Perfect Pandemic trousers – for her!

After the success of James's pandemic trousers (he's barely taken them off since I gave them to him!), I decided that I needed some elastic-waisted joys of my own to wear while working from home (and relaxing from home, and eating from home, and socialising from home, and everything else from home!). And then I realised that I actually already had a casual woven trouser pattern (complete with separate drawstring waistband!) that I had printed onto A0 a few years back and never sewn - Seamwork Moji!

After the success of James’s pandemic trousers (he’s barely taken them off since I gave them to him!), I decided that I needed some elastic-waisted joys of my own to wear while working from home (and relaxing from home, and eating from home, and socialising from home, and everything else from home!). And then I realised that I actually already had a casual woven trouser pattern (complete with separate drawstring waistband!) that I had printed onto A0 a few years back and never sewn – Seamwork Moji!

Moji has been a popular pattern as far as I can tell, but Seamwork recently released a near-identical pattern in the form of Witt, which is frankly really shady as far as I can tell since they’re basically admitting there were fit errors in Moji but without allowing folks who purchased it to get the fix for free… Since I have a membership I could download both anyway, and I will say that Witt has far better instructions, and I heard they’re higher rise, too. So if I didn’t already have Moji printed off I probably would’ve just sewn Witt.


(Seen modelled here with a Loose Fitting Top Block from my book made in a John Kaldor wool-mix jersey, which I don’t think I ever properly blogged)

But since I decided to make Moji, I figured I may as well adjust the pattern to be as close as possible as the Closet Core Patterns Pietra, which I absolutely love (I wear my black linen version constantly and have almost worn through the fabric in the inner thighs already!). So I did a ton of hacking to the Moji pattern – changed the crotch curve front and back, adjusted the ease to match Pietra, increased the rise by quite a bit (though the CB could’ve done with another inch, in retrospect), and lengthened the legs by a good 6 inches so they’re actually full length. I also narrowed the waistband and made it to be one long piece folded at the top edge to make it a bit nicer in the ribbing I had planned.

Then I went to buy some fabric to make these since there wasn’t anything in my stash, and I found the perfect olive cotton drill at New Craft House and clicked Buy. Only when it turned up, it was only 1m instead of the 2m I swear I ordered – turns out they sell in half metre increments which I missed cos I was tired (really – shop owners who sell fabric in anything OTHER than metres/yards, you really need to put this in bold, all caps, everywhere!!). I was having a bad day already, and I was so disappointed I actually cried.

A week or two later, I pulled the fabric out again with the thought that I’d piece some black drill with it and make it a feature, but a bona fide Sewing Miracle occurred – even with my lengthening, I could fit the trousers into 1m!! It was super tight, and I had to piece one of the patch pockets, but I did it, and I actually prefer the seamed pocket now anyhow!

Instead of cutting both pocket layers from self fabric (ugh, how bulky would that be?!), I lined my pockets with mustard leopard viscose scraps leftover from this top. I always think a fun lining elevates a make, and it makes me happy to have a jolt of colour in what might’ve been some drab-coloured trousers.

Another thing that helped with my fabric scarcity was that I’d always planned to cut the waistband from ribbing instead of self fabric, and I thought this grey wool(?) ribbing leftover from the teal tech sweatshirt I made for my Craftsy class was a perfect pairing, and I had just barely enough left. Score! Just like with James’s trousers, I inserted elastic in the waistband, though for mine I used my preferred 2cm width instead of the wider 4cm, and sewed it to the inside of the waistband at four points to keep it from twisting. I interfaced the waistband behind the eyelets, added eyelets, and threaded a long shoelace through for a drawstring, too. The drawstring isn’t necessary as the elastic holds everything up just fine, but I like the look!

And since I could, I added an iron-on transfer that says “Handmade”. I cut out a bunch of emojis and small designs whenever I’ve got my Silhouette cutting machine in action, so I can just put them from my drawer and iron them on with no effort!

These are so seriously comfy trousers – the elastic waistband and ribbing comes them an extra layer of comfort, the big pockets make them super practical, but the olive twill makes them feel like “normal” trousers! I think I might be onto a winner concept here, and I doubt this is the last you’ll see me making something similar!

If you’d like to join Seamwork and make your own version, if you use my referrer link you’ll save $3 off your first month!

3 Comments

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  1. 1
    K. S.

    Great pants. I am inspired by your post to make my own. Seamwork extended their size range on many of their patterns so perhaps that is the reason they created the Witt pattern and then made ‘improvements’ to the fit.

    Anyway, beautiful pants.

  2. 3
    Summer Flies

    Great pants!I really like the pieced pocket too and love that you could make it from 1m! Score. I detest half metre increments… nobody measures in 50cm in real life and it’s just a way to make you think the fabric is cheaper. Annoying.

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