Hi!
I am sorry for the long silence, but at least I can show you quite a different garment this time – I made a pair of pants for my husband!
Actually this is old news already since the pants were finished in September, just on time for our first anniversary (although they were not planned as a present for that occasion). There has just not been a moment to take proper photos and I was about to write this post using the first spontaneous pics I took when he tried them on the night I finished them.
But then it happened that we both had time over the weekend and there was even a bit of sunshine, although we still used a set of powerful light on a stand, a leftover from the renovation works, in order to achieve some kind of barely suitable illumination. The lack of natural light really is an issue up here in the North during the winter months. He also had a cold, so going outside to catch the feeble sunlight of the day was no option.
The pattern is from Burdastyle 4/2010, model 129. I didn´t have this issue at home and the local library only orders the German edition (it is cheaper!) so I must say big thanks to Marjorie Trundle, who has helped me out with similar situations several times and also in this occasion.
As you can see, I shortened the pants to 3/4 length and omitted the side pockets. He wanted the pants to be similar to the RTW ones that he had owned for over 10 years and which finally broke (is it typical to all men, the wish to wear stuff forever and when shopping for new, trying to find something EXACTLY as the old one? Because my dad is the same!).
The fabric is 100% linen and is black, but I don´t think the color holds up very well, he has worn them a bit and you can see the color fading already. Based on the measurement chart, I cut the size 52, but in the future, if I should make him anything again, I should go with 50. I had to narrow the waist and I generally think the pants came out a little too baggy, but he is satisfied so all is good.
But sewing these was fun, because there were so many “firsts” for me in it. The first thing I ever made for a man (he jokes that its because he actually is my first man, meaning husband!), the first ever try on snap fasteners for the pocket flaps, the first time trying Burda front fly – because I usually use another technique for my pants.
I enjoy sewing this kind of patch pockets and I also enjoy topstitching quite a lot. I used a special thread for jeans for topstitching, it is thicker but the result is so much better.
I am really happy about these pants, maybe because most of the sewing for myself is just for fun but this project also came out of need as he had not been able to find suitable replacement for his worn out pants in the shops, plus I definitely got some wife-points for this 😀
Until soon!
The Late Night Sewist 