Jul 29, 2014

Linen Pinstripe Drawstring Pants for Michael



Occasionally I buy fabric with a certain project in mind but end up using it for something else entirely.

Such was the case with this pinstripe linen.  Look closely at the weave.  Is this a knit, a crepe, or something else entirely?  It has a crepe-like texture (somewhat spongy) but it's very loosely woven.  It's shifty and prone to fraying -- a lot.





If it were a knit, wouldn't it be stretchy?  (It isn't.)  If it were crepe, wouldn't it be more densely woven?  The label on the bolt only said linen.



It's not worth going into what I originally thought I'd do with this, but after washing it I realized it had to be something very (very) drapey.  I decided to make drawstring pants, using the same vintage John Weitz McCalls pattern (5944) I'd use to make linen shorts last month.



The drawstring pants came out fine -- nothing to write home about but certainly worth a blog post.  I wish I'd thought about matching the pinstripes in the seat -- an unfortunate oversight, though it will probably be covered up with a shirttail most of the time.



I ran the stripes horizontal on the back pocket just to make things interesting.



I still have to make the matching drawstring, but here's the front view.  There's a front patch pocket too but it's hard to see since it's on the same vertical.





Black and white pinstripes are so closely associated with men's suits that they look a little strange to me as drawstring pants, but the pants very comfortable and would be a nice thing to wear to dinner at some beach resort -- I just have to get to some beach resort (end of August, I hope).

And that's it: another one-day project completed.

Have a great day, everybody!

PS - Any idea what my linen weave is?

19 comments:

  1. Love your drawstring pants. Sandals and a peddy ought to finish them off. I like the resort guru feel of some drawstrings. I don't like them when they look like pj's. I think Provincetown needs some MPB pants this season.

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  2. Love linen draw string pants. They are so comfortable and rich looking.

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  3. Replies
    1. Thank you -- I learned about a new weave today!

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  4. Love them, so fluid.

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  5. Interesting (and beautiful) fabric. It looks almost see-through, almost. And I like the horizontal pocket -- nice touch. The pants would look great with a close-fitting silk shirt, black sandals, Panama-style hat with black trim, margarita on the rocks waiting at the cabana, ...

    I remember having a shirt that was in a thin linen called 'lawn'. Hard to tell through my monitor if yours is anything like it.

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  6. love the pants--blk and white always chic

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  7. I love them, they look very comfortable and that all the matters to me. I love reading your blog, you are so funny. I just hate the fact that men patterns are so limited now cause you can sew your a$$ off!

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  8. Looks like a heavy gauze from the photos. If it IS a knit, know that linen knits up very differently from wool. Plant fibers are much less elastic than are animal fibers. Think of the difference between a woolen sweater and a cotton sweater, for example.

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  9. Looks leno or gauze to me ... if only i had it in my hands

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  10. The stripes are almost perfectly staggered- call it a design element!

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    1. Actually, I just looked at the pictures again and they are perfectly staggered! Great job :) !
      They are terrific pants, by the way.

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  11. Hey Peter, I was wondering if you could post a close-op photo of the shape of the front hip patch pocket on these or your shorts? Also, I'm thinking the pocket is lined, correct? I want to make a few pairs of lounge pants with those pockets, but don't have a pattern.. Thanks!

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  12. I think they'd look gret with a dress white shirt and brown penny loafers and no socks...the legs might go a tad narrower I think so they read more like regular pents

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  13. Love! I need to get my hands on some nice drapey linen but I'm never exactly sure what type of linen to purchase so I'll have to keep an eye out for this kind.

    How many times did you wash the fabric? Some folks wash linen three times before sewing so I'm curious.

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    1. Only once, but I probably won't be putting them int he dryer when I launder them.

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