Assignment: Hudson Pant

Before you get all curious wondering how I made so much clothing in the past week, relax, as I made these pants a few weeks ago, ha! Because of having to shoot photos of myself looking presentable as opposed to my usual pajamas or jeans and hair not done, sometimes it takes me a little longer to take photos of finished garments (or I’ll just wait until I have two garments to photograph at the same time). Also, I’m working on sending two new bag patterns to the printer this week, so I’m glad to have something to post for you today.

Continuing along on the garment pattern journey (you can see past posts here), I made the Hudson Pant by True Bias (in fabric matching my pants, I also made my 6-year-old daughter a pair of Mini Hudson Pants, but she didn’t want to be photographed for this post…the instructions for the mini is the same, albeit a different sized elastic in the waistband). The Hudson Pant is a pdf sewing pattern. This is a knit pant pattern with either ankle length or calf length bands, fitted in the leg but more relaxed around the hips. I decided to make the ankle length version for myself. The pattern also features a drawstring at the waist and trim pockets.

According to the chart on the pattern, my waist is 25-1/2″ and my hips are 34-1/4″, so I felt comfortable cutting for the size 0. I’m also 5’2″, for future reference. I had a 2-yard piece of Ponte de Roma knit fabric that I got from the February KnitFix bag on GirlCharlee (which I have been obsessed with since you get six 2-yard surprise pieces of knit fabric), which I was able to cut both my pants and my daughter’s pants from, with some fabric left over to make a pair of shorts later on (probably the Prefontaine Shorts). I used black jersey knit fabric from Imagine Gnats for the bands and trim on the pockets.

So, as I’ve been doing with all the garments that I’ve been making lately, I cut muslin fabric out of cheap knit that I got at Joann’s. This cheap knit doesn’t have the best recovery, and so I’m not using it as wearable muslin, it’s strictly to check the fit of a knit garment and that’s it.

Please pardon this unflattering photo of my crotch area (ugh), but I think it’s important to illustrate fit so I can show you how I made the fit modifications to my pattern pieces. I think it’s quite obvious that there’s pulling of the fabric in the crotch area. It’s also kind of uncomfortable to wear pants, even knit pants, that pull in this area. Okay, you may look away now.

While I still had the muslin on, I lowered the waistband on my body in several different degrees until I found a spot where the fabric in the crotch area didn’t pull; this was 1/2″ lower than I would normally wear this waistband. Using this 1/2″ amount, I took the original pattern piece for the front pant and drew out the new pattern piece, but 1/2″ higher. In the photo above, the white paper is the original pattern piece, and the lighter piece underneath (which is Pellon Easy Pattern, what I trace all my pieces out onto) is the new piece, and notice that the new piece is 1/2″ higher.

Since the front pant pattern piece was 1/2″ higher, I needed to adjust the back pant pattern piece, too. Although I was happy with the back of the muslin, I only raised the back pant pattern piece at the side by 1/2″, where it would meet the front of the pant (*only* in that top right-hand corner).

So, with my pattern pieces adjusted, I cut out my actual fabric.

The only other modification that I made is that I did not make the button holes in the waistband for the drawstring. I have a couple of similar-style store-bought knit pants, and they came with drawstrings, which I promptly pulled out. They just annoy me. Which is the major perk of making your own clothes…you can skip the things you don’t care for and keep the things you like! Because I did not need to make casings for the actual string in the waistband, I omitted any waistband topstitching and just left it alone. After wearing the pants a few times since making them, the waistband elastic does shift around within the band while washing; it takes me only a second to fiddle with the elastic while I’m folding the bands to put it back in its correct position, but something to consider if you’re thinking of leaving the topstitching out.

As I mentioned before, I’m 5’2″, and did not shorten the length of the pant at all. I think I saw that these were drafted for someone that’s 5’5″, and maybe that person would normally be wearing their ankle bands hitting a bit higher, but I was happy with how mine turned out. The pockets are really pretty awesome as well and easy to do.

The instructions give direction for those who have never sewn with knits before, and each step is accompanied by a clear illustration. Although you can certainly sew the entire pant on your sewing machine (in fact, that’s what the directions are for, not a serger), I did every seam on my serger. Either way, this pattern is appropriate for a confident beginner. And with few pattern pieces (front pant, back pant, pocket, pocket lining, pocket trim, waistband, and either an ankle cuff or a calf cuff), not overly complex as far as keeping your pattern pieces straight.

I like the style of this pant, and I can either wear them for working from home, popping out to the store for something, or as pajamas. I am not really an animal-print person, but after I took these photographs, I was surprised at how much I loved these pants. I cut out some more knit for another pair for me and my daughter. I think this will definitely be a casual wardrobe staple for me!