EZ Patterns Pants

I purchased the "EZ Patterns" complete set back in 2007 off E-bay 

when you could instantly download patterns off the site.

I had only made a jumper from the pattern set and forgot about

them until I was looking to sew a pair of pants for the

Halloween top I had made my 2 year old niece.

Since it had been a while since my last project with these

patterns, I thought I would document the process as I went along

and give my review of the e-pattern.

I am making a size 2 pair of pants.

Here goes:
(Click on the pictures to enlarge.)

The pattern, if that is what you want to call it, consisted of well written

instructions and a crotch template that you print out.

The instructions tell you to cut two pieces of material 

19.5 x 21.75 inches for the size 2.

Then you fold that rectangle in half, long edges together.

Take the crotch template and place it along the long cut

edges and the top of your rectangle, like so.

Note: I turned my rectangle of fabric so that it was

easier to work with.

Then cut around the template.

When finished, this is what it looked like.

Next you will do the same steps for the other rectangle of fabric.

When done, you unfold the pieces and place them 

right sides together and pin, like pictured below.

This pattern called for 1/2 inch seam allowances.

I sewed the two pinned areas together as directed.

The pattern said to sew reinforcement stitches along

the curved crotch area and then clip to 1/8 inch.

I chose to clip my entire seam to 1/4 inch and overcast

the entire length on my sewing machine.

After this the instructions said to open out the pant legs and sew from the bottom 

of one leg, up and around the crotch and down the other leg. Again, I trimmed 

the seam and overcast it although the instructions did not say to do so.

The casing for the elastic waist was next.

I folded up and pressed 1/4 inch. When finished, I folded up another

3/4 inch and stitched close to the folded edge. I left about  1 1/2 inches unstitched

so that I could insert the elastic.   

At this point I clipped a safety pin to the end

of the elastic and threaded it through the casing.  I overlapped the ends

by 1/2 an inch and stitched them together.

To finish off the waist, I stitched the opening that I  used to insert the elastic closed.

 

To finish up, I hemmed the pants, first folding under 1/4 inch on each leg and pressing with the iron.

Then I  folded up another 1/2 inch, pressed and  

stitched close to the folded, pressed edge.

That completed the pants!

As you can tell from the picture above, the legs on these pants are enormous!

They are as big around as the waist is.

All in all, I would say that the instructions to the EZ Patterns pants

 were very well written but the finished product just doesn't cut it.  

Maybe if you were looking for the boutique style wide legs

 they would work but I still think they are huge for that style also. 

I didn't want to trash pile them after all that work so I decided to add a full

ruffle to the bottom of the legs.  My hope was to make them look like boutique pants.

(You know this is going to end badly, don't you!?  Just admit it!)

I didn't want a lot of bulk around the legs so I decided one ruffle would do.

I wanted to incorporate the lime green and orange from the top so I banded

the main fabric with those colors.

First I cut two strips of the main fabric and two strips of orange at 4 inches.

I cut the length of the strip at 19 inches which was double the circumference of 

the pant legs plus 1/2 inch seam allowances.

For the lime green I used the same bias tape I used in the top.

I folded the orange fabric in half (one on the left) and pressed.

I then folded each edge to the inside center fold and pressed again.

This created a band that was 1 inch wide.

Stitched the lime green bias tape on the top edge of my main fabric 

and the orange binding at the bottom edge.

I then sewed the short ends together with a 1/2 inch seam.

As I had already sewn the seams of the pants shut and overcast them, 

I had to come up with another way to attach the ruffles. 

What I did was take elastic and cut it to the circumference of the pant leg 

and sewed it into a circle. I divided the elastic and fabric strip into 

fourths and pinned them together at the marks.

  

Lining up the elastic band 1 inch beneath the lime green bias tape,

I zigzag stitched the the elastic to the fabric while pulling it taught to fit the 

circumference of the fabric. I didn't want to stitch the elasticized ruffle to 

the pants itself (in case I didn't like them on there) 

so I used 8 safety pins to temporarily hold it in place. 

This was the finished result!

Enormous pant legs with clown like ruffles!

I will remove the ruffle and these can be play pants for around the house

 or maybe even pajama bottoms!

