Sewing Pants for Women...Pressing Your Pants, Part 13

Continuing with the Sewing Pants for Women by Else Tryoler.  Today, will we talk about pressing your pants:

Pressing Your Pants

To some, pressing pants is as frustrating as a wrestling match with an octopus.  To others, it is a simple business involving nothing more mysterious than straight lines.  Neither is the case.

You will discover it is easy to set the creases in the Fronts before you have sewn a single seam!  With the pants in this completely raw state, there are no distractions from either the crotch or back.  Simply fold a front precisely on its crease line (which, of course you dutifully marked with tailor's tacks in  the cutting stage), making certain that the fold points squarely to the dart.  As you press, remember that the crease stops just below the waist dart.  Later, you will see that a previously set front crease is a handy guide when setting the back crease.

Setting a Crease

Is not a matter of making a few desultory passes with a steam iron -- not if you would like a lasting and professional crease.
  The tools of the trade are few and simple.  Your ironing board should have firm padding and not too much of it.  Thick, soft padding may sound luxurious, but it will offer no resistance to your iron;  a hard surface is essential to a knife-sharp crease.  A steam iron is the most practical way of providing moisture, but on some fabrics it will raise a shine, so add a pressing cloth to your list.  A striker is also needed.  It is a wooden instrument shaped somewhat like an iron and is used to strike or pound the steam into the fabric.  If you don't own one, can't find one, or merely decline to make the purchase, you can use the bottom of your sleeve board with adequate results.

With these tools at hand, lay out the fronts on the board with the fold on the crease line and pointing to the waist dart.  Apply steam.  Now, with the striker, pound the steam into the fabric until all the moisture ha bee absorbed.  

Hold that iron!  Before you step back to admire your handiwork and congratulate yourself on creases so straight that they made an arrow look like a wiggle-worm, think a minute.  Are your legs as straight as that?  Not if you walk around on them.  You have a gentle swell to the calf muscle which is functionally necessary and cosmetically nice.  Therefore, when you slip a leg into those arrow-straight pants, the symmetry will be disturbed by that rounded calf.  The fronts will be pulled toward the rear and their hems laid smack up against your shins as if you were standing in a gale.  As the pants pull backwards to accommodate the shape of the calf, there is a fringe benefit in the form of baggy knees.  All the precision of your careful crease will be gone! And what can be done about it?

The cure for shin-plastered pants and baggy knees is part of the pressing technique.  After you have set the creases in the above manner, keep the pants on the ironing board.  Starting about 3-inches above the knee-line, stretch the side and inner leg seams of the fronts, stopping about 3-inches from the hem.  See Figure 42.  As you stretch the two seams together, swing them forward until you have created a concave curve in the front crease. The method is demonstrated in Figure 43.  Continue stretching until you have added from 1/4-inch to no more than 1/2-inch in length, the amount depending on the give inherent in your fabric.  When you have stretched the proper fraction of an inch, trim a corresponding amount off the front hems, the same amount all the way across.  In other words, if you stretched 1/2-inch, remove 1/2-inch evenly from the front hems.  See Figure 42, broken line.

When you stitch the fronts and backs together along this stretched seam, the shape will hold.  The slight concave curve of the crease will forestall the tendency to baggy knees, for it moves out away from your shins, distributing the hem width evenly, front and back.

Fabrics with give (especially stretch fabrics) need not be stretched in advance by pressing, but can be stretched directly at the machine.  This is done when seams are joined and front seam is stretched to meet the longer back seam.

What about baggy knees in finished pants?  The same procedure will work in this case, too.  Rip the side seams to 3-inches above the knee-line.  Stretch the inner and outer side seams of front only. When you have gained 1/2-inch, you will see that you have achieved the typical concave curve in the the crease line.  Remove a like amount evenly all the way across the front hems.  Sew up the seams again and bid adieu to bags at the knees!

These things accomplished, your initial pressing chores are at an end.  Press your seams as you go, paying special attention to the crotch curve.  Remember this in this case, you press the front and back seams open from the waist down to the notches, but below that  through the crotch curve you do not press the seams open at all.  You will find further information when you return to the Sewing Instructions.

When the pants are finished, set the back creases with the striker, just as you did in front.  Use the previously set front creases as a guide in laying out the pants.  Back creases stop at crotch length.  There!  They look almost too impeccable to put on!

Don't Hang Those Pants!

Yes, of course, you were taught as a very small child to always say "please" and "thank you" and to always hang up your clothes.  Quite commendable.  But when you have just finished pressing a pair of pants, lay them on a flat surface for a period of time to all the fabric to dry out thoroughly.  All your preciously won concave curves may hang right out if you hang them up too soon!  This procedure should be followed both with your unfinished front pieces and with the freshly laundered finished pants.

Conclusion

Now we have come to the end of a perfect way.  The ghosts of ancient pants problems have been laid to rest.  No longer can the specters of men's alterations haunt the tailoring  of women's pants.  

In this series, you have found a concept of fit designed from its inception for women.  Its impact will sweep the last vestige of cobwebs from your pants construction, and put you in the vanguard of an army of faultless fitted women in pants.  

