Tessuti's Anita Ponti Pants in Bleach Boys

Readers, I am currently quite sick. I've been laid up with yet another bout of sinusitis, and have taken the drastic measure of changing ENT surgeons, had another CT scan and had my nose vacuumed. Crazy times.

Because I feel sick all I want to wear is cushy, comfy, cosy clothing. Like my new Tessuti Anita Ponti Pants. These pants are described as 'slim pants' - and that they are. They aren't quite a legging (I wouldn't wear leggings except under a dress/skirt). They are very comfy stretchy pants.

I made them in Bleach Boys Ponti from Tessuti.

Bleurgh - I do look sick... 

These pants come together very easily. I made a straight size 10 - the only alteration was to add 3cm in length. I think they took about 2 hours to make. I lifted my overlocker blade while stitching down the elastic - I was a bit nervous about nicking the elastic!

I made these pants about a month ago and have consistently worn them - enough so that I'm making a plain black pair as we speak.

This ponti is verrrrry thick. I don't know how confident I'd be in a lighter ponti in these pants - they don't leave much 'hiding room' if you know what I mean.

I wore these today to my ENT appointment, with an Icebreaker Merino wool roll neck jumper and my Camper boots. And Icebreaker Merino wool socks. I was toasty warm. Perfect for a girl who is under the weather.

I was a bit dubious about the printed pants trend when it all began, but now I feel like I am going to embrace it wholeheartedly. What are your thoughts?

Papercut Pleated Pants Pattern

Let me begin by saying I love my new pants. I really do. But I do not love the process by which I arrived at them. Here is the tale of the Papercut Pleated Pants.

A few months ago the lovely Anna of Blogless Anna Fame was at my house for a sewing afternoon. We held a bit of a fabric/pattern swap (Leith and Lara were also there so there were lots of swapsies going on). Anna gifted me the Papercuts Pleated Pants pattern, which had been on my 'to-buy' list for a while. I cannot lie, I squealed with delight when she gave it to me.

I was pretty keen to sew them up straight away, but 2 year old birthdays and ponti dresses got in the way, so I have only just made them. I made them in a Bettina Liano denim from Rathdowne Remnants. Lovely denim.

See my dubious expression? There is a reason....

My hair is so gross in these photos. I got it cut today. 

I made a muslin, and thank goodness I did, because the sizing is so off on these pants it isn't funny. I cut the small, and made the following adjustments:

• I took THIRTEEN cm out of the waistband. 
• I tapered in the outer leg by 4cm on each leg.
• I tapered the inner leg by 5cm on each leg. 
• I faced the waistband with leftover Liberty Lawn.
• I did the pleats the opposite way to the pattern. 
• I used 3 hooks instead of 2. 

I also did not use the instructions for the fly front. I used Grainline Studio's tutorial - I discovered this when making my Moss Mini Skirts and it is simply the best tutorial for a fly front I have ever come across. Give it a go - I highly recommend. 

Grrr... you can see the tiniest bit of facing poking out

Do you think it is simply crazy that I had to take 13cm out of a size small waistband? I do. I am usually about a size 12 in patterns - sometimes a 10 for a knit - or a size 6 for the American independent patterns, which I think equates to a size 10-12 Australian. So I'm not a 'small', and certainly not an off-the-size-chart size. I honestly don't know what actually small women would have to do - maybe draft a whole new pattern? 

So ... a reminder to me that muslins are important! Despite the fitting nightmare of these pants I really do love them. I wore them today and they are incredibly comfortable. They are like wearing jeans but more comfortable. I have some suiting in my stash I think I'll make a pair from - what do you think?