Sewing Pants Part 1

Billy Trousers

Welcome back readers!

If you are a regular here then you’ll already know that I set a goal for myself this year to finally learn how to sew pants. I have avoided sewing pants for many years because the process of installing zip-flies and fitting pants to my body felt intimidating and overwhelming for a self-taught sewer like myself. A secondary and relevant goal for me this year is to have more confidence in my own skills and abilities!

I have also been trying to push my sewing skills to new levels by making the effort to learn new techniques, and more technical sewing skills like classic tailoring. If you happen to be new here then you can read more about my journey in tailoring lessons in this post.

I am sure I am not alone when I say that I am also tired of trying to shop for pants in stores where they never fit right and aren’t the style or color I want. Being able to make clothes that are exactly what I’m looking for is one of my biggest joys in sewing, and it finally felt time to apply this concept to something as practical and necessary as pants.

I eventually want to try making all types of pants, but decided to start with a pleated trouser style because it looked the most forgiving when it comes to fit. The plan is to then move to more fitted pants and even denim jeans as well, but trousers seemed like an approachable place to start.

The pattern I decided to try first was the Billy Trousers from Bella Loves Patterns.

Image courtesy of Bella Loves Patterns

When trying to choose the fabric for this project it felt important to choose something that had a nice drape with some body to it. I decided on the Lyocell Twill from Blackbird Fabrics, and when the fabric came in it was even nicer in person. It was also more purple in person though than the muted plum it looked to be online, but I thought that could still work with fall colors and outfits which would be fine.

When I read my pattern instructions to prepare for the actual sewing work, I quickly figured out that most pants patterns that include a zip fly have you do that step first, so I had no choice but to dive straight into the scariest part of this project for me.

The zipper fly installation instructions for this pattern were actually really nice and clear though and made this so manageable! I finished this portion without any major issues which felt so great. I couldn’t help but have a good laugh at myself for putting this off for so long though. It wasn’t scary at all!

The rest of the pattern came together easily enough with skills I already have. Getting the waistband to sit smoothly and fit well was definitely a challenge but I think it turned out ok.

Overall though, I would say I have mixed feelings about the final result of these pants. I think they turned out pretty well and were a great first step towards my skills goal. They are also really comfortable to wear and kept their shape throughout the day, which already beats out other ready-made pants I own.

However, I don’t think this style of trousers is flattering on me. I think that the double pleating is just too much volume on my frame. When you have a curvy shape you don’t necessarily want to add more to that. Something that, in hindsight, I should have thought of ahead of time.

I don’t have any complaints about the pattern though and would recommend it to anyone else who thinks they would like to try making this style. I can see myself reverting to their zip-fly instructions for future pants again because so far they are the clearest that I have seen.

Now that I have faced my pants-making fear, I am so excited to try some more styles and types. Check out my next blog post for part two of my diy pants saga.

Thanks for reading!

Amanda