Thursday 4 December 2014

Maroon Hudson Pants


As a matter of principle I do very little apologising on this blog, however today I have to say a big sorry for the terrible quality of photos in this post. There is only one room in our house that allows for half-way decent photography, but the recent miserable weather has still produced murky pics, even after tweaking the brightness. PLUS, there's nowhere to get shots that include below the knee with a white background so you get a boring door in the frame instead. Ok, apologies and explanations over. Don't get used to them though... Not that my photography is ever that great anyway so you'd probably not have noticed anything if I'd just shut up!


Back to the project in hand. I made a thing! This pattern is totally not something I'd naturally gravitate towards. It's way too trendy for me. In fact the Hudson pants pattern by True Bias is so trendy that my sister-in-law-who's-an-actor-and-has-been-on-the-telly has a shop-bought pair almost exactly the same as this pattern. 'So why the hell are you making them, Zoe?', I hear you ask. Well I signed up to a free mindfulness-yoga course (don't judge) and after the first session I realised I had bugger-all appropriate to wear since my awesome charity-shopped leopard print leggings got a bleach stain on them. I already had the pattern from participating in the blog tour for the Perfect Pattern Parcel #6, I had some vaguely suitable fabric in the stash, so it was ON.


Pattern:

So, as we've already established, this is a trendy sewing pattern. You could also hurl 'contemporary' and 'urban' at it and I'm pretty sure they'd stick. The waist sits low and the ankles are fitted and the legs kind of carrot-shape their way between the two. I didn't even monkey around with altering this pattern in anyway like I usually do, I wanted to see what it was made of. 

According to my measurements, I should have gone for the size 10. I know all sewing pattern companies have their own unique sizing scales, and that one of the awesome reasons many of us sew is to escape the tyranny of clothing sizes, but I just couldn't accept I could be a 10, so I cut the size 12. This was also in part because I wasn't sure how my weird fabric would behave. Guess what happened? They came out a size too big. 


To be fair, the ankles are the right size, if I'd gone for the size 10 they would have felt too tight. Also, I wanted to have room to get in to the sphinx position at a moments notice. Pluses? I really like the pockets and the logical way the whole garment is constructed. The instructions are clear and generally excellent. 

However, sizing mishap aside, I'm just not sold on the fit. They feel as comfy as you could wish for around the waist (obvs linked to the fact I made a size too big!). Although they look fine when I'm standing up straight, the minute I sit down with my legs tucked under me (my preferred position, FYI) or bend my knees generally, they feel too short and kind of pull annoyingly. I've checked the pattern and they are designed for someone who is my height or an inch taller (can't remember exactly), so it shouldn't be that. Unless the fact that I'm quite short-waisted (my natural waist is a bit higher than 'standard') meaning I have slightly longer legs than the average 5ft 5" lady... But I still feel I'd like to add perhaps 6 cm to this pattern if I were to have another bash. Although that might look a bit baggy and generally terrible and frumpy. I dunno. I'm tempted to cut these down, create a new pair of cuffs and make them into the cropped length option to have as loungewear in the summer. Maybe I'm just not hip enough. 


Fabric:

I can't remember the exact turn of events, but I have a whole load of maroon synthetic double knit/interlock (not sure which) in my stash. Like, A LOT. It's not what I would class as 'my colour' but it's nice enough for sports/loungewear and it feels pretty soft and nice quality. It has adequate stretch with a good recovery so it seemed a good choice for this project. I like the contrast waistband, cuffs and pocket binding on the True Bias version pictured above, but I wasn't sure I could be arsed to go down that route with mine. I bought matching cord (meant for soft furnishings, nice) from my local haberdasher, but I didn't like the way it formed a lump through the waist band so I ended up cutting off a smaller length and threading it  through the buttonholes at the front only, rather than round the whole waist. I used my overlocker for most of this project. The seam allowance was already 1 cm, so I didn't need to trim much away as I constructed them. 


