Sewaholic Thurlow

Long time, no sew! I didn't complete a single project in August and I plan to make up for lost time. 

After my last project, my black coduroy pants,  I purchased the Sewaholic Thurlow pants pattern because I wanted to tackle something a bit more fitted, and I basically have NO pants that fit me since I put on 7kg in the past two years. I had about 6 pairs of lovely size 8 work pants that I had to sell on Ebay because my new big booty and thighs were far too big for them.

I really need a pair of basic black pants for band and orchestra gigs, and for a smart look at work during winter when it's too cold for dresses with tights. I decided to try the pattern out for the first time using this lovely pinstriped suiting that I bought last year from Spotlight. It looks black but it's really, really dark navy. So dark that I had to take it outside into the sun and hold a piece of black fabric next to it to discover that it was actually navy.

After perusing the back of the envelope, I decided to cut the smallest size (0), based on my waist measurement. I didn't make any alterations to the pattern, but I will have to next time to get a perfect fit. It took me about eleventy-five hours to trace my pattern pieces and then cut out all 47 pieces I needed to make the pants. I think I'd done 3 nights' work, about an hour each night, before I even sat down to sew.

The pants came together very easily. I was REALLY worried about the welt pockets, as I have heard horror stories about them, and I really am not that good at sewing so I thought I would completely balls them up. I took the bull by the horns and didn't even do a practice one, just made them straight onto my pants backs. Let me tell you, if you haven't done welt pockets before, you MUST follow Lauren's from Lladybird's instructions! It is absolutely impossible to eff them up if you do. In fact, if your pockets aren't perfect after following her little tute, then you have a turnip for a brain!

Here are my welt pockets. They look a lot better when there is no bum in the pants making them gape open. And for some reason, one of them is too close to the back crotch seam. Oh well! I think they are bloody brilliant for my first go.

 

By the time I was 90% finished and was able to try the pants on, I realised I needed at least an inch more in them. The best I could do was to reduce the side seams as much as I could. The fit is just on the small side of perfect.

My major eff-up (there's at least one in every project I make) was that I somehow made the waistband quite a bit wider on the right. And when I sewed my buttonholes, something went awry and the bottom buttonhole is too small for the button, so I just left it undone. If I can be bothered, I'll sew a smaller button on.

It took me just over 3 weeks to finish these pants, for various reasons. One, I had barely any time to sew. Two, the last month of winter was so hot (I'm talking bare legs and arms) that I completely lost all desire to sew pants. Three, I realised that I have basically nothing to wear with navy pinstriped pants.

 

Thankfully I finished them on Saturday and today I was blessed with a cold, rainy day so I grabbed the opportunity to wear them. I found this white blouse in the bottom of the ironing basket, where it lives for 364 days per year. It is really see-through and I didn't think that having my bra on display while teaching at a boys' school was a good idea, so I popped on this cute waistcoat which very nearly ended up being donated the other week. I'm glad I saved it because I think this makes a super cute ensemble! 

 

 
Look what I can do!