Sewing Pants e-course

Making pants that fit and flatter, so you can rock it out!

Sewing clothing is an immensely rewarding task, one where you get to customize your fabric and color choices, adjust the fit so that it flatters your unique body shape, and challenge yourself to try new skills.  Sewing pants is no different, but so many of us put it off!  Perhaps you’re worried that pants are too hard to sew, or perhaps you’re concerned that you won’t be able to get the fit you crave.  Well, I’m here to tell you: not only can you sew pants, but you can sew pants that fit you better than the ones you settled for last time you were at the mall.  And in five weeks, you’re going to do it.

This online class is designed to walk you through the fitting and sewing of three styles of pants: drawstring, side-zip, and front fly.  With these three styles under your belt, you can make nearly limitless additions to your wardrobe, and believe me when I tell you that once you feel comfortable making pants, you’ll become an addict!  The whole world of pants patterns will be open to you once you tackle these skills, all included in the class content:

• how to select a pattern style that flatters your body shape
• how to adjust pants fit on a commercial pattern to allow for your figure
• choosing just the right fabric for the style of pants you’re sewing
• how to make a muslin and record the pattern changes so you can duplicate your success
• tips and tricks for cutting that reduce your need for a muslin–but still get a great fit!
• using darts and curved pieces along a waistline to conform to your body without wrinkles or lumps
• installing a waistband casing and drawstring that lie flat and tie smoothly
• installing an invisible zip with a waistband facing that flatters
• adjusting pants rise to a comfortable level for your walking style
• installing a front fly zipper and making it look professional
• adding pockets on the seam and on the pants back
• making welt pockets with loop closures
• hemming and cuff secrets for the right look and silhouette
• getting pants length right for your leg shape

At the end of the class, not only will you have mastered these skills, but you’ll have THREE finished pair of pants along with the confidence to boldly sew in the direction of your best-ever trousers!

We’ll begin by creating shorts-length muslins of each style, working through the various fit issues that come along with loose-fitting drawstring pants, fitted side-zip pants, and trouser-style fly-zip pants.  Once we’ve got your body shape and the upper portion all ironed out, we’ll tackle full-length versions and discuss flare, hemming, and length.  After five weeks, you’ll have lovely versions of these three styles:

Drawstring pants:  these aren’t just for jammies anymore!  A flattering pair of drawstring pants will make your summer wardrobe sing, and in a delicious linen, they really can’t be beat. Using a simple free template, we’ll walk through the adjustments you can make to create the perfect easy pants for your wardrobe.

Clover Pants by Collette Patterns:  this simple, retro-styled pant is a quick sew with an easy side-zip closure.  Mastering the rise and curve of these pants helps you to understand fit and your body better, and working with adjusting the hem length can help answer that sneaking question of why pants in stores seem to look totally different on your sister than they do on you!  Sweet in-seam pockets make these darling pants look much more than homemade.

Vogue 1051 from Alice + Olivia:  this spectacular trouser-styled pant has a front fly and welt pockets, two skills you can use over and over again.  Worried you can’t handle the fly?  You can totally handle the fly.  The fit of these pants is so slimming, and we’ll look at simple adjustments to work with your measurements–plus some very cool techniques that you can use in place of a muslin when sewing pants for yourself!

I love having the knowledge that I can make any wardrobe element I want–and I’ve learned again and again that my demand for good-quality clothing can’t be met at the mall.  Once you make pants for yourself, you’ll fall in love–and the best part is that with simple adjustments not only can you get pattern to fit you just right, but you’ll have a pattern you can use over and over again!

This course gets two-and-a-half spools out of four for difficulty, and is suited for advanced beginners and up, including intermediate/advanced stitchers.  If you have any questions about whether this is the right course for you, don’t hesitate to email me by writing deborah (at) whipstitchfabrics (dot) com!

The Sewing Pants e-course begins Monday, August 6 and meets weekdays through September 7, five weeks of instruction in all.  Class content is live and accessible through early November 2012, giving you three months to work at your own pace and master the art of pants!  Registration fee of $109 includes five weeks of lessons, delivered online via video, audio, chat, PDF downloads and blog post, plus community and personal guidance, motivation and the thrill of knowing you can do it!   (Please note: patterns not included in registration.)

Looking for additional styles and shapes?  Maybe the Fall Wardrobe e-course would be more for you!  Please note: it is recommended that you take these classes one at a time; if you’re interested in taking them concurrently, please email me for details.