I know it’s only February, but try telling that to my spring fever! GAH can it go ahead and get warm here already!? Since I can’t control the weather (something I’m still waiting patiently for, as well as for my own Hoverboard and Jaws 19), I can at least get a head start on pulling my warm-weather wardrobe together, yeah?
I said I wanted red pants… and I got my red pants! This is my second incarnation of the Thinlows, btw. Those are totally Thurlows hiding within those skinny legs.
Since the red cotton twill I used does not have any stretch, I was very careful about how much I tapered down these legs. As much as I love the super-duper skinny legs, I think I’d need a little bit of stretch to get my foot in there!
Thinning these down was… interesting. I scrapped my original pattern mash-up and properly retraced each pattern piece. Then, I straightened the line of the flare with a long ruler. I made a quick muslin using some thick denim I had lurking in my stash – I wanted to make sure these would be wearable, as I’ve only made Thurlows with fabric that had some give. I was also able to pin out a little more excess from the sides, and transfer that to my pattern pieces. Sewed them up, and everything fits. Yay!
There’s a bit of pulling at the crotch, as you can see – the pants themselves feel fine (not too tight, not too loose), so I’m not sure if many this has something to do with the lack of stretch? Hm.
The only other pattern adjustment I made was to shift the pockets about 1″ toward the side seams. I noticed in my muslin that I needed to sew inside the back extension line to prevent gappage, and this was making the pockets come close to touching. Now they sit in the right place, however, I think next time I need to shorten them. The proportions look a little off. Not that you can tell from this picture at all, but eh.
I’ve also got a little wrinkling under the butt. Not too bad, but it’s there.
To complete my ~come hither spring~ outfit, I used this amazing seafoam rayon jersey to make McCall’s 4488 (a pattern from the 70s). It’s hard to capture this exact color in my photos (look at the picture Mood has on the site, it’s much more accurate), but I LOVE IT. Pretty sure this shade of seafoam goes with every color I own.
Also, that top was a bitch to make. I have no idea why – I made the crop top before and it turned out fine (and BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING, they use the same pattern pieces up top, ok!) – but this lil shit was out to get me from the get-go. After a lot of cutting and cussing, I think I fixed it. I just have to be careful about those gathers over the boobs. If I’m not careful, things can get a bit… nipply.
Check out that floral cotton print lining! Oooh, fancy!
God, I just want to take my pants off and show everyone. The lining, I mean.
This is only slightly related, but check out the gorgeous button hole my machine makes! FUCK.
I think this might be the best-looking welt pocket I’ve ever made.
I really love that I got to dig into my stash of weird colors when it came time for serging everything. True happiness is having seafoam green thread, guys.
Come on, spring!
LLADYBIRD 
Gah, Lauren, you’re impossibly adorable! I bought the Thurlow pattern just so I could have fabulous lingings like you have. And wow, red really is a neutral on you! It makes me feel like Harlot Woman (some kinda Puritan supervillain, maybe?), but it looks so fresh and yet vintage on you! Mad kudos on thinning the thurlows, too! =D
Excellent spring outfit! I love the red pants. They look terrific! Maybe the top was difficult because of the fabric? Funny how when you’re a kid, it is Christmas you look forward to all year, but when you get older, it’s spring. Come on spring!!! Longer, sunny, balmy days, ahhhhhhhhhh.
Right!? I’m dying for some porch time with a margarita (or six). Sunshine, where are youuu!
Cute outfit, maybe I should consider some brightly colored jeans. My fave pair in 7th grade were turquoise and I wore those to death! BTW I’m totally jealous of the buttonhole! My machine (Pfaff) does craptastic ones and it drives me crazy!
Yeah, as much as I LOVE my old Pfaff (like I’m almost reconsidering selling it, eep!), I never realized how substandard the button holes were until I tried them on the Bernina. Holy shit, they are awesomeeee.
