Sunday, August 19, 2012

Turkish Pants, Attempt #2

So even though I screwed up on my Turkish Pants, I still really liked them.  I wore them around my apartment for a little bit and decided that they were pretty awesome.  There was only one problem: They were made of polyester, which is not ideal for million degree heat.  (That is what I estimate Burning Man will be.  I might be off a bit.)  I was unsure of what to do about this, because these pants were meant to be day-wear, or at least were meant to be capable of being day-wear, should I wish to wear them at that time.  I let that thought roll around in the back of my head for a few days.

After a few days of thought, I went to the South Bay to pick up my classroom key and my work laptop.  I work less than a mile away from Fabrics R Us, so I paid them a little visit.  I got some really neat stuff.


The green flowers didn't come with the hat attached.  I put them there.  

I decided to use the loosely woven black and white material to make some new Turkish pants. (no idea what it is... Fabrics R Us labels nothing, including many prices.  It was in the back of the store near the suiting materials.)   I had other plans for the weird pink material and the flowers.  

This time, I sat down and really looked at my original pants (the ones that I didn't make).  


I noticed that the stripes changed directions, which made drafting out the swoop pattern that I wanted to make (the part I would cut out of the rectangle) a lot easier.  I also noticed that the back (the seat) of the pants was longer than the front by about 4 inches.  So, I counted out the stripes that didn't go all the way down the pants and measured that out onto a piece of paper.  Then I checked to see where the curve first started and where the curve got more dramatic.  I drafted this onto a piece of paper (with notes to myself about what it was when I found it in my pattern box a few months from now.  Did I mention my terrible memory?)


The next part was pretty easy.  I cut out the same amount of fabric that I did before, in big rectangle shapes, which I folded in half.  (You can read the measurements in the above picture, if you'd like to give it a shot yourself.  Bear in mind that I am 5'4" tall and have rather long legs.)  This time, I measured 4 inches down on the half of the rectangle that I designated as the front of the pant leg.  Then I drew out the swoop shape, starting 4 inches down from the top of the fabric.  Then I cut out the swoop.  Next I needed to angle the front of the pants (the waistline) down from the side, to that 4 inch mark.  I kinda did that by ear, folding it at an angle to the center of the pant leg, then cutting it.  (This is where I *wish* I had taken pictures!)  Anyways, I finished up the french seams and got elastic into the waistband and the ankles and voila!  They totally fit!  AND they feel exactly the same as my original pair!  

Yay pants done right this time!

Turkish Pretties

I'm going to Burning Man.  I'm totally freaking out about going to Burning Man:
1. Because it's my first time
2. Because I'm a teacher and I will be missing my first week of school (Ok, first 3 days, whatever!  It's still time away from my classroom and I'm a control freak in my classroom.)
3. Because I don't have anything to wear!

There's nothing to be done about the first problem, except go to Burning Man.  The second thing I'm sorta dealing with.  Ok, I'm actually procrastinating by solving the third problem.  I'm making all sorts of Things.

It all started with me going through my somewhat extensive costume closet.  For those of you who don't know me, I do vintage ballroom dancing and have quite a few ball gowns.  I also work at Dickens Faire, so I have some more Victorian things.  I also worked at Ren Faire, so I have all that stuff too.  Then... well, I have a lot of other stuff, cause I get excited about things pretty easily and NEED to have things like a Punjubi outfit.  And some saris... And some weird ex-costumes from various theater sales. And opera sales.  Ok.  I have a problem.  I'll admit it.  (But I'm not admitting to having a sock problem, Boyfriend.)

So right.  Going through my costume closet.... So I found my beautiful Turkish costume from Ren Faire.  I love this costume.  Mostly the bottom part.  The pants are the most comfortable pants I think I own.  The skirt is fantastic.  The two of them together are super cozy and gorgeous.  I totally wanted to take them, but I totally don't want to destroy them.  Huh.  What to do?  I know!  Venture into the glamourous world of pants-making!  How little I knew then.

So I go off to Joann's.  Alone.  This is a very dangerous thing for me to do.  Actually, I wasn't even there to buy fabric at all.  I went to buy my sister and her husband their first wedding anniversary present.  (The theme is paper, so I made them paper cutouts of themselves at their wedding and framed it.  It was pretty fun to make.)  I was getting ready to head up to the front when I saw It.  Linen and rayon mix.  Spring green.  I love linen.  I love 100% linen most, but I'm a teacher and that shit's expensive.  Anyways, I had to have it.  I decided to make a turkish skirt out the linen.  I looked around for some sort of stripy material, cause turkish pants should be stripy, in my opinion.  I found a pale green, stripy suiting material (100% polyester. Boo.)  I then looked around for some sort of fancy material that I could use as a thick hem for the skirt.  I found this beautiful brocade on sale that was red on one side and pale green on the other.  I decided to use the backside of the brocade and maybe roll up the red at the very bottom.  I was super excited to have all green clothes, since green is my favorite color.

I started with the pants.  I took out my turkish pants and somewhat carefully measured them.  I noted that there seemed to be something going on in the front of the pants, but I was being silly and ADD so I paid it very little mind.  I cut out two big rectangular pieces and sewed them together to make some pant-like things.  I even did french seams like my friend, Jessica taught me, so in case the fabric started to fray, nothing would fall onto the playa.  I felt that was in the spirit of things.  Then I put elastic into the waistband and the hems around the ankles.  Then I tried them on.  They fit.... like crap.  Absolute crap.  They were bunching up all weird and were super uncozy. They looked horrible!  Where had I gone wrong?!?  I got out my original pair of pants and looked more carefully at them and saw... damn.  There was something important going on in the front of the pants, but I wasn't exactly sure what it was.  I bitched about pants on the internet and one of my friends mentioned something about a "swoop" in the pants and how easy that was to mess up.  A swoop?  Oh. Oops.  That's what that was.  I improvised a "swoop" in the front of my new turkish pants and... it kinda worked.  The front looks a bit sloppy, but... not bad!  Anyways, who cares!  It's Burning Man!  Whatever!  Yeah... (The perfectionist inside me died a little, but I decided to let it be overdramatic and ignored it.)

So, onto the skirt!  This time I measured very carefully.  I had absolutely no problems with the skirt, but I did make a last minute decision and changed the direction that the brocade was facing.  I do wish that the linen was a little less stiff, but I think that's what happens when you are impatient and don't bother to wash your material before sewing it.  (Don't do what I do kids.  Do it right.)

Anyways, here are pictures.  I didn't think to take any pictures as I was working, because I'm forgetful. Please ignore the plastic bag on my dress form (Jane).  I'm working on another project which I will try to post about soon.

 Weird pants fix.  I decided not to undo the waistband and just sewed it in a weird, ugly sort of manner.

 The pants look super awkward on Jane.  They look much better on me.  Promise.

 Here's the pretty skirt!  It's wrinkly, because it's been in a pile of stuff that I've been making for about a week.

Pretty brocade!  The bottom hem is a bit more green than it appears.

Anyways, I'll try to post more stuff soon.  It's more fun than writing lesson plans!