Don't believe my commitment to wearing skinny jeans?
Check out pretty much every single one of my posts on this blog. Go ahead, I'll wait...
See!
So the making of, and then liking on me, these rather *ahem* blouson pants was quite the departure.
But I was seduced, I swear. It doesn't often happen, me being influenced by what "everyone" else seems to be making and wearing. And to be honest this idea and the make itself was certainly a slow burn. But I kept seeing Pattern Fantastique's Terra Pants popping up in my IG feed and I thought they're kind of seriously ugly.... but awesome at the same time.
I ruminated on my surprising attraction to these pants, but couldn't commit to purchasing the pattern. Then I took ownership of the completely fabulous 大きな服を着る、小さな服を着る。by 濱田明日香 (Hamada Asuka).
The title loosely translates to Wear big clothes, Wear small clothes, a book that enjoys various size clothes and every pattern literally has a big (loose fitting, somewhat oversized) and small (or conventionally fitted) version to make. I adore it.
I think I might want to make everything. Then I saw this...
and realised I might have a suitable pattern.
I thought linen. I love this type of pant in lovely, sheeny, breezy linen and surprisingly Spotlight gave up the goods and I snapped up a seriously delightful dusky blue 100% linen in their recent 40% off sale.
I was quick to toile these ones as the sizing was a bit... odd. Only two sizes offered: 1 (small to medium) and 2 (medium to large). My pear-shape always spans two sizes and usually I'm large-ish in Japanese patterns. But these being huge made me feel a bit worried. The finished measurements are provided and there was soooooooooo much ease I was a bit concerned they'd fall off (huge waist of 80cm for the size 1, for 60-68cm waist). I don't get it. And sure enough, the toile of size 1 yielded a ridiculously oversized result. You could have fit 2 of me in there.
I scratched my head about where to start with downsizing. I really wanted the loose leg and hip and didn't want to lessen those fabulous front pleats. So I took a whopping 1.5" out of the centre back seam at the waist, grading to nothing at the crotch curve (I adjusted this curve a bit) and 3/4" each side seam from the waist grading to nothing at the bottom of the pocket opening. In the final sew up I removed a further 3/4" from the centre back seam - for a total of nearly 4". I mean seriously!
But it worked!
Look at that butt fit!
The little crease/ridge below the waistband is actually the bottom of my fabulous leaf print tiny pocket tee, not a fitting issue.
I'm surprised by how much I like this look on me, especially with the loose-ish top. I'd normally make my top big and my bottoms small or vice versa. I don't do loose everywhere, I feel it swamps me. But I'm liking this.
It was a slow make because the text is untranslated Japanese and far more technical than a lot of Japanese pants patterns that almost universally finish the waistband with elastic. I used my translator app, but it wasn't always helpful. Especially since it was my first time inserting a full fly - one with fly guard thingies - and so I really found this Threads tutorial helpful. I worked on the pants in bits and pieces, because... life. In all they took me about 3 weeks to complete. But they were worth the work.
And I finally found a way to wear my Impossibly Perfect Top which was impossible to wear with all my hipster pants. Check it!
The higher waistline finish means no glimpses of belly.
This I threw hastily over my leaf print tank, but I wouldn't normally do that.
And can we take a little moment to be impressed with the following ensemble...
100% me-made people. It's actually happened. I mean, everything (except those damn sunglasses):
Tiny pocket tank
Slow Burn trousers
Hello Beautiful Bag
What's Up, Buttercup? Bra (you'll have to believe me on the me-made knickers)
And my brand spanking new, Multi Sandals crafted at a recent The Shoe Camaraderie workshop. Freaking amazeballs people!!
I'm really excited to make up quite a few of the patterns from this book, including the small version of these pants, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, I'll be hanging out over here being all cool... and man-repellent.
Or checking out that spider hole down there...
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