July 2005
Cargo Capri pants for Diana
Diana wanted a new pair of pants for the summer, and I had this embroidered denim in my stash. She was very specific about what she wanted: length just below the knee, straight leg, applied cargo pockets, zippered pockets at the hem, and a dropped waist.
These were drafted with PatternMaster (using the July 15 update) and they came out quite nicely.
Front view:
The waist is just a little too large, but not so much that they fall down. The drop is also too deep; these might have a stylishly low waist but Diana prefers her pants to sit a little higher. Maybe if the fabric was a little more drapey the low waist might not bother her, but next time I need to raise the front and side drops.
Back view:
The crotch fits perfectly. I used a contour waistband, 1.5" wide.
The pocket detail:
These are all applied pockets. I sewed the zipper into the bottom pockets and then topstitched the squares onto the sides of the pant.
You'll notice there is no sideseam. I didn't draft them that way, but once I was laying out the pattern it occurred to me that there was no reason not to take out the sideseam. I just ended up with a small dart right at the hip, and fewer bulky seams to contend with (especially when sewing on the bottom pockets).
The hems were just turned up and topstitched.
Diana really likes them, and that's all that really matters!
Modified Capris
I made a few tweaks to the pattern and made them up again, this time in a lighter-weight linen blend with a Japanese-inspired border print. This was left over from a dress I had made for myself a few years ago.
The changes I made were to change the leg to tapered, which meant there was now a side seam. I also raised the waist about an inch all the way around, and gave the waistband a bit more of a contour. I also raised the zippered pockets so they would clear the border design (and be a bit easier to reach).
Front view:
The two snaps closing the waistband look a little like two beady eyes, but hey, it's what she wanted...
Back view:
The higher waist and tapered legs are much more flattering.
Side view, showing the pockets:
All topstitching was done in black thread, with a double line of stitching (single needle).
Update!
The Red Capris were awarded a BLUE RIBBON (first place) in the Adult Everyday Outfit -- Shorts category at the 2005 Montgomery County (MD) Fair!