After a successful winter making terracotta/parika/rust coloured trousers to counter the denim, black and grey, it was time to do the same with the summer wardrobe – assuming summer is actually on the way (along with getting out of lockdown)! I bought a little pile of fabrics from Rainbow Fabrics in the Autumn, one of which was a piece of viscose linen in what I thought was rust, but turns out to be more a red brick/terracotta colour. No matter, I still like the colour, and it will still work with my summer wardrobe!
Having already decided on using a tried and tested pattern, Burda 102 from July ’09, I thought it would be a straightforward project. But it seems I’ve done a lot of scribbling on the traced pattern in the past, jumped around with sizes and shortening locations, and generally just made a mess. So I retraced the pattern, the 42 and 44 and toiled the 44, straight – no alterations. I prefer to do that with a pattern I’m using for the first time, then I can see what I need to alter. Given the different cuts and styles, you can’t really assume too much before-hand. I knew I’d need to shorten the leg, guessing around 6 or so cm, and that there would need to be some sort of fiddling with the crotch depth/length. And possibly some faffing with the waist….
In the end, I took a total of 5.5cm out of the leg length, 2.5 in the area between hip and knee and the remainder at the hem. The waistband fitted just fine, but I felt the crotch depth was too short. On measuring the crotch length, and comparing it to the length of the Teddy pants, which are really comfortable, I realised I needed to add 4cm to the overall length. So I lengthened the crotch depth 1cm and added another centimetre to the depth of the waistband. This made all the difference and the pants are now perfectly comfortable to wear!
Finding a suitably coloured zip was impossible, so a red one has sufficed. I used some African waxed cotton for the inside waistband, which helps with stability (no stretching out of linen on my waistband!) The insides are all overlocked to keep them neat and tidy, and found the right button in my stash.
I love the richness of the colour and I just hope it doesn’t fade. This is one problem I’ve been finding with the terracotta coloured fabric. This particular piece is lovely, there’s something devine about a linen and viscose blend. So much so, that when Rainbow Fabrics released new fabrics last month and I saw they had more – I bought more!! This time the colour is more paprika/rust, and I have 3m… I need to decide whether to make another Zadie Jumpsuit or the Wildwood Wrap Dress from Sew House Seven! I bought the dress pattern when it came out – even though I’m not a dress person – because I just loved how it looked on everyone! I have yet to trace and toile the pattern though!
THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS 
Gorgeous colour – and lovely trousers. Enjoy this addition to your summer wardrobe
Lovely trews, Anne, and good info on linen/viscose blends! I should be doing the same thing for my summer ‘wardrobe.’ Using that word veeery loosely! 💕
You did a lovely job on these trousers. They look very luxurious yet comfy.