Chickens and Slacks

I knocked out the Free Range Slacks yesterday and I can safely say that this pattern will get added to the tried-and-true collection. They don’t look like much on the hanger, but they fit very well:

The pattern includes some thoughtful details to keep these from looking frumpy. (I kept thinking while I was sewing them that I wasn’t yet ready to move from the Liz Claiborne department to the Alfred Dunner department at JC Penney.) There is a side panel with topstitching that would lend itself well to all sorts of fun fabric patterning. The pockets are nice and deep.

Many of the reviews I’ve seen complain that the rise on these is too high. Maybe for some people. I thought it was close to perfect—how often does that happen?—although I might raise the front another inch.

I might also grade down to the next smaller waist size. I made the regular version of the pattern, not the curvy version, and maybe I need the curvy version. The instructions have you measure the elastic for the waistband by wrapping it at your waist and adding 1/2". I did that and the pants wouldn’t stay up. I ended up taking 2-1/2" out of the elastic to get the pants to fit properly.

The only other adjustment I made was the “flat seat” adjustment. I didn’t want the pants to be baggy in the rear. The pattern includes an entire page devoted to fitting adjustments, including this one:

I shaved off about 1-1/2" from the crotch extension. Being able to compare this pattern to the StyleArc Linda pants was helpful.

I should have someone take a photo of me wearing the pants so I can check the fit on the back, but they feel good when I am wearing them.

The pattern also includes a version with a tapered leg. Honestly, I have had enough of tapered-leg pants over the past several years, which is why I made the wide leg version first, but all the tapered versions I’ve seen are very attractive. The wide leg version is capri length, but I want to make a full-length pair, too.

The fabric is the denim I bought at the quilt store on Monday. I thought the label said 100% cotton, but it feels to me like it has some rayon in it. Whatever the content, it was lovely to work with. I need to check the stash to see what other fabrics could work. A black linen pair would be very useful for summer. Or how about a pair from some Kaffe Fassett cotton sateen? I could go nuts with these.

The Tim Holtz fabric I ordered for my BU quilted jacket arrived Monday. I had some of it in the stash but needed a few more fat quarters and the background fabric. I’m going to start working on that project next.