Blue Chinos

After making the blue spotty Olya Shirt, I decided to use up a piece of navy twill chino fabric I’d got from Croft Mill recently to make another pair of trousers. I’m still on the barrel-leg/ coccoon shape drive, and I fancied a pattern from a Burda magazine that I liked when I saw it ages ago. The panels on the trouser front looked interesting, as did the dart in the hem of the back piece. They are 106 from February 2020. Those panels offer an opportunity, perhaps, to play with stripes or uses variety of fabrics, or to do something a bit fun and different. But not this time.

I traced the 42 & 44, grading out in the waist area for my non-existant waist! I added 1cm to each side seam, and that’s done the job. The crotch depth was shortened by 2cm and I took a 1.5cm wedge out of the back depth too. The leg length was fine once I’d shortened the crotch depth! The legs were still rather baggy for me, I know they’re supposed to be, but too baggy pants just make me look short. So I’m staying with the overall look, just not quite as baggy! From the hip line, I took them in to the 42. This looks much better to me, still had the shape, but not big. And they don’t make me look too short! It’s got to be a win.

I didn’t use the welt pockets as designed, I was concerned that this fabric might go shiny or fade, so I opted for inseam pockets instead. They’re attached to the wasitband at the top so that they don’t flap around like the Style Arc Teddy pants. I used a scrap of African Wax for the pocket bags to cut down on bulk, so there’s a little pop of pattern. As it’s a Burda pattern, the fly zip was a breeze!

These are really comfortable to wear, althought now I’ve worn them a few times I think I’ll be taking them in a little more at the waist. I think another centimetre will do the trick. I definitely will make another pair, but first I have other trouser patterns that I’ve seen and liked the look of. I need to give them all a chance!

I love the colour and the crisp handle of the fabric, it feels perfect for the utility trouser/chino trousers look that seems to be doing the rounds at the moment. It presses well and even after a full day of wearing, isn’t as creased as I’d expect for crisp cotton. However, it has faded a bit. I’ve worn these trousers about once a week since making them at the end of January, and the fabric is not as dark as the left over bits stashed in my scraps box. I think a linen pair would do rather nicely, but for now, I hope that these will be worn loads in the spring/summer/autumn!