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Jun 16, 2012

Peter's Pants REVEAL or "Hello Toile-y!"



Readers, the extraordinary thing about sewing is that in just one day, this can become...

THIS!





To say I love these pants would be an understatement.  I intend to be buried in them.  OK, cremated.

For this project, I used Kwik Sew 2123, which dates from 1991.  I lowered the rise a bit.



You may not realize it, but it takes no more work to make long pants than it does to make shorts.  In fact, depending on the style, it can be harder to make shorts.  These pants came together quickly primarily because I had only just made my corduroy shorts a few days earlier, so all that fly facing and zipper stuff was fresh in my mind.  Of course, the pockets and waistband are very different here.





My new favorite technique is to line all my pockets with cotton shirting.  For the back pockets especially, this means no more folding over edges and gluing them down (my old method) which can get messy.  With a lined pocket, created by sewing right sides together and turning, you get a pocket that's ready to be stitched on, albeit with the top edge turned down 1/2" or so and topstitched.



For the first time, I stitched and serged the edges of my front pockets on the inside, and then folded them right side out.  This makes for a very clean edge inside the pants.





Flat-felled seams were easy on this fabric, though I did a lot of pressing open seams before stitching.  Cotton canvas frays easily so my side seam edges were all serged.





I interfaced my waistband with hair canvas.  I ran out of big pieces of fabric so the inner and outer waistband are two separate pieces stitched together (which is preferable really, as it creates a stiffer upper edge on the finished pants).



Like on my shorts, I added a vintage brass shank button as a closure, which I prefer to a jeans button (much easier to move, if need be).



Do you like this preppy grosgrain ribbon belt, a Salvation Army find?  Michael thinks it looks clownish but I think it works.  Where's my mojito?



As always, thanks for all your great recommendations about toile de Jouy.  There's an ugly rumor circulating that when I ask for your advice, I've already made up my mind.  I won't even dignify that with a response, which is not exactly the same thing as a denial but I've always wanted to use the word dignify in a post.

You can see more pics from my toile de Jouy pants project here.

Have a great weekend, everybody!



92 comments:

  1. These are amazing. I can't believe I'm saying this actually, but I really do like them on you.

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    1. I agree. I was very skeptical, but my mind has been changed.

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    2. Same here! I was skeptical too but I love this!

      - Asiyah, aka saro

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  2. Ok when you asked whether to make pants out of that fabric I thought to myself NOOO!
    I changed my mind Peter those look fantastic!

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  3. Now all we need is Reaction-CAM as you walk down the street :-)

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  4. These are so beyond FABULOUS!

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  5. I love them! And the belt totally works.

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  6. Fantastic! Not just the print but the great fit it was really makes it work.

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  7. they are BRILLIANT...unreservedly brilliant...keep the belt; it works and you rock them both.

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  8. Wonderful pants. I like your idea of lining the lining the back pockets. I am right in assuming that you turn down the top edge for topstitching?
    Perfect for summer in the city.

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  9. They look great, congratulations.

    Beth

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  10. i really thought i wouldn't like pants in this fabric, but they do look great! and the belt works somehow, so i vote for keeping it. nice work!

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  11. Oooooh! Beautiful! and beautiful work!

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  12. WOW! They look fantastic! From a distance, they don't even really look much like toile. They could pass for, I don't know, batik maybe? Or some kind of marbled effect. Anyway, fantastic.

    Now I'm going to criticize your technique a bit. I hope you're not offended, but the photo above showing your hair canvas application hit on my number one pet peeve about sewists with less experience using hair canvas. Please, please, pretty please don't catch your hair canvas in your seam. It needs to sit just outside the seam line (pretty much touching the seam line). Then when you sew the seam, you need to catchstitch the seam allowances to the hair canvas to hold the hair canvas in place. The thing about hair canvas is, it does not bend easily. So if you catch it in your seam, you won't be able to press the seam open properly. The hair canvas will resist you. Really. Look at your Cabrera book (or any other tailoring book) if you don't believe me.

    The trousers really look great!

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    1. Not to worry -- there is no hair canvas in the seam allowance. The line of stitching visible is simply a basting stitch holding the hair canvas to the waistband.

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    2. Oh, that's a relief! I'll sleep much better tonight.

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  13. Love them!! Great fit, and great tush! :-) Now I want a pair of toile capris, or a toile skirt. (And your tush.)

    How about cutting the back pocket lining 1/2"-3/4" shorter so when you turn the pocket right side out, the turn-down happens automatically? Then you'd also have the fashion fabric at the top and no lining unintentionally peeking out?

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    1. Don't they call that favoring in sewing terms? I remember seeing that in a video.

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  14. I love your pants! Of course you want to be cremated in them! That being said, Michael is right about the belt :)

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  15. These are really awesome pants! For more totally fun Toile de Jouy goodness, there is this Charlie Le Mindu (a French hairdresser who has set up shop in London) : http://youtu.be/tFfAjxFdF4M

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  16. I love the pants, especially the way you matched the patterns. When do you start the matching jacket? ;-)

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  17. Awesome pants....and I thought it was a bad idea when you proposed it. Wish I could pull that look off, they look very cool and summer-y.

