When I basted the side seams of my Onyx pants, it was with a bit of excitement and, if I can be honest, pride. I had been wanting to make these pants since the pattern was released by Closet Core (a favourite) in early January. I ordered the fabric, a soft and stretchy Ponte di Roma, printed the pattern, traced it and cut the four pieces – yes, four! How incredibly simple, right? And then I panicked.
I have come to sewing late in life, though I learned the basics in high school. I get the mechanics and am not daunted by the machinery or the process. I am daunted by the finessing. Getting the fit just right. Straight darts, even curves, a straight hem, matching thread.
Putting together Knit Sew Well has given me more opportunities to work at my sewing practice, but I’m still intimidated. I have embarked on over a dozen projects, with mixed results. I have more than a few items that are unwearable. Love the idea of a shirt-dress, so let’s make one. Except my body doesn’t wear a shirt-dress well. I found a tunic top that was an easy make, then chose the completely wrong fabric.
Before you say “make a muslin” let me tell you, I have! In those earliest projects I just didn’t ‘read’ the muslin. I used it as an opportunity to figure out the pattern, not the fit. Now I know: A muslin is to sewing like a swatch is to knitting.
I have made my fair share of fitting mistakes and colour gaffes in my knitting. When that happens I can frog the project — rip it apart — and re-do the piece or find another pattern. This does not stress me in the least. T’ain’t so easy with a sewing project gone sideways. That is why I hesitated to cut into the Ponte di Roma. What if I’m doing it all wrong? Where is the point of no return?
Clearly it was time to take a deep breath and look for help. Last year I made a major investment in my sewing practice by joining Crew — an online community created by Closet Core. It’s a sewing school, hand-holding mentor and wardrobe inspiration at my fingertips. A coach for my sewing self. A big sister saying “You got this.”
I slipped on my pants after having basted them and the fit was not good. The fabric sagged through the back of any thighs and was bunchy behind my knees. I am not deterred. I know what the problem is, and I am going to take a deep breath, undo some stitches, and soldier on.
Because I am a sewist.
You can check out the Onyx Pants here:
www.closetcorepatterns.com
The Closet Core Pietra pants are similar to the Onyx Pant, and they have pockets!
I made a pair using Robert Kaufman Worker Chambray in Red:
We have the pattern in stock here: