You are here: Home / Archives for trousers

Pleats and plaids

Posted by on May 14, 2012 12 Comments

A while ago I was trying to make up my mind about what trousers I shall make out of my lovely stretch suiting. The shorts I made are lovely, and fit very well, but I was not sure about the pleated front, as I had some not-so-pretty pleated fronts before.

So, after long deliberation and search I found what I was looking for – a very smart pair of trousers (spotted on Victoria’s Secrets website) without pleats. I think my fabric looks exactly as the one pictured, it should be a satisfying project!

On top of this I am busy deconstructing my woollen jacket.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Posts | Tagged: Tagged With: ,

How to iron a shirt and press trouser creases

Posted by on April 14, 2012 1 Comment

Some good tips here on pressing and ironing. I have never heard a clapper being called a “banger”, but it definitely makes a super sharp creases.
Another little trick is to use fine cotton pressing cloth and moisten it with water and vinegar mix.
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Posts | Tagged: Tagged With: , , ,

That puzzling distance at the knee

Posted by on March 15, 2012 4 Comments

convertBtn

Linda asked me about that distance K K’ on trouser draft ( now shown in green ) I displayed in my knock knee alteration post.

This draft is taken from a book on menswear tailoring, and I have not seen this straight distance on any other draft before or after this book. It only confirms that there are as many ways to draft a pair of trousers as there are people willing to do it :)

The book says :

… find a knee level by dividing distance between seat line and hem line by two. Then mark a point 6 cm above the knee line and mark it K’. If the trouser pattern you require is not of a classic cut, then don’t mark point K’ and proceed usual..

This is it, no further information is offered on the subject,  barely enough to satisfy our curiousity!

Filed Under: Posts | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

Fly closure ( ladies )

Posted by on February 10, 2012 4 Comments

Sewing in a trouser zipper is not hard, and you have done it before. You probably have a favourite way to go about it. Here is my preferred method.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Posts, Tutorials | Tagged: Tagged With: , , ,

Trouser pocket tutorial

Posted by on February 5, 2012 7 Comments

I have not posted any sewing tutorials so far and I’d like to rectify this. You might find them interesting, I know I always look through tutorials on your sewing blogs and sometimes I find very interesting and original variations of the same old techniques.

Today’s tutorial is about sewing a front trouser pocket. Click the pictures for a better look and instructions.

I begin with laying the facings on top of the trouser pocket. The pocket is cut as a single piece to avoid unnecessary seams. I try to reduce bulk whenever possible.

Facings and the pocket bag
The pocket entry facing is interfaced
Attach facings. I zigzag the facing on to get smoother edge. Overlocking and stitching on also works, but I don’t like the little “lip” this method creates. Also overlock threads snag easily.

The facings are stitched on around all edges
ay the trouser and pocket together to make sure my left and right pockets are not swapped
Check and re-check

Measure edge tape against the trouser pocket entry edge
Cut the tape a bit shorter.This is necessary to make sure that the side pockets lay flat
Stitch through all layers – tape, pocket and trouser front.

Press the seam flat and then to the facing side over the pressing ham to set the curved shape of my pocket
Edgestitch the pocket entry to keep facing edge sharp
Check from the back to make sure all pieces match and lay smoothly

Baste shut the pocket entry
Stitch the pocket to the waist edge and side seam
Pretty from the front

Pretty from the back

Filed Under: Tutorials | Tagged: Tagged With: ,
« Older Posts