Thoughts:

Well, it's hard to have many thoughts when you're getting photo-bombed as hard as I was that day! But if pushed I would have to say they are kind of a fail. I like the general look of them, I'm happy with the construction, and not even that bothered about the looseness. But the fact that they feel too short (without looking like it) and pulling when I bend my knees means they don't really work for yoga, which is what I made them for. Others have made wonderful, successful versions of these. Winnie of Scruffy Badger Time, for example, has made multiple pairs so she must be into them (here's one of them). So maybe it's just me. Initially I thought that I'd have another try at this pattern but I don't think I can be bothered seeing as my yoga course is almost over. If I sign up to more yoga in the future, I'll probably have a go at some leggings, or a more conventional type of trackie/yoga bottoms. 


13 comments:

Fabric Tragic said...

It's too bad you're a bit meh about your hudsons. I love mine and wear them an awful lot. I wonder if it was your fabric that affected the comfort level - I used a ponte with 2 way stretch and they're fabulously comfy. Anyway you can't win them all! Hoping to get some photos of my Dolores top soon too btw. Cheers!

Kimbersew said...

They do look exactly like they do on other folks! Maybe a fabric with more stretch in the length would do it for you, but chopping the cuff off of these might save them. I too hate that tight too-short feeling (elbows too!) Enjoy your yoga, Kimbersew

Sewing by Shirley said...

I understand what you are saying about the length. I am 5'1 and didn't make any adjust to my pair and the length is great for me. I find that to be true with most things that are meant for an avg taller height than me. I tend to like a little extra in the length, but not to the degree that you would think I'd get otherwise without adjusting the pattern.

vintagerockchick said...

Mmmm, you.ve not exactly sold them to me. But then if you'd tried, you'd have been fighting a losing battle, cos I NEVER like gathered ankle cuffs. Ever. I prefer extra long leggings, so extra long that they kind of wrinkle around the ankle - but I think it's because at 5'9 I never used to be able to get trousers long enough, and as soon as I could sew, I could have trousers as long as I damned pleased!

brooke said...

This pattern is my new best friend for the winter. I am 5'8 and added 5 inches to the legs and raised the waist up. I am just under a year post partum and just can't with the low waist. Just.can't. I second the cuff chopping or maybe making it a larger circumference to deal with the pulling?

StarryA said...

I think your Hudsons look a nice fit size wise. Love the colour too. I'm planning to make these soon and am wondering whether I should just make a larger size rather than expect my btm to fit into these straight out of the envelope!
I hope your trousers grow on you despite their problems because from here they look great.

French Toast Tasha said...

Maybe this is because I'm never trendy either, but I like the way the baggy fit looks on you WAY better than the intended tighter fit ...
Too bad they don't fit how you'd like for yoga. Maybe shortening them would be worth a try.

Heather said...

I'm tall so I'll take note of that when/if I ever make my Hudsons. I do pilates and I agree, this isn't the pant I would consider doing yoga or pilates in. To me, this is more of an urban-street-style pant. I wonder if it would be better in a rayon knit?

JustSewJenna said...

I completely understand about the length, I get irrationally angry when my ankle or wrists are out when I don't want them to be!! They look fine though, pretty much like I would expect them to, if that makes sense! I have this pattern but haven't made them yet, I'm not entirely sure if I will though as it's not the sort of thing I wear other than for lounging which I don't really do these days.

eb said...

These are sweat pants Zo! We've been wearing them since man discovered fire. There is nothing about the Hudson pattern that is new.

That said, the colour is nice and you look cosy. Yoga on.

Pat F said...

Dolores' dress is almost identical to one I had for my own little girl
many years ago. Only hers was pale blue.
I love your blog, been following it for some time.

Laura said...

Ahh, it's a shame you're not that happy with these. They look super comfy. Just... maybe the kind of super comfy that requires you to stand up at all times??

Susanne said...

I made the Hudson Pants too and I lengthened the legs by alot (but I am tall, 5'11") - I had held the pattern piece to my legs and they seemed so short. So I can see what your problem is. I actually cut the waistband, cuffs and contrast binding on the pockets from stripped ribbing and inserted elastic into the ribbing (after I already hat finished the waistband of course) and now I love them for lounging at home. But I would never wear them out of the house... No way.
Greets, Susanne

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