Sewing in the Sun 2019 - Tummy Tamer Pants

These were a challenge pant. A challenge to my personal view of myself. Can I wear a close fitted pant and not look like a sausage?  I have an aversion to under dressing my age, and slimfit were not in my comfort zone. This weekend was a way to confront all those self images head on and just blast through.  I bought this pattern because Pam Erny posted about how she loved them and that she had reduced the height of the cut on waist and still maintined the shape.  That convinced me to try, and I ordered the pattern and some aubergine stretch twill just for that design.

At last!  After teasing the Tamers, here they are...

Pattern details:
Pattern size: 18
Alterations made to be carried over to other pants

1. Muslin 1 - 2" added to side seams; used cutline for size 18 as seamline
2. Muslin 2 - full thigh adjustment from Miracle Pants added (approx 1" across the fullest part of my thigh running from crotch to knee)
3. Muslin 3 - thigh adjustment increased
4. Muslin 4/Prototype 1 - massive amount of fabric pinned out (yes, you can have too much of a good thing, in this case stretch of the fabric)

Muslin 1

Muslin 2 - Post thigh adjustment

Muslin 3 - reduced thigh adjustment

The final result are in a black poly stretch woven, so the detail won't show in the photos, so here is what you cannot see:

1. The high waist has been lowered to suit my rather short ribcage
2. This really stretchy poly meant that I could eliminate the back zipper
3. This really stretchy poly meant that I eliminated the front darts
4. No length added to the leg
5. Final side seam was stitched with a slight bump at the top of my leg for shaping.  That is the unpressed bump you see in the photo below (compounded by the tucked in top)

Due to the stretch in the black poly, we (meaning Trudy - I just stitched it) changed the full cut on waist facing to  "Hollywood waist" a new term for me. Basically, we stitched an elastic to the facing and turned it to the inside and crack stitched it. This prevents the waist area from growing through wear. Also due to the fabric, we tweaked the crotchline at the inseam and reinforced the line with bias twill tape.

The biggest change to the pattern was the thigh adjustment.  I went into this weekend with a blank slate, akthough I was certain the issue that plagued my front was a tummy adjustment and hip adjustment.  After all, there is a pooch and some hips happening underneath, so that had to be accounted for, right?  WRONG.  My thoughts on this will come in a different post - where the obvious really isn't.

This pant took 3 muslins before Trudy said those terrifying words "You are cutting the next one in fabric! Oh yes, you are!  Do you trust me?"  I realized I really did, although it came across as deer in headlights and doubt. I was just so overwhelmed at the changes we were making on the fly and how successful they were.  By the time I was cutting into the next version, others were into their second pair. Not because I was hard to fit, but because we went incremental in the adjustements and the fabric.

Version 4 was in a 4 way stretch navy pinstripe. We watched it grow on me as we pinned it closer.  As we basted and fitted it right side out, I need to transfer all the new seamlines to the inside and then restitch.  That one is sitting in the suitcase for completion at home. No photos of those, I will take them at home and post them when they are complete.

Version 5 took the new muslin and went into the black poly I am wearing home. Note that I tucked my top in so that you could see the waist hip fit. So there is some lumps showing from that.  And the fact that I only had one cup of coffee to this point.

Front view

Back view

Verdict: I LOVE THESE PANTS!!!

While I really want to make these in the aubergine, I am starting to think that I need to revisit the Tailored Track Pants and redo the muslin with the proper alterations