Fiber Fool

Pattern: Simplicity 4377, View A, Pants Only
Fabric: 3.5 yds Clearance Cotton from Hancock Fabrics, Scraps from first two-tone skirt, Wright’s Piping, Offray Ribbon, 3/4″ Wide No-Roll Elastic
Recipient: My Sister, Amber
Cost: ~$12, not including pattern price

Notes: I learned many things with this project. It was my first set of pants. I had made a pair of shorts in seventh grade home ec, but that was an awful long time ago. I made my first buttonholes. I tried my first facing hem for the pant bottoms and am still not entirely successful. I used piping for the first time. The drawstring techniques was unique - the back half of the drawstring is actually elastic! That works quite well. I learned this size is indeed a bit large for me. I can certainly go down one size if not two.

On the first leg of the pants I pressed the facing in half and turned in the raw edges, sewed it to match the circumference of the leg bottom (I thought). Then I slipped the bottom of the leg into the facing, pinned it and sewed it in place with the zipper foot so that I could stitch close to the piping. I ended up with a couple puckers in the contrasted facing. For the second leg, I again pressed the facing, but then sewed the inside of the facing in place so I knew where to close the circle. Then I turned it right side out, folded the facing up, pinned it and the piping in place and sewed around the leg one more time. I still ended up with a few puckers in the contrasting fabric. *sigh* I’ll get it eventually I suppose. The puckers don’t matter too much since they are PJ or lounge pants.

I am giving the pants to my sister. I thought I’d sew some for her first to check the sizing. She and I are big PJ people. I get new PJs from her about every other year for Christmas. These will match her slippers that she got for Christmas 2005. I’m not sure if I’ll be successful in hanging onto them until her birthday in October or until Christmas next year. I may end up shipping them off to her as a surprise before then. We’ll see. I will want to find some sort of t-shirt or something to go with them too.

I have this same fabric in warm tones for me. I’m also thinking I’m going to use an orphaned top sheet to make another pair as well. Aside from the facing at the bottom of the pant leg these were very easy and quick to make.

————————————-

For more eye candy, check out Chris’ Gentleman Socks!

See Vera’s Two Thumbs Up, also made out of handspun! (Google’s English Translation)