Now that pants have been made for women, it is triumphantly clear that woman were made for pants!

Tempatation....

Ah, yes, I'm always tempted by patterns.  I have a huge collection to prove it.  I don't really need another pattern but this past week I purchased Pants...Perfected by Pamela's Patterns.

I've heard good things about this pattern from wardrobe experts.  So, I decided to give it a try.  Pamela is known for having patterns for the more mature figure.  I fit squarely into that category.  It took about a week for the pattern to arrive.

To my surprise, there aren't really any instructions in the pattern.  Not that that is a big issue because there is a DVD on fitting and sewing with the pattern.  My surprise came in the fact that the "Pants for Real People" book by Pati Palmer and Marta Alto is highly recommended.  The DVD and the limited pattern instructions refer back to this book.  Needless to say, I was happy that I had this book in my library.

Currently, I'm watching the DVD.  Hopefully, in the next month, I can work through the fitting with this pattern.  I have tons of fabric and there are many pieces that would work out perfectly for the classic pants in the pattern.  Shhh! Don't tell my husband but the other pant styles will most likely require fabric purchases.  Maybe I'll just stick to the classic pant for now but the Magic Pants look like they would be very comfortable.

Have you tried this pattern?  How did it work out for you?

Currently, there are two other projects in front of this but they should be finished by the weekend.

Happy Sewing!

The Adventure Begins.....

Ever since I discovered Alabama Chanin, I have been in love with the look -- all the embroidery and embellishment.  I have purchased all the books and read each one.  However, I have never had the courage to attempt something in this style.  Folks, this is changing!  In December, I purchased "The Swing Skirt Techniques & Construction" class at Craftsy.  I am going to do this and with luck, in the end it will fit.  The class includes the pattern and the stencil.

Today, I decided to start my journey by doing a couple of samples.  I copied the following stencil from the Alabama Stitch Book:

It is the Bloomers allover stencil.  This will allow me to create a sample which I can test the felt that I'm using and practice the technique with a spray can of fabric paint (Tulip Color Shot).  I have no idea how this is going to turn out but I'm hoping that it will be fun.  Now, I just need to locate some excess jersey to play with.  I know that there is some in the stash because I saw it not long ago.

The felt is an unknown.  It was something that I found in the stash that seemed like it might be stiff enough to handle the stenciling. The only thing I know about it is that it is wool.  There is a big difference in wool felt and felted wool.  Time will tell if this little stencil will hold up.  If it doesn't, does anyone know when I can purchase stencil plastic at a good price?  I don't believe that I have a lot of resources locally but I am near a very large university and there might be something available there.

Here's the jersey samples from my scraps:

Here's my first attempt:

I didn't exactly follow directions which stated to do this in light coats.  I did one rather heavy coat and decided that I liked the color saturation.   At first glance, the stencil is holding up.  Here's after 30 min:

I'm completely happy with the color of the paint.  However, the design itself is a little smeared.  The felt definitely lifted a bit when spraying it.  This will be good enough to practice.  I can say with confidence that if I had done this on the actual project, there would have been tears.

I was very surprised at how quick I was able to get this outlined.  Granted it isn't large but still it was done in about an hour. Of course, that gives you an idea of how long a whole garment would take to complete.  I used regular sewing thread for the sample.  The recommended thread would be much more noticeable.

I checked the back when finished to see how I had done grabbing both layers of fabric.  I thought it looked pretty good.

Here is the finished product.  I'm happy with my very first sample of this technique. In real life, I would never have combined these two colors but I like the way it looks.  Maybe I will try a t-shirt before starting the skirt to practice a little bit.  What do you think?

A slightly different view of the sample.  I realized that I had not trimmed enough away on the applique.  I think it looks a wee bit better.

Have you tried any of the techniques in Alabama Chanin books?  How did it turn out for you?  What paint did you use?  What technique did you use to apply the stencil?   As you can, see I have a ton of questions.


Happy Stitching!

Sewing Pants for Women...Adding Style to a Basic Pattern, Part 12

Continuing with the Sewing Pants for Women by Else Tryoler.  Today, will we talk about adding style:

Adding Style to a Basic Pattern

A basic pattern is you on paper.  It is made or altered to your measure, faithful to your every contour, and lacking any nagging need for alteration.  When it has been perfected, you are free to design at will.  For a good basic pattern is just this;  a splendid fitting tool from which to create any variety of pants you fancy.  If your basic pattern is designed to fit well, it will carry whatever style you ask of it.  If, on the other hand, you add style to a faulty fit, you are only adding insult to injury. First, be sure of your fit.  Then choose whatever style you prefer.

Style is a spice added to fit according to taste.  It may be the length of your pants, the width of your pants, even the pockets of your pants.  To some minds it is a perky little bow perched on one prominence or another.  There is one thing style is not:  it is not a magic wand to transform poor fit into high fashion.