These trousers look fab. Looking at the wrinkles near the crotch and the back photo shots I think you might need to lengthen the back crutch slightly. It looks like its pulling slightly. Fantastic fit overall though. 🙂
I already lengthened the back crotch once, but that was for a fabric with stretch so you are probably right! Thanks!
Love love love – the trousers are so fab!
first, i am jealous of your buttonhole. said, it. second, i just ordered the thurlow pattern (my first sewaholic pattern!) as i am determined to conquer pants. i cannot for my life find pants that fit in stores, and i will therefore make them myself. ha. i weighed my options, and i think the thurlows are my best bet. i will definetely let myself be inspired by these!!!
Gorgeous welts!
I love those trousers, just have get the guts up to try sewing some myself.
Girl, you are killin’ it. I love the lipstick red of these pants and the floral lining. I also now know to call that kind of a pocket a ‘welted’ pocket. I AM A LEARNING MACHINE. Good seeing you last night at the meetup! 🙂
I can’t wait for spring either. I love the red thurlows – they look amazing. And the top is so nice. Happiness is having matching thread colour!
Lauren, I love the red pants. Just might have to get some of that red fabric from Mood. Did I tell you I went to Mood Fabrics in New York last May. It was awesome. I think I read you will be going? I am in the process of muslining a pair of Thurlows and have had a hard time getting the crotch just right (I am one of the lucky ones in the over 50 age group – just barely though- and have the drooping buttocks) anyway, a book that has helped me tremendously with fit is Perfect Fitting by Sarah Veblen. She said something interesting that I never heard before. If your full thigh measurement (taken when sitting down since the thighs spread when sitting) is greater in circumference than your full hip measurement then use the full thigh measurement in figuring out which size to make. In other words if your full hip/buttock measures 38, but your full thigh measures 22 (one thigh) then the total of the full thigh measurement would be 44. Looking on the pattern, select the full hip/buttock measurement which corresponds to a 44 and cut out that size. I have just done this with this last muslin I am working on and got a much better fit! This ends up giving you a longer crotch extension. I say all that because in one of your prior posts (maybe the Thurlow sew along) you mentioned needing to lengthen the crotch extension and it looks like on these red pants that might be the problem with the front crotch smiles. It also looks like the back could use a little more extension in the croth. The wrinkles under the buttocks is because you have too much fabric there. Do you know how to do a close wedge to take out excess fabric? It is basically making a dart in the area under the buttocks, and having the dart taper to nothing at the side seams & inseams. I learned all this over time trial & error as well as in that book I mentioned. The pants really look great though. I don’t see why you need to spend big bucks on jeans (one of your prior posts) you are good enough to make a pair using that revised Thurlow pattern. Now get cracking on a pair and let’s see the result! Jeans really are not much harder than the Thurlows!
It’s an awesome fabric, I just wish I’d bought more because I think it would make a great little A-line skirt! Oh well – I’ll just have to pick some up when I’m in NY (less than 2 weeks!! AHHH!!).
Thank you so much for your fitting tips! Damn pants, forever tweaking to get that perfect fit haha. I’m sure there will be many more pants in my future, so I’ll keep your tips in mind 🙂 As far as spending money on jeans – I’ve made them before, and I’m always disappointed in the fabric options available. These jeans are made here locally, and the fit is fantastic (not to mention the denim is SUPERB) – so I’m happy to pay money and let someone else do that side of sewing. I really don’t have much of an interest in sewing jeans, not right at the moment anyway 🙂
this is a great tip that I will have to keep in mind as well
I fell in love with your top immediately! Sorry to hear it was a bitch to sew, but the result is awesome!
You are the queen of the welts, Lauren! (Why does that sound so weird…?) I’ve struggled with back pocket placement/proportion for years and finally I stopped caring. If you look at RTW jeans, the pockets are all over the place and every size imaginable. I like the IDEA of stretch jeans, but they often stretch where you don’t want them to (like the fly, vertically stretching open in the middle), so now I go for Lycra-free everything.