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  18. Once again, a gorgeous garment! I LOVE how they worked up! Just a thought since you are doing some lining with the fun cotton fabric...you could do inside the waistband in the cotton if you run short of canvas again...as long as you're doing a good stiff interfacing. And, I AM TOTALLY snagging your lining of the back pockets! Genius! I'd go with a navy belt or a medium tan one...but I guess that would also be determined by what shirt you are wearing with them. Anyway, super cool pants!

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  19. They're great, looks like you could be captured by Bill Cunningham in them. There just as elegant as can be, especially with the white shirt. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure about the belt, perhaps I like the look without that belt better.
    Jeannie

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  20. Fab-u-lous trousers, I'm scared to show them to my hubbie, he would love them and I don't have the skills to recreate them. However, I'm with Michael on the belt - sorry!
    :)

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    1. You can do it! Peter is the "Pied Piper" of inspiration!

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  21. Elegant as hell.

    I'm very impressed; I wouldn't have dared go there myself, but then I've got about ten years on you.

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  22. I knew they would look great!! Job well done.

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  23. Pants look good. Michael's right about the belt. Too much. A striped belt in the same blue as the fabric might work.

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  24. *LOVE* the pants! Great tip about serging the pockets on the inside!

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  25. I agree with Michael. I don't the belt. The pants are fantastic. You are becoming quite the tailor.

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  26. boocat: I think the belt is terrific and fun! (I found all three of my favorite belts at the Goodwill.) The button is wonderful; wish I could buy eight of them!
    The pocket lesson is just what I needed to know. My pockets are never as fine as these you've made, but they will be from now on! I wasn't sure about the fabric when I first saw it, but these pants are really great.
    This is why your blog has been my homepage for some time now. I always learn something good and smile while doing it.

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  27. I had been on the side of shorts. I consider myself corrected. The pants are great.

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  28. After just a few strolls around NYC in those, we are going to see toile jeans everywhere! They look great on you.... twice as wide on me, too many scenes on display.

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  29. Absolutely my favorite garment you've ever made! Very flattering and fashion forward. It's nice to see pants that will look equally good with a sandal or low top Chuck Taylors..Bravo Peter! Viva la toile!

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  30. Peter,

    These are trend-creating pants.

    Please tell us which machines (of your 11) were utilized in the making of these show-stopping jeans.

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    Replies
    1. My Singer Featherweight for all the stitching. My Singer 201 with buttonhole attachment for the buttonhole.

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  31. Absolutely da bomb not fussed on the belt though, over egging the pudding, as they say. You don't need anything to compete with that pattern, your fabric speaks all by itself. Absolutely fantastic.

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    1. "The good thing about a rumour is you get to learn so much more about yourself you didn’t know" author unknown lol

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  32. Those are the most beautiful pants I have ever seen in my life. No to the belt.

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  33. Very nice! makes me want to make something out of Toile. But then, it might not be quite as pretty in the colors I would choose. Congrats.

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  34. Absolutely love them. Unique idea you have and it totally works. Showed them to a friend and he is going to make himself a jacket out of the black toile he has and rock it with black jeans/pants. He is also going to use some of his buttons finally that he has collected.

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  35. You have inspired me to make my own! Totally lovely. And you pull them off quite well (though I'm not a fan of the belt). Great job!

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  36. I want a pair- they are fabulous!

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  37. Not going to lie, when I first saw your inspiration I made a horrified twist of the mouth. I'm taking back all those "what the" thoughts right now - these pants are beyond fabulous and I want a pair for myself now! Well done!

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    1. Juliet when your mouth twisted, one of my eyebrows jumped to my hairline in the same reaction of horror! LOL!! How wrong we both were!!

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    2. OH MAN, I showed my boyfriend and he wants a toile shirt! I do have a weakness for the prints, but prefer it as wallpaper. And I guess I was proved wrong in garments here. Perusing online fabric stores for toile now...

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  38. Love love love these pants. Yes it would have amde a good jacket, but this is SO much more itneresting. What an eye you have. It's so hard to come up with cool things for guys that just scriggle into that slightly subjective window of 'acceptable'. Seems that there is a bit of a frame formed where Michael's window finishes and yours keeps going a bit farther, into which these lovely pants and lovely belt fit happily! :)

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  39. They look fabulous on you Peter! Re the belt, I suppose it depends on what shirt you will wear - you are going to wear a shirt aren't you?!

    Right, I'm off to cut up my curtains...!

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    Replies
    1. We know, we know -

      "I saw it in the window, and I just couldn't resist it!"

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  40. These are great. They look amazing on you. I'm not sure the belt does the pants justice though. Still, really well done.

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  41. Well I'm never been one not to admit that I was dead wrong! When you first brought up the subject of that fabric, my first thought was "In the name of Halston"......NO! After seeing them finished, I must confess that you really did "make it work"! Love you Peter, never a dull moment around here!!!LOL!!!

