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Sailor Pants and 1970s Simplicity Top


Oooh! A fun two-fer post! 
Also, Happy New Year! I can't believe it's 2019. The year 2020 used to feel so far away... and now it's less than 365 days away. 

I've been kind of liking doing this two-fer post thing because it means less time taking photos and more time sewing random things -- haha. 

While out and about shopping for work pants in October/November 2018, I realized that no one really makes any interesting wide-leg pants out in the stores lately (not even Nordstrom Rack or TJ Maxx) and that's kinda what I want.

Lucky for me, I found a Burda pant that was exactly what I had my eye on! I've wanted a pair of sailor pants for maybe 3-5 years now and I just never got around to making any or even buying a pattern. Welp. Here they finally are! 



I pretty much used a wool-feel fabric from Field's Fabrics which have multiple locations within the West Michigan area. I think it was something stupid, like $3/yd which reminds me of the old days of shopping at Chicago's Textile Discount Outlet in like, 2005. 

Pattern below.

I made them in a size 10 although my waist measures like a 26.5" and was worried they might be too big while I was making them, but I went along with it. Of course, I removed like 5" in pattern length since I am 5 feet tall, but that's always a thing. 

The size 10 ended up being perfect! 

Although I really took my time making them (thanks, holiday season) they were a relatively quick sew. I would recommend them for people who are just learning to sew pants since there is no fly zip. (I actually find fly zips to be stupid-easy to sew, but hey.) These pants aren't complicated in the least bit to sew. 

I think I need them in a bold print someday too!

The top I made and finished a few months ago. I honestly can't remember when. It's been hanging out and waiting to be photographed for months now! 

This fabric was from Vogue Evanston in the remnants bin. I was supposed to work for 2 different patterns I had planned but those patterns took too much yardage. I think this was just shy of 1 yard but I somehow made it fit on this old Simplicity pattern that was my mom's. 


Fun fact: one of the 1st tops I ever sewed (ok, maybe like the 3rd) was from this pattern! I thought I had a photo of the one I made in 2004 from this pattern (I made view 1 in a houndstooth knit with the other panel/sleeve plain black.) But I can't find the photo of course and I know it's stored on a disc somewhere (amongst the other 30 discs I have)... Oh well. 


I think the sleeve detail on this is really cool -- will be another good one to wear to work.

Happy 2019 everyone! Can't wait to see what you end up making and it's a mystery to me what I might end up making too! 
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