Experience: AAAAAH this took so much time! I really loved doing this project but felt like I rushed a bit towards the end. I’m still very pleased with it moving forward.

Successes: It fits! The pockets work! The waistband can hold my belt, and I can crouch in these pants.

Mistakes: Hemming was a nightmare, and tailoring the canvas copy made me want to die because of how thicccccck the fabric was. Also finishing the seam was gross BUT my legs seams are finished

Future direction: I loved making these pants, and would love to make pants again.

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I also used the numbered pattern paper instead of the brown paper. I can redraw with the pattern paper if necessary.

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extended straight facing (B)

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I had problems with the facing, I did not make the front and back long enough, so I modified the blouse so that I wouldn’t have to recut and re-iron the mesh onto the facing pattern bits.

initial inspiration

initial inspiration

The next tiles are what inspired the idea of heart cut-outs. I also like the aesthetic of that heart shape, and that was added to potential ideas for the full garment.

cut out without chest ripping open

cut out detail

Finally I found images of chaps rather than assless pants which I could use as design ideas for the actual shaping of the pants themselves. In this case, I want a slightly looser fit throughout the leg, like in the image on the left, but still want the garment to be snug around the bum. This would include the fabric that stretches down from the waistband between my cheeks to connect at my upper thigh.

idea for fit of the overall trouser

idea for thong part of back

With all of these images and ideas swirling, the garment coalesced. Instead of chaps, I would make assless pants. They would be a light shade of pink or brighter with goldenrod hearts all over. I am still torn between having the hearts be cut-out or having them be a different shade of the main fabric for the pant altogether. The pants would sit relatively high on my waist, have a bulky goldenrod industrial zipper in the front with a yellow button. Close fitting but not tight fit throughout the leg. Would be tight in hips, with butt area surrounded by goldenrod bias tape regardless of heart decision. Would have a strap from high waist to upper thigh to keep pants in place. Hem would hit ankle.

idea for color, design

idea for back

I had problems with the images so here is also the google drive link to higher resolution images: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AFB0E7fTAwljxBvB2uZ9xYCvpMiexkb3?usp=sharing

Back Armscye

side overall, sleeve

back overall

Front overall

bent shoulder

Front Armscye

bodice front

angle side bodice

back bodice

angled back bodice

trouser hem

There were several modifications to the bodice and minimal modifications to the trouser.

First, the trousers were shortened by 2.2 cm at the hipline, and 4.2 cm at the ankle. The hem was also shortened by ~4 cm. The back crotch was extended by 1 cm.

For the sleeves, 5cm of ease was added on either side and slanted down towards the wrist. Overall, the biceps were widened by 4.2 cm at the bicep and narrowed by 2.5 cm at the wrist.

For the bodice, the back darts were widened to 5.6 cm, the front darts were lowered by 1 cm and narrowed by 0.4 cm. The side seam was widened by 1.2 cm. The armscye was also lowered by 1.2 cm and the curve was extended to “end”/merge at the original armscye at the back point, and extended the front curve 1cm past the mark of the original armscye.