Burda style magazine combat trousers model 118 04/2010 a journey

These have taken a while to make, well about 7 months so far, and they have evolved. They are not only still not finished, I totally unpicked all but the side seams.

What started out as combats has changed slightly. I decided against the side cargo pockets because I never really liked denim combats but then I do like back pockets. 

The pattern didn't have any so I found a pattern that does and used them and I went with expanding combat style pockets for the back pockets. 

Then it took me several weekends when I ploughed through relatives mending and repairs before I began to sew again for me. I really should say no to people but I seem to end up offering to sew their clothing and repair it etc so it is my own fault. I don't mind its just I seem to run out of time for me then. On top of this two of my best machines went down. Its just servicing needed I think or minor adjusting but I have not found time to play with them so I have moved to an old overlocker which does currently work well but is only good for light weight fabrics really and I have no machine for twin needle sewing. I just have my Janome sewing machine which is ok for straight and zig zag. It does do lots of embroidery stitches but I rarely use any of them. I do use a stretch zigzag sometimes when sewing elastic waistbands and sometimes I prefer that to twin needle sewing. It depends on the garment and the fabric.

Anyway, time has gotten in the way of making these. The indecision regards back pockets also held them up at least 6 weeks while I sorted through my Burda magazines for a likely pocket. This is the back pocket from model 131, 07/2003 of which I seem to have both an English and a German copy. Not a problem since there is a lot I would like to make from this magazine and you can find the pattern sheets start to wear out with lots of tracing. I have one already thats wearing out.  Having said that I had to make a list of items and where to find them for the next few months sewing because I have the perfect fabrics for many and never got round to making them. Anyway back to these rather epic trousers.

I must have been making these on and off since February and they are still not at all finished. I expected to finish them weeks ago and thought I had only to try them on and they are huge. Though I could tell just by looking at hem. They are meant to be a 36. Even had I made the 34 which is not available but I could downsize a little I think,  they would still be huge. I am not a large person but really I am not that small either so now do not have a clue what to do. I have not yet sewn the outside flat felled seems. I had though i won't bother with flat fells and just do ordinary seems but i did allow for them. I could just cut down the extra fabric. I suppose an elastic waist could be the answer. Right this minute I really do not know what to do. These have certainly not turned out as I had imagined!

So again I am pausing on making these. Also just for the record, I cut loads off the bottom of the original length thinking to make long shorts/cullotte type trousers intended for last spring, only to find they are actually about the right length for full length trousers. I am 168cm tall. Thats about 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 7 inches. These should be around knee length so I think the pattern must fit a bigger than 6 footer!

Ah problems.......

So now I have to come to ask myself: is it me? First the Kai pattern,  now these trousers. Both cases the sizing is madly out. Its not a tracing issue. I have a download if this trouser pattern eliminating potentially tracing the wrong size etc. 

Here I measured against an ancient Miss Selfridge pair of shorts that still fit that I use for decorating. You can see the size difference. 

I removed the back pockets. I will put them back on though but I think a bit lower down the bum area than last time. I reckon I added them too high.

The MS shorts are a 38 / UK 8. I am usually a 36 with Burda because I think their sizing is slightly different. Hence I cut the 36. I think the EU sizes have changed a bit here since the shorts were new but the Burda pattern is an older one and states what size its supposed to fit!

My next make I intend to self draft some combats from an old well fitting 90s pair and see how they turn out. I could ask did I just cut the wrong size? Maybe but the size 36 is the smallest offered. Size 34 is smaller than me (usually) and would also have worked out large according to when I put the pattern pieces on top if my finished garment( finished minus waistband that is). This assumes the same differences between the 34 and 36 as the rest if the sizes. 

So that suggests I am far smaller than the sizes available. But I normally wear a size 36 Burda. And they usually fit. Maybe I tend to go a little looser in fit than some people but even then to get a tight fit would only be a 34 not a smaller size so is it just a bad pattern?

I made these cord trousers last spring. 

I would say they are too big but I will go down a size next time. They are my muslin. I think the next size down will fit well. They work with a belt. These denim trousers will be huge even with a belt. 

I have spent some time since writing the above and decided to go with an elastic waist on these. It's a look that's been around all summer so not such a cop out as I might otherwise think and I will then not just waste the fabric. Besides which  I think these would make great warm Winter trousers although the denim is a heavier weight so quite stiff, and will accommodate thermals underneath with comfort so that's how I will sort this out. It's now just a choice if do I opt for a denim waist band and two rows of thick elastic? Or a jersey waistband which would be softer and comfortable? I bought some jersey ribbing  a short while ago so have both black and navy. 

I now have to update the last part I wrote but have decided to leave it here on the blog to show my total dilemma!!!!!

I took these to bits and decided to resew them. I will not be beaten!

This TNT pattern will mean they should fit if I base my new sizing on this.

So, I have, since writing about cop out ( in this particular case) elastic waistbands, taken these totally appart.

 Or almost. I left the front darts because placement wise they are perfect with the trouser pattern I am intending to use and the side seams. So they are half constructed and not at all in my usual trouser construction order.

 Despite my reinforced very strong denim stitching I took them to bits. I left the nice front pockets and side seams intact. Then placed a well used pattern for wide leg city trousers on the pattern pieces. Had to pin front and back patterns together and carefully position to allow for my already sewn sides and I recut.

I folded and pinned the pattern to get the darts right.

I felt brave and scared but I did it. Once I am healed from the operation I will show you how they sew up. If nothing else and even if they are a complete disaster at least I shall be able to say I persevered and tried to make these annoying trousers. Though now I wish I had not cropped them. Winter is coming. I won't get these finished until at least November now. I am considering a tatty edging of strips of denim at the moment but we will see. It might be a terrible idea! 

I obviously cannot show you a finished item here and I am sorry for that, but these trousers deserve to be written about because they have been much much more difficult to make than originally expected and really just showing the finished item does not always do the journey to that finished item justice. 

I will post what happens to these though whether they work out of not.

So you can probably see here I am on a journey and just now I have no idea how long its going to take or  if I will ever get there.

Take care and have a lovely week 

Bracken