My first pair of pants! I was so excited to finish these pants that I sewed almost through the night. I started with this pattern about a week before I actually cut the fabric. I had initially laid out the pattern front thinking that it would be fairly straightforward. However, I was determined not to go about this project without consideration. My father, a master carpenter, has always said "measure twice, cut once." Looking at the front pattern piece, I decided to take his advice. The inseam on these pants was 32" including the 1.5" hem allowance. Now, I am 5'9" and my favorite pants have a 34" inseam. I decided I would lengthen the pattern, but before doing this, I traced it out to keep the original pattern unaltered. I transfered all pattern markings, added 3" to the front and back at the lower lengthening points and then cut my fabric. The length worked out quite well for me, as you can see below. It works with both heels and flats.
I thoroughly enjoyed the sewing process of these pants. I knew I would have to make an adjustment for my sway back and my small waist but I left that for fitting with fabric. I ended up taking in about 1/2" on the side seams at the hip and taking in 2" at the CB. I also altered the crotch curve a bit, to eliminate some of the bagginess just below the fly. It was a learning experiment for me 
The first seams were stitched before I made any adjustments. I *should* have basted everything together, but it was late and I was more than a little tired after working a full day on Friday. I tend to make silly mistakes when I am tired and one would think I would have learned this about myself by now. I managed to sew the inner seams on the wrong side, so the SA was on the outside where it shouldn't have been. Once I ripped out the seam, I basted everything afterwards and tried on the pants inside out to make tailoring easier.
The instructions call for hemming the bottoms by hand, but I machined it using a blind stitch. It was definitely quicker and it's invisible. After looking at the pictures my husband took of me, I realized that I somehow didn't measure correctly and the left leg is longer than the right. It's not visible head on, but obvious from the rear where you can see about 1" of heel on the right and none on the left.
The first seams were stitched before I made any adjustments. I *should* have basted everything together, but it was late and I was more than a little tired after working a full day on Friday. I tend to make silly mistakes when I am tired and one would think I would have learned this about myself by now. I managed to sew the inner seams on the wrong side, so the SA was on the outside where it shouldn't have been. Once I ripped out the seam, I basted everything afterwards and tried on the pants inside out to make tailoring easier.
The instructions call for hemming the bottoms by hand, but I machined it using a blind stitch. It was definitely quicker and it's invisible. After looking at the pictures my husband took of me, I realized that I somehow didn't measure correctly and the left leg is longer than the right. It's not visible head on, but obvious from the rear where you can see about 1" of heel on the right and none on the left.
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