Hi Lauren, I’ve read for a while and want to say hello, and thanks for writing such a great blog 🙂 I love these new pants of yours, they really suit you! Narrowing pant legs seems like it should be easy… but I’ve always found it tricky to get right. Oh, and that is one beautiful buttonhole. Sometimes I force myself to wait to do buttonholes until I visit home and can use my mom’s fancy Bernina quilting machine. They’re just so much better!
Wow! it looks very well made! Hats of for you!
That welt pocket is perfect! Awesome job on the pants and the top!
Love those colors together. I’ve got some red fancy pants in the plans too. Well done.
You can’t go wrong with seafoam and red!!! You know that’s an outfit combo after my own heart. I need more of those colors in my real life instead of just my blog life lol
I LOVE these pants – they look amazing! And red and sea foam is a winner every time 🙂 I’m going to have to get me the Thurlow pattern ASAP…. (By the way, we’re the opposite weather-wise down here in Australia – CAN’T WAIT for autumn. You know it’s hot when 27 deg (80 in Fahrenheit) is considered a cool change… )
They are bloody awesome Thurlows.
Love that outfit. Every time I see a new pair of Thurlow’s you’ve made, I want to go get that pattern. Just awesome!!
I really like seeing all the basics that you are sewing. Whenever I go to make something I feel like I should go for a statement piece but I think it’d actually be really nice to make just some regular every day tees and pants. Thanks for the inspriation!
Love the red trousers. I’m also waiting for my own Hoverboard! hehe
LOVE that seafoam green! Beautiful – and the top is wonderful, even if it did give you fits trying to make it! I think it would go with just about everything 🙂
Well done!
These are great! Red and seafoam is a great colour combo. And congrats on your awesome buttonholes 😀
These pants are awesome and look awesome on you! May I also just say that your hair has amazing body and I’m rather jealous!
I was going to link to this post on How to Minimize Trouser Whiskering http://youlookfab.com/2013/02/21/how-to-minimize-trouser-whiskering/
It’s about buying “trousers” but might be helpful – except I’m pretty sure you’ve got much more relevant and detailed advice already from other sewists in the above comments!
Ha! My hair only has body because I tease the shit out of it 🙂 Curling helps too 🙂 But thank you!
Where do you find the time?! Everything you make is so stinkin’ cute. The wrinkling at the crotch might be a matter of crotch depth? I was reading my Vogue Fititng book the other day because i almost always have that problem being a shortie.
I can’t wait for spring as weeeell! you look so good, gaal!
I’m feeling the spring bug too!! I just need a few more degrees and I’m there! I love your seafoam + red color combination! Red pants are such a great addition to a wardrobe.
Ahh adorable.
Haha nipply
It’s 37 degrees over here today. Over the hot weather..swap ya
Lauren I had to return to leave a comment whilst eating my Sunday breakfast as this outfit has filled me with ‘almost spring’ joy, for many reasons….
First up what a pairing, in colours I love matching together that spell warmer brighter days to me 🙂
Second, thurlow love lives on…and to make straight leg ones that work so well gives new inspiration and third, love the way you tell it!!
Hope you’re having a great weekend, 🙂
Great outfit! I may have to look up this trouser pattern, as every pair you’ve made look great.
It looks awesome!!!
Perfection, of course.
i was inspired to comment because i’ve got a pair of my favourite skinny jeans on today — they have limited stretch too (they’re some crazy pair of legit levi’s from hong kong) and so to make sure the foot fits, they’ve got a neat little slit, kind of like a vent, on each leg.
loving the red though. so much fun!
Ohh, yes, I have a pattern like that – you can either leave the slit as-is, or lace is up like a tiny leg corset. So cute 🙂
Love this outfit! I mean, if you accidentally left these pants at my house, I wouldn’t be sad or anything.
It’s difficult to find experienced people for this topic,
but you sound like you know what you’re talking about!
Thanks