Sunday, 28 October 2024

Merchant and Mill's Eve Trousers

I have been spending so much time with this pattern. Somehow I've been thinking of this trouser pattern as 'the trouser'. The only trouser I'll ever need, the one pattern that I could replicate again and again in various colours and textures, and that I can wear every day. There's something comforting to me about having a trusty pair of trousers, like a uniform of sorts, and this seemed like the perfect bottom part of it. I love the look of them, the loose fit, the tapered leg, the button and the zip at the side (and the clean front because of that), the back pockets. It's just ✨
BUT, I had to make the pattern fit first. I've made toiles for this pattern before (which is when you make a quick try-out of the basic shape) to see how and if it fits, and I've always had issues (drag lines, pinching or parts that were too big or too small). After making and fitting my first pair, then my second pair, and not being happy with both of them I had to let the whole project go for a bit. Trousers are one of the hardest things to fit in my opinion, and the whole process of sewing, fitting, adjusting, fitting and adjusting gives me the cold sweats. But the image of my uniform trouser stayed in my head and I gave it another try over the course of September and October.
After lots of sewing, making big and tiny adjustments, fitting, undoing adjustments and fitting again, I finally arrived at a comfortable pair. I ended up making only 2 adjustments to the pattern itself. I adapted the straight waistband to a curved one using this very clear guide, and I took 2cm out of the front and back rise of the pattern. I think they're sitting lower on my waist then they "should" but that's also what's most comfortable for me.

MM's Eve Trousers