something differently with
  the pants legs to try to eliminate those darn back wrinkles! I slashed
  the back pant leg right below the crotch seam, and angled the bottom
  leg piece so that a 1/2″ wedge was formed at the hip. I wonder if this
  is why I needed to take in the hip 1/4″ on each side later on…it
  ended up adding a lot more fabric in this area, which I thought would
  fall over my hip and help the pants hang straighter. I don’t think I’d
  do this again.
• I narrowed in the waistband more on the top than
  bottom. I am very happy how the waistband fits, but my fabric didn’t
  ease as well as I thought it would into the waistband, which is why I
  have a little bit of extra in the seat.
• I scooped out the CB
  seam by about 1/2″ on the bottom, since there was too much fabric in
  this area and I was getting a very unattractive wedge there. I started
  to taper from where the CB seam starts, and about 3 inches away from
  that had my widest part of the scoop, then tapered back to the original
  CB seamline. It looks somewhere between an L and J crotch curve.

Everything
would have worked out better if I had been able to fit the waistband
better, but since I did many of these alterations afterwards I only had
so much room to play with.

Read the pattern review here.

I made View A, the longer shorts. I added 1″ to the hem to give it
an inseam of 3″ instead of 2″. I made it out of a cotton/lycra
bottomweight. It feels almost like a cotton satin…I’m not sure what
it is. But I got it on clearance for about $1 or $2.

I also interfaced the fly.  I made a special pattern piece just for this, which is shown below:

Read my pattern review here.

I actually made these back in January, but just got around to taking
a picture and writing a review. They’re made out of a lightweight wool
broadcloth I picked up on the cheap at Jo-Ann Fabrics.

One
thing I do remember about these pants is how tight they were! In this
photo I let them out considerably. Next time I think I would use a
stretch woven. I have a feeling though that this is user error, since I
did not include seam allowances on the pattern, and opted to instead
try tracing them onto the fabric at the time of cutting (along with
eyeballing the seam). Big mistake! That’s why I now use a seam tracer before cutting out my pattern pieces.  It is a much more accurate way for me.

Read my review here.

Here’s the projects I have my eye on…I will continue to update
them throughout the month as my needs change and I find more
interesting styles.

In Progress

Summer blouse, fuchsia 100% cotton eyelet: Burda WOF 3/07 108

Notes:

• Currently on hold until I can find 1/4″ elastic for the sleeves.
• I
  could barely fit the pattern pieces on the one yard of fabric
  recommended.  I used size 36/38.  I would use at least 1 1/8
  yard.
• Very vague instructions on how to sew the front
  band.  Reference another pattern or a book if you have not sewn
  this type of blouse opening before.
• Since this is such a
  light, casual blouse made out of eyelet, I did not interface the collar
  or front band.  I would not skip this step if I were to make it
  again.

Upcoming

Spring/summer skirt suit in champagne polished cotton stretch twill.

Suit Option 1

Jacket Vogue V8042, View C

Notes: I love the classic, timeless styling of this jacket, and it looks like it would make a great basic jacket pattern.Skirt Burda WOF 12/2006, 106

Notes: The
pattern description says it works best with fabrics with some body
(like denim, or the twill I want to use).  I am just not sure of
how the fit for Burda skirts are.

Suit Option 2

Vogue V8045

Notes: This
style has a lot going for it.  It is recommended for stretch
wovens, and includes skirt and pants as well as jacket. The unique
jacket styling has plenty of seams to fine-tune adjustments.  I
admit that it looks a little overwhelming, but I could be wrong.

Blouse

Burda WOF 1/2007, 105C - white 100% stretch cotton shirting; ivory 100% silk charmeuse

Notes:
I love the look of the waist darts - it looks very easy to nip in the
waistline if needed.  From the magazine photos, it looks like it
would work well with softer, drapier fabrics as well as fabrics with
more body.

Shell

Vogue V7947, ivory 100% silk charmeuse

Notes:
I’ve made the jacket from this pattern before with good results. 
I wonder a zipper can be somehow put in on the side.  I don’t like
the idea of maintaining a nice fit while at the same time leaving
enough ease to pull it over my head.  I’m sure it can be done. On
a side note, the pattern recommends tweed, crepe, gabardine, and double
knit, but in the photo it looks like it could be silk.