So here we are... month 5 of the Capsule Wardrobe Course!
I hope everyone is enjoying their sewing journeys and have hopefully had a successful month with their first pair of trousers. Now that we've looked at fit I wanted to share a bit of design flare this month.
This month some of you will be opting for a second pair of trousers and some of you will be opting for shorts. If you've sewn one pattern in the first month you might like to have another bash at it or you might like to move on and try something new. This month is the first one where people will go off in their own directions a little more which will be nice to see.
I initially wanted to sew a pair of Spring Trousers as shorts for month 2. However I also wanted to do a tutorial for a trouser welt pocket and this works best on the Worker Trousers or Daphne Trousers. For shorts I by far prefer the Workers over the Daphnes so I've ended up with a second version of the Worker pattern.
You'll already have an idea of what you'll be making and the welt pocket hack might not be suitable. But for those looking to expand on their skills this month the welt pocket is a really nice trouser feature and an opportunity to try something new. You can also earmark the tutorial to try for a future project, there's no pressure to do everything at once!
I hope you enjoy trouser month number 2 and please let me know if you have any questions.
Hetty
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Fabric
After realising I needed to sew Worker Shorts I changed my initial fabric choice which was much thinner and suitable for Spring Shorts. I already own a pair of cream shorts which I adore wearing but they're really quite tight these days. So I thought I'd replace them with another soft cream twill.
This fabric was sitting in my stash from when I ran my previous business so I unfortunately can't recommend the supplier as it's a wholesale business in India.
Trimmings
With such a classic fabric colour I was drawn to the punchier colours when it came to choosing buttons and thread. I found red buttons at a vintage market in Paris years ago and I've found them hard to pair with garments as they're such a statement. But for this piece it felt fitting to give this lovely button a time to shine.
To go with this fabulous button I chose a matching red thread for topstitching details. It has quite a French feeling with the red on cream stitching and the vintage Parisian button.
Sizing
In terms of sizing, I’m 5ft 10 with a 88cm bust, 80cm waist and 91cm hip. In the past I've taken a size 10 in my patterns but my size has shifted over the past size years and I'm more of an '11' now. I graded between the 10 and the 12 by drawing a line directly in the middle of these two sizes and they fit perfectly.
The finished length from the top of the waistband to the hem is 46cm.
Making Process
I was absolutely itching to make this pair of shorts. Having my wonderful assistant has meant passing on some of the sewing work and I was really missing this creative outlet. I wanted to sit at my machine and get lost in the process and be able to decide stitching details on the spot. So it was a real treat to be able to make these.
Modifications
I made the following changes to the Worker Trouser pattern:
Finished Length: The finished length of the leg is 46cm (including the 4cm waistband).
Back Belt Loops: I added a double loop at the back which is a small detail that carries itself really well.
Welt Pockets: Instead of the patch pocket I opted for welt pockets (scroll down for instructions).
Stitching details
I had fun with the stitching details on this piece. The red thread didn't leave much room for error so there was a bit of unpicking and re-sewing.
I added a second line of stitching and a second bar tack on the front fly. I also added some additional stitching around the welt pocket which helps to make it into a punchy design feature.
Shortening the Length
To cut the pattern I simply folded the leg pieces perpendicular to the grain line at the knee. I recommend cutting your shorts longer than you think you need to be able to try them on and roll them up as shown below.
For shorts I like to have a 2cm + 1cm hem so remember to allow for a 3cm hem allowance when you're trimming to the length you want.
Gallery
Welt Pocket Guide
Last month the focus was on fit so this month is about adding some extra flare. We've put together a photo guide to make sewing a trouser welt pocket as accessible as possible!
This is totally optional and also something you can refer back to for future projects.
If you're thinking of doing a welt pocket I recommend practising on some scrap fabric so you're familiar with the process before diving into your final fabric. The process does involve cutting the main shell of fabric so it's not something you want to do on your actual fabric if it's your first time!
