Making the sateen cropped trousers
Out of all the garments that I’ve made - the ones I wear the most are my black trousers, overalls and shorts. Living in London the summer weather is very changeable and unpredictable. As much as I love making dresses, I do prefer to wear more practical clothes. These cropped trousers are great for this reason.
I have never owned a garment made from cotton sateen and wasn’t familar with this fabric, but now I’m a big fan. It has a subtle sheen that looks luxurious and is so soft to touch.
The trousers have front hip pockets, and I used the fabric scraps from my paisley top for the lining. The waistband is curved which I really like as it fits very well with the contour of the body and eliminates gaping.
I haven’t sewn a fly front before. If you’ve seen Burda Style instructions you’ll know they’re quite scant. I did look up some tutorials on the web which were more useful, but I found it easier to look at a pair of trousers that I have, to see how the zip and extension fits together.
The only adjustments I made to this pattern were:
- used the pattern according to my hip size, but used the next size up for the waist line & crotch seam
- 1 inch hem allowance
When I use this pattern again, I will:
- remember to stay stitch the tops of the trousers to stop any stretching
- make the waistband a finished width of about 5cm, as I prefer it a bit wider
- perhaps add piping to the hip pockets for a touch of detail
These trousers feel so soft and look so smart - I’m very pleased with how they turned out.
