Monday, October 13, 2014

McCalls 6361 - It's all Pants!

Having taken the Ron Collins class on pants/flies, I knew that I had to make up a pair as soon as possible and practice what I had learned.  With my local (only) fabric shop having a sale on McCalls patterns, I picked up a copy of 6361 - a basic ladies trousers pattern with a fly front.  Following advice from Threads Magazine about trouser fitting, I used size 18 (my hip measurement) and adjusted the crotch to match my TNT pattern that I have been using over the last year or so.  Having lost weight, I am finding that my 'me-made' clothes are not fitting very well, so I need to update my TNT's.


I made up a muslin that fitted OK-ish, and with a couple of minor alterations, I made up these bright red corduroy trousers.  The fabric was a 'hmm, that doesn't look like the colour on the website' when I ordered it a year or two ago, and it has sat festering in my stash ever since.  There is some lycra/spandex in it that gives it just the right amount of stretch.





I know, red is such a hard colour to photograph . . . . .   I can now see from these pics that I may need to make a slight adjustment in the small of my back as there is some puckering - a sway back adjustment perhaps?

I traced off the size 18 and then used my TNT crotch curves from previous trousers.  All in all, I pretty happy with these.

I then made three pairs of work pants - but in order to photograph them in daylight I didn't hem them, so please turn a blind eye to the bottoms.  I lost three inches to hemming!


C'mon, focus - take your eyes away from the hems and look at the rest of the trousers!!





As you can see - there is the same problem in the small of my back.  I'm actually wondering if I should let out the side dea,s a little.  I will need to check my fitting book.

And here are the last two pairs.  This fabric is a narrow pinstripe:



And finally in a soft mid grey fabric that I am now having second thoughts about.



I will take some more photos now that they have been hemmed - but that may not be for a few days, and I will be wearing the trousers to work before then.  I am mostly pleased with them - on the plus side I am thrilled that I have mastered the fly zips and pockets, but on the minus side I think that the legs are on the loose side, and the fit is a little snug around my hips.  I will wear them and see.  As I am still loosing weight, they will get looser over the next few weeks so it will be interesting to see how the fit changes.  I think that I may also try Style Arc Barb - although they are pull-ons, they are more tight fitting and I have a couple of other corduroys with lycra that I can use.  I can always add a zip if needed.

I will write a follow up post talking about the pockets, zips and closures as well as the waistband treatment - this post is getting rather long now!

All in all this is a great pattern - after a few adjustments, and I think I will make the skirt next as I am now hooked on fly zips!  I find these are quite labour intensive - probably about 3-4 hours each pair, but I think that the finished trousers look quite professional, and I do need to have quite a few pairs for work during the winter - all my lovely lined, pull-on trousers from last winter are too large :(

You can find my review of this pattern here.

Have you tried adding flied to your trousers or are you a die hard pull-on fan?

9 comments :

  1. Congrats on the weight loss. You look very nice in your new pants. Great job. and happy sewing.

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  2. Thank-you Judy. It is fun to have made some 'fitted' pants - but it also a little sad to see all the lovely pairs that I made last winter just sitting in my closet, looking unloved :(

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  3. These look like great, classic trousers. I had exactly the same wrinkles on the red skirt I made this year. I don't get them as a general rule, and I think it is because the side seams needed letting out a tiny bit. So if you are going to get smaller, the problem will likely solve itself!

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  4. Oh the perils of loosing weight. Doesn't it feel wonderful?
    If there's a bit of fabric pooling going on at the centre back would you be able to do a small sway back adjustment. Seriously though, if you usually wear your tops over your waist and not tucked in, forget that adjustment suggestion.
    And if the weight keeps dropping, enjoy your hard work.

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  5. I have made pants both with and without flies but because I never tuck my tops in and pull-on is much easier that is what I do now mostly. I did put a zip in my jeans and do put them in my husband's shorts, so I can when I have to.
    You have three nice looking pairs of pants for your efforts.

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  6. I love a pair of red pants and yours are great. All of the pairs look fab. Good job.

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  7. These are really nice pants. Mastering the zip fly and pockets really makes pant making easier. I agree that the legs are a bit loose. I'm sure when they are hemmed, it looks even better, though. Great job on losing weight! I've lost my sewing mojo because I'm losing and nothing fits for long. It's kind of a nice problem to have. Right?

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  8. i hate that we cannot see much of the pant since it is covered up with the shirt. I know we wouldn't go out of the house with shirt up but we can't see much of the fit.

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