I will rework these pants to see if I can taper

the legs in to a decent size. I do like the roominess in the

seat area though as my niece is still in diapers.

Well, back to the sewing room!

Until next time, 

Pleated Top

Have I mentioned lately that I love the blog Craftiness is not optional?

I sometimes feel like a stalker as I check the site several times a 

day just to make sure I am not missing a new post.

Anyway, I just adore the tutorials that Jess has posted on her blog

and plan to make many more of her projects.

Today I have made her pleated top.

Although everything went together well and the tutorial was easy to follow,

I am not too happy with my fabric selection.

Because the flowers are in a vertical row, it doesn't show off

the pleats as well as I would like.

I love the way it buttons up the back and may just have to add

some buttons to the front also.  That just may make those

pleats stand out a little more predominately. 

The only variation I made to the original tut was to add 3/4 length sleeves. 

The tutorial was for a sleeveless top with the arms bound with bias tape.

Super cute for hot, sunny days but, it is definitely not summer in Ohio anymore.

It has rained almost all day long and the temperature is in the mid-forties.

On second thought, I should have made this top out of fleece!

Oh well, maybe the next one.

I plan on pairing this top with brown leggings that I have

already purchased for my great niece, Korallynne.


Sorry for the terrible photos.
It is after midnight and the energy saving bulbs we use don't make
for good picture taking.

Until next time, 

Junebug Dress Modeled

Today I presented the Junebug dress to my niece, Korallynne.

She was so excited when she saw it that she wanted it put on right away.

She was so cute and kept saying "Priddy".

She was the best little model.

This is the shot I got when I told her to turn around 

and show me the back of the dress.

I was lucky enough to find leotards that were almost the exact

shade of turquoise that is in the dress!

I was disappointed that I wasn't able to find any brown shoes. 

But, as it turned out, I'm glad I didn't because I found these brown ankle boots that were adorable.

You can't tell in the pictures but they have a leather ruffle on each side and they laced up the front.

Kind of reminds me of the "Little House on the Prairie" look.

The photo shoot didn't last very long.

When I got this look from my model, I knew it was over!

That's a two year old for you!

Until next time, 

The Junebug Dress

Today I have finished up a Junebug Dress that I made from the tutorial posted at 

Craftiness is not Optional.

To go directly to the tutorial click here.  

While your there, check out the other great projects and tutorials as Jess has some fantastic ones!

I wanted to make a tester dress so I chose this fabric I had in my stash that a friend had

given me a long while ago. The colors are trendy but I wasn't fond of the print. 

The fabric is definitely vintage and has a lovely hand to it. 

Now that it is finished I have changed my mind and am quite fond of it!

The front has a button up flap.  

Love the fact that there are no zippers to deal with.

I absolutely hate sewing in zippers.

I used the size 2/3 pattern that Jess provided in the tutorial.

It will be going to one of my great nieces.  

Both are two years old but wear a size 3.

I changed a few things up from the original tutorial.

I made the sleeves longer as it is going into fall now 

and I added lace to the sleeves also.

I'm thinking of pairing the dress up with a brown turtle neck and the same color leggings.

I also made the skirt of the dress fuller than what the tutorial called for.

I couldn't decide on what buttons to use.  

As this was a tester dress I didn't want to have to buy anything to make it.

I scrounged through my button tin and found these vintage ones.

Although they are not the exact brown in the dress, I think they compliment

the vintage fabric and old time feel that the dress took on.

I am also going to stop calling it a tester dress now as it came out

better than I could have imagined.  For that I have Jess to thank

for such a fantastic, easy to follow, tutorial!

Thanks Jess!

I'm going to be whipping up another one real soon.

I'm thinking of all the possibilities for trims!

Ric rac around the button up flap, ribbon along the bottom, the ideas are just flowing! 

Until next time, 

Summer Dresses Modeled

Here are my great-nieces modeling their summer dresses I made them. 

(See the June 15th posting for details on the dress and the tutorial to make it.)

I liked the dress I made for CiCi so much that I made Korallynne one exactly like it.

They looked so adorable running around at our summer place at the lake. 

Everyone kept asking if they were twins (they aren't). 

The girls had a great time watching my sister (their Aunt Brenda) catch fish.

That's all for now!

Until next time,