Butterick 6378 & Burda 6432

I first made B6378 last April and am super surprised that it took me this long to get back to it.  I picked up this fabric in December 2017 from SR Harris and always knew I wanted to use it for this pattern. It takes me awhile to get excited to sew sheer, slippery fabrics.

No major changes from the last version:
I used my normal size 14 with the following adjustments:
1" FBA and left the dart (I intended on rotating it into the gathers at the shoulder and forgot)
3/4" full bicep adjustment
Sewed a narrow hem. The pattern hem is 3/4".

Last time I inserted elastic into the sleeve hem. I don't hate it but decided to go in a different direction this time. I gathered the sleeve and made a little cuff.

I used my featherweight black interfacing scored from FabricMart and cut the band to finish at 3/4" and about 10" in circumference.

When I sew slippery fabrics, I cut the facings and take them to the ironing board, reshape with the pattern piece, then fuse the interfacing. Somehow, while inserting my facing (or something), it was INSANELY skewed. I am not exactly sure what happened. 

I ended up serging the excess off of one side and topstitched around the opening. I figure the tie will be covering it at all times.

This was a December project. I finished it about a month ago and I think I've worn it about once per week! I love it!

There have been some great conversations going on about fit while sewing. I think the simplest concept to take from a complicated issue is, we never stop learning about fit! 

I have made many pairs of pants and they've varied in how well they fit, but I learned something HUGE with this pattern.

I cut a size 16 and did a 1 1/4" full butt adjustment, shaped the crotch curve a bit and added a little to the crotch point. The back view was not good when I basted them together. They WERE a little too tight but my primary concern was that I had A TON of wrinkles and pulling. I was unpicking basting stitches and had a lightbulb moment.

I flat pattern measured the thigh and huzzah! It was about 1.5" smaller than my thigh! I opened the inseam from mid-thigh through the crotch and to the other thigh and tried them on. I need way more inner thigh room. 

To get to the point on the right, I took less of a seam allowance on the back leg only, through the thigh:

 I'm excited to give this pattern another try with my ideas on the leg / crotch fit! I have my own method for fly zippers but this pattern had excellent (IMO) instructions! I think this is the best finish I've ever gotten!!

As you may have noticed, I removed the pockets. If you scroll up to that before-and-after, you can see how they were gaping. The messed up thing is, I had used lining fabric for the pockets and had to unpick them to use the fashion fabric, and THEN ended up removing them completely. So annoying!!

Things I did NOT like:

The narrow waistband. HATE. I'm not sure why I didn't change it when I noticed how thin (1" I believe) it finished. 

I usually DIY my belt carriers because I hate when they are too thick (to me). These are a little too wide. 

My own mistake - I bought this fabric from Metro Textiles to make a dress. I should have made a dress. The fabric isn't great as pants. When I wore the pants for the first time, they grew so much throughout the work day that I could almost pull them down over my hips without unbuttoning! I interfaced both he waistband and the waistband facing and it still collapses and is very much affected by body heat. WAH. 

 I am currently working through a Burda blouse that's trying hard to take me out! It's trying to get me!!!! I think(?) I'm almost done with it? Sometime this week :)

I have slowly been cutting Butterick 6641 out (the paper pattern). If I can get this cut out, it'll probably take me the rest of the month to finish it once the other top is done. Had more testing Monday with a follow up to my doc this Friday. Fingers crossed that we find a resolution.

Ooh! MY KAI SCISSORS ARE AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've loved my (several pair) of Ginghers for years now. The Kai scissors I ordered are SUPER lightweight, has the bent handle, the grips are soft and all 4 fingers can fit in the grip which makes cutting easier. Yay!!