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    1. While I don't worship at the House of Halston, my thoughts were focused on how less of that fabric we be plenty.

      A big platter of crow, please.

      Peter is the visionary, Michael is "the accessorizer"; so glad they found one another.

      These pants are the next thing Plaid is played out.

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  42. I want these pants! Quite like a figure too but you cant have anything.

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  43. Ooooh, fabulous! They came out pretty awesome :D

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  44. OMG. LOVE these! This may be at the top of my list of your sewing makes (though it's hard to choose!) They look great! Well done!

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  45. Pants look awesome, but the belt ruins the look.

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  46. I agree: the pants look great. NO to the belt, though. The pants are "outrageous" enough; they need a "serious" belt (shirt, shoes, etc). Or else you will look like you got dressed out of your "tickle trunk"!:-(

    I am sure you want to be taken SERIOUSLY and not have people think you are a "closet clown" or belong in the pages of "People of Wal-mart"! If you want them to be "impressed" with your fashion-forwardness (and not snickering behind their hands instead), then surround those pants with coordinating CONSERVATIVE accessories; you will take people's BREATH away with your sartorial splendour and your GOOD TASTE.

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    1. A classic belt is the perfect counterpart......excellent advice Sufiya!

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  47. Oh, and your workmanship is inspiring; the shirt material lining for the pockets looks SMASHING. And I agree about the button; so much easier when it isn't riveted on!

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  48. This is my favourite of your garments so far. I love these pants.

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  49. I didn't think I was going to like these at all but they're wonderful. A big part of that has to do with how beautifully made these are, what a wonderful job you've done.

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  50. They look really great; a perfect summer look. A toile jean jacket would be cool too (not worn with the jeans though) Did you mean to cut off the head of that peasant on the left back pocket ? :)

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  51. Just two words :"nice pants"

    Here is something else to be done in toile de Jouy:http://melamelo.canalblog.com/archives/2011/03/24/20719402.html

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  52. Me Likey! For several years, I wore a pair of toile de Jouy capris found in a Belfast, Maine Goodwill. I was living on a sailboat and I've regretted not keeping them. Your butt looks fantastic in these pants!

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  53. I'm late to the party, but I knew it would be a good one. They look fabulous!

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  54. OK, you already have 72 people telling you how fabulous these pants are, but I'll add my kudos to the pile: love them!! Every time you wear these, five people are going to ask where you got them.

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  55. There are no words for how much I love these! Great work! Great idea!

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  56. I love your pants! Your are such a skilled sewer! Great fabric!

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  57. Fabulous! Definitely wear them till they shred off your butt :-).

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  58. These just might be the most fabulous pants I have ever seen! If I actually wore pants, I would be extremely jealous. But I believe I will have to add some toile pieces to my wardrobe!

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  59. I don't know what I love more- the pants, or the title of this post. They are styled awesomely with that belt - and I love the pocket material. I had no doubt you'd rock these but I'm SO impressed!

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  60. I admit, I was thinking "no!" on making pants with these, but I like them. Maybe not with that belt, but I do like them.

    regarding the pockets - as someone earlier pointed out, cut the lining 3/4-1" shorter. when you put the lining and pocket together, simply fold the top of the pocket *away* from the lining and stitch around the pocket edges. Then when you turn the pocket right side out, the top of the pocket will be neatly folded to the inside. You may want to finish the top edges of the pocket and lining first. Also, maybe a bit of fusible stuff to keep the opening closed, in case it catches on things when you remove them from your pocket.

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  61. You did a great job on them. I got some technique refreshers looking at the photos.
    I don't like the belt though!

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  62. toile de joie! is that correct French?

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  63. These look so much better than I imagined! With the white shirt and sandals, you could be on the Riviera. I’m not so sure about the belt, though (but what do I know). Thanks for the pocket lesson!

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  64. They look fantastic! So well done.

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  65. You are such a crazy man and I love you! Anyone with the fashion fortitude to wear toile jeans should be recognized as a fashion hero :D

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  66. Peter, I was thinking that given the current fashion for mixing prints, that you might be able to get away with a pastel shirt in another colour, or a shirt in a teeny-tiny print or stripe in a matching blue.Give it a try and let us see!

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  67. I knew it! They are absolutely killer. Great job. I am jealous that you were able to sew them in one day. I have a pair of cut out jeans languishing on my ironing board.

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  68. Wow they look amazing on you! You should enjoy wearing them as the are fab!

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  69. OMG! I love them!!!!! I want to make myself a pair now too! oh where oh where can I get my own toile fabric thingy?
    oh how do I want peasants to be frolicking on my thighs!

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  70. Wade@MacMorrighan.NetDecember 22, 2012 at 1:52 AM

    This is an AMAZING use for this fabric! I FIRST became aware of it through an issue of Martha Stewart Living where it was used to adorn an old dresser of drawers. I haven't been able to find hat pattern anywhere around here (west-central IA.) and, even if I could, I would never be able to afford it.

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