Pattern/Technique: Sculthorpe Pants by Muna and Broad, size ii. No modifications.
Used 30 3/4" of 1.25" non-roll elastic in the waistband, and topstitched at 1/2" and 1"
Materials: 2.5 yd (55") of midweight linen in Flax, purchased from Elizabeth Suzann during their clearance sale. Aurifil 50wt in 5011.
New skills: n/a
Lessons: The Muna and Broad size chart is a little larger than my waist measurement (39") however because these pants have an elasticated waistband, I can cinch the elastic to a circumference that fits my waist. The 52" of the finished garment left around 3-4" of ease around my hip which feels good when standing and sitting. I've since worn these pants a couple days in a row and noticed that the linen does relax due to my body warmth, so I think the fit is in the sweet spot for this style & fabric.
I tested a couple different topstitching techniques:
The red mark on my 0A presser foot is 1/4" from the edge of the foot. I set the needle to have a 2.8mm offset so that it lines up with the red mark, and positioned the edge of the presser foot aligned with the seam. Used this method to topstitch the top of the pocket seams.
Using a piecing foot with a 1/4" guide (positioning the guide at the seam). Used this method to topstitch the front/back panels where they attach to the side panel.
The instructions specified a double seam in the crotch (and I quote, "Because no body wants a busted crotch seam.") which was a brilliant inclusion. Going to use this technique on all future pants. To make the double crotch seam I used the first seam as a guide and offset the needle position by 3.5mm to sew the second seam.
Though it wasn't specified in the instructions, I serged the top pocket seams because the linen has a pretty loose weave. (I suspect the instructions skip this because the seam is enclosed by top stitching and is unlikely to ravel.) I'm really excited that I've reached a level of confidence where I can start gently "breaking the rules" using what I've learned from past mistakes. I also didn't clip the crotch seam (don't actually remember if it was instructed or not) for the same reason. No more buttholes. ;)
When sewing a crotch seam, the outside leg needs to be wrong side out (and the inside leg right side out) otherwise your double seam will be facing the world and you have to pick it out. Ah well, any seam worth sewing twice is worth sewing 4 times.
What I'd do differently: I hemmed the cuffs at 1/2" (serged the cuff, then did a single 1/2" fold and hemmed at 3/8") and the length seems fine (though a little cropped). In the future I may extend the length of the pants by 1.5" so that I can do a double folded hem (1/2" then 1"). I should try wearing them with sneakers to see if I want to extend the length a bit more.
Care: Machine washable. Wash on gentle cycle with cold water. Tumble dry warm. Leave unpressed for a beautifully rumpled look, or press on medium heat with steam to remove wrinkles. To add some wrinkle-resistance to your material, dry iron on the highest heat before washing for the first time. Wash and dry on high heat afterward. Expect a fair amount of the lint on the first wash and dry, afterwards lint should be very minimal. For best results, prewash and press fabric before beginning a project. Our Midweight Linen shrinks up to 2% in width and up to 6% in length on average (on the first wash).