Tapered pants

If you have a yen for slinky pats with next-to-nothing legs, refer back to Step 6.  The diagram and instructions you will find there deal with leg width.  Be sure to taper all four seams, as the directions read, and by all means don't get so carried away with tapering that you forget to leave instep-room to get your foot through!  This necessity can become a style detail in itself, by finishing the outside seam in a jaunty little slit at the hem.

Bell Bottoms

If you take a second startled look and find that current fashion is busy flirting with a pronounced flare at the hem-line, this, can be achieved from your basic pattern.  Simply go back to Step 6 and add 3 inches to all four seams at the hem-line, tapering to nothing at the knee-line.  It is even smarter-looking, if you have slim knees, to make a pinch of 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch at the knee-line, as shown in Figure 37.





Long or short?

The choice is yours from infinite variety.  Work with a semi-tapered sloper, that is, a basic pattern which has been conservatively tapered in the manner described.  Figure 38.  Draw a crotch line on the Front, as in Step 1.  Do the same on the Back.  Check to make sure that your side seams are the same length.

For shorts, Jamaicas, and Bermudas, select the desired length from Figure 39 and measure an equal distance from the crotch line.  Add about 1/2-inch to inner seams, front and back, and a lesser amount at the outer seams.  Drop the hemline approximately 1/2-inch at the at the inner leg seam.  Both of these maneuvers are illustrated in Figure 38.  You will find that dropping the hemline in such a manner takes care of the small kink at the inner leg seam so often seen in shorts.  (This is sometimes seen in other lengths of pants, too, and be corrected by smoothing out the inner and outer leg seams as you baste under the hem.)

For pedal pushers, calf skinners, Capris, and any as-yet unborn whim of fashion, use the knee-line as your guide, measuring up or down the appropriate distance, and proceed in the same manner.  It may be easier to use the hem-line as a guide for longer pants.

Whatever name you give them -- hipslingers, hiphuggers, hipriders -- the weight of public opinion appears to be solidly behind them!  The trend started on the French Riveria, crossed the Atlantic, and was influenced by the All-American blue jean.  If you have both the inclination and the figure for them, they can easily be styled from your basic pattern.

As in Figure 40, measure down from the waistline 2-2 1/2-inches and draw a line following the original waist.  This will be your finished seam line for pants with a facing inside or outside.  Add seam allowance when cutting away the top.  If you prefer a waistband on your hipslingers, drop the seam line still lower, depending on the width of the proposed band.  If your wonder what to do with the little leftover darts, particularly in the front, don't stitch them, but ease on to facing or belting.

Tapered Pant Without Side Seams

Abandon hips, all ye who enter here!  Pants without side seams are sleek, smooth, and smack of expensive price tags, but they are feasible only for the slim-hipped few, and recommended for smaller sizes.  Any womanly swell about the hips, prominence in the thigh, or comfortable little billows below the hip-line demand the presence of side seams to facilitate fit.  It is one of the bitter truths of life that pants without side seams look dashingly alluring on models, but without a model's figure the picture is different.  Be honest with yourself, and with your appearance.  If you fill the bill, slim hips, no protrusions anywhere below the hip-line, go for it!  These pants can flatter your diminuendo figure lovingly.  If you don't fit the bill, or fill it too amply, beware!

These pants are also made from a basic pattern. See Figure 41.  Pin front and back together, 7-inches down from the waist, matching the side seams at hip-line.  Try to overlap the side seams about 1/8-inch to 1-4-inch.  (This is what is meant by a closer fit!)  Match the side seams at the hem-line, also.

Now that you have matched the hem-line seams, take a look at the side seams below the hip-line.  If they do not overlap more than a 1/2-inch, you are a candidate for this style of pants.  If the overlap is greater, this is the point to abandon your plans and settle for pants with side seams!

You will find that some patterns cut for a pronounced tapered leg present an additional problem when used without side seams.  When pinned together at hip-line and hem-line, the knee-line does not come together, adding extra width in this area.  To correct this situation, overlap the side seams at the hem-line 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch.  Be certain, in doing so, that you have left enough hem-line width to accommodate your instep measurement, unless your are fashioning a slit at the side or center front.

Adjust the hem-line, as shown by the broken line in Figure 41.  Notice that the side seams at the waist now form a dart, which should end about 1-inch to 2-inches above the hip-line.  The closing for this style of pants will be either in the front or back, according to your preference.

The grain and crease line will remain the same in the front.  However, you will find the grain line in the back will swing off.  Don't worry about it.  The original crease lines are still valid, and that is your only concern.


Happy Stitching!

Knitting Cables, Third Sample....

I've finished the third sample in the Exploration in Cables class.  Here's my sample:

What I learned:

1.  An alternative cable cast-on
2.  How to do a cable without a cable needle. 

I also continued to practice tightening the first stitch between a knit and purl, tightening up the last stitch on a row, and reading a knitting chart. 

Overall, I liked the cable cast-on.  It was a nice stretchy cast-on and I can see use for it.  However, i didn't really like doing a cable without a cable needle.  It is nice to know how to do a cable without using a cable needle but I found it very tiring to do.  It was far too easy for me to drop stitches.  I might use this technique in the future but I'm not sure.

On to the next lesson.

Happy Stitching!