Thursday 18 October 2012

Refashioned Pants...


There is easily enough fabric in a pair of man's pants, to make a pair of pants for a young girl. I began with a pair of Jag cotton/polyester pants and used Butterick B5019.


Image source

The only element I kept from the original pants, was the pockets. It took me forever to unpick them. These pockets were not meant to come undone!!! 

Pocket attached to original men's pants...

Once the pockets were off, I cut the side and inside leg seams to enable me to lay the pattern flat on the fabric. Butterick B5019 includes a pattern for 3/4 pants, but I wanted full length pants, so I just extended them to be the same length as an existing pair.

I resized the pockets by cutting along the fold line and then refolding along the old stitching lines. I really MUST take the trouble to go down to the shops to get a twin needle. Yes, I know, I said the same thing when I made some baby bibs the other day, but I still haven't purchased one, so I did two rows of stitching around each pocket.

The pockets are a tad large, but I wanted to keep the Jag logo. I could have placed them a little lower down, so they would sit flatter at the top, but I'm still happy with how they look.

I added inseam pockets the same as in the Mud Puddle Splashers I made in July.

I only used Butterick B5019 to trace the pattern pieces and for sizing, which looks spot on, except perhaps the crotch to waist, which may be a little large. We'll see when they're worn, as I usually find Butterick patterns to be on the large side. Basically, this is how I sewed the pants:
  • back pockets
  • inseam pockets
  • side seams
  • inside leg seams
  • waistband
  • hems

These pants are intended to be worn as protection from the sun, so they need to be reasonably loose to keep the wearer cool. I've never made a muslin for anything I've ever sewn, but that's how I view these pants. Get the sizing right and then I'll make a few more pairs. 


Being for a little girl, I wanted to add shirring, pleats or something to make it less plain. At the beginning of the year, I made genie pants using the same pattern. I thought they were gorgeous, but the little recipient didn't like the feel of the shirring I'd used at the bottom. Same thing with the shorts I made for her last Christmas. She didn't like the way they felt where I'd pleated the hems. Now the pleats weren't bulky and the shirring wasn't tight. She just likes loose clothing on her legs. Fair enough!!!  Next pair I'll find a way to add some girlie embellishments or maybe incorporate pink.

I'm adding these to the Children's Pants Link Party.

... Pam

4 comments:

  1. Very good, I love the interfacing on the pockets!

    Enjoy your thursday!

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  2. These look brilliant, love the pockets!

    Alison
    x

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  3. Lovely!!!! I really like the new version of these pants, they are beautiful. Your projects always inspire me, thanks a million for that!

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  4. Fantastic! You are the queen of upcycle!

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