Jocole Essential Pants Sew Along Day 1

Essential Pants Sew Along

Day 1

I'm so glad you are joining me for the Essential Pants sew along.  I just love doing sew alongs and I love to see all the different creations made from one pattern!  So fun!  Let's go ahead and get started.

  Today is preparation day, so we have what some would consider the not so fun part.  Personally, I LOVE to cut and tape.  Really, I'm not just saying that.  I must not have been allowed to use scissors and paper as a kid because I just love this part.  I think I also like to figure out where each page belongs, I love puzzles(now you think I'm a total weirdo).

First, print your pattern.  You will need pages 18-28 for the pattern pieces, it's up to you if you want to print the instructions as well.  I never print the instructions, I just save my file to dropbox and open it when I'm ready to sew.

When you are taping, it's important to notice that the leg portion is not printed for the front and back panels.  To conserve paper, the front and back pieces take turns being attached to the leg.  You can see below that I have a back attached to the leg and the front piece is waiting for the leg.  I didn't attach pages 1&2 and 3&4 to the leg panel, I kept them separate so that I could change out the leg panel.  You can certainly print two leg portions so that both the front and back pieces have a full leg.

After taping the pattern, you may want to transfer the pattern onto freezer paper.  I like to do this so that I don't cut a size, and then later have to reprint because I want a different size.  I have a tutorial on transferring a pattern to freezer paper here.  Be sure you transfer all markings onto the freezer paper, the pocket marks are particularly important.  I ironed my freezer paper onto my fabric instead of pinning, that's one handy dandy benefit to using freezer paper (yes, it works on wovens too).

There is a tutorial for making faux front pockets here, now is the time to look at the tutorial and make adjustments.  If you want real pockets, see the Inset Pocket tutorial here.

Notice that there are several options for the Essential Pants; shorts, capris and full length.  I'll be making the shorts since we are hopefully going to head into warmer weather soon.  I've seen several people ask if this pattern is appropriate for boys, I absolutely think it is a unisex pattern.  If you don't like the flare on the legs, take the cutting line straight down from the hips.  Just use a ruler and take it straight from the hip to the hem cutting line.

We are ready to CUT!  I bet you thought I would NEVER get there.  Sorry, I have typed a lot today but I won't usually have this much to say (but don't ask my family about how much I usually have to say, they might not be so nice!).  Cut the pants (shorts or capris), front and back pieces and the pockets.

Don't forget to cut out your pockets!

Yay for finishing Day 1!  I know it is SOOOOOO tempting to just keep going, but hold tight with me.  You know you need to do laundry anyway.  :)  Come back tomorrow for sewing up the side seams and pockets.