Never Ending Pockets

Between Burda and my pain-based congnitive impairment,  I've sewn (and unpicked) at least a dozen wrong pocket seams on these trousers  Last night culminated in a big mistake and needing to recut the hip pieces :(  Thankfully I had enough fabric.

I've switched from Burda's text directions to Simplicity directions with diagrams, and hope that helps.  I'm also stacking pieces together before sewing to reduce errors.  It is immensely frustrating to not be able to trust my brain on a day-to-day basis.  Especially when energy to sew is such a precious thing!

Here is where I left off:

Pocket pieces top, pant fronts under, pattern tracings all around

Waistband pieces: wool outer, organza lining, madras plaid inner waistband.
Front plaid piece becomes fly facing.

I was very frustrated last night.   Today I realized that once I've conquered the pockets it'll be pretty smooth sailing to finish the pants.  The next big step is inserting the fly zip and I have many visual resources for that.  I just hope these I can wear these trousers this late winter/early spring.  I even knit a vest to wear with them.

Summer's Been Sewing?

What a shocking surprise!  It wasn't mere mending or alterations, either.  I cut and basted together a pants muslin of Burda 04-2010 #119, to make navy wool trousers.  I've wanted to sew pants like this for years: the silhouette is great, they're comfy, and they'll look fantastic with my new handknit vest.  

The muslin looked surpisingly good considering I used cotton broadcloth, didn't press my darts or seams, and cut the muslin with only a 6" inseam.  Slapdash all the way!  All sewing was done after dark so I have no embarrassing photos.  Now that I know they fit I'll go back and press seams and give them a better try on, with photos to double check the fit.

All the raves about Burda's excellent pants block are true--the fit is great as is, just a few tweaks in the fashion fabric.  Compared to the Simplicity trouser muslin, in the same fabric, these look practically wearable!  The wool twill is from Fashion Fabrics Club's wool sale last winter, midweight with a nice drape.  I'd considered lining them, to prevent bagging, then realized that was a lot to take on for my first trouser project (though my third pair of non-PJ pants).  I just downloaded David Coffin's Making Trousers... from the library, so perhaps that will convince me to take the leap and line them. 

Burda 04-2010 #119, without cuffs