Woman Working

Audrey's Adventures in Work and Life and Making it Work

[womanworking]

I have a deep and terrible (wonderful) secret...I actually finished my pants more than a month ago. I've worn them every single work day since then!! They are super comfortable, fit like a dream and are now stained with machine grease, bar and chain oil, and so much dirt. They had some flaws, but most of those were because I had never sewn a garment before! I took several photos of my process, but I haven't gotten around to posting them yet. I'm starting on my second pair, and I hope to do a more in-depth explanation with this one!

[womanworking]

It's here!! Gonna start cutting TONIGHT!!

[womanworking]

I just got an email notice...my fabric came!! Guess I know what all be doing in the evening this week!

[womanworking]

I got an email today...that my fabric had shipped!!! It should be here by Friday!!!

[womanworking]

I've finished taping the pattern together!!

[womanworking]

This is the pattern I will be working from! I am so excited!

[womanworking]

So the great work pants adventure begins...

I have a problem.  You see, it's that I work.  So do thousands of other women.  I know that lots of people (like, most adults) have jobs, but I don't have an office or desk job.  I WORK.  I'm an arborist (aka tree trimmer aka urban forester).  In the 3.5 years I've had my current job, I have destroyed about 10 pairs of pants.  They rip, get covered in chainsaw oil, and just plain wear out.  I've ripped pants in the knee, in the seat, in the crotch...I'm really hard on pants.  Add to that the fact that I am a short-ish, curvy female person, and you start to have a problem.  It's really hard to find good, sturdy, inexpensive women's work pants.  I've never had a pair of work pants that I really truly liked wearing.

So, I've decided to take matters into my own hands and MAKE MY OWN PANTS.  Side bar: I'm not a terribly experienced sewer, but I will have lots of assistance.  My mom is a professional seamstress and my boyfriend does a lot of his own tailoring.

Since the availability of work pant patterns for women is even worse than ready made pants (read: non-existant) I'll be adapting a men's wear pattern.  I got the Jutland pant pattern from the wonderful and amazing people at http://threadtheory.ca/ .  They are an indie clothing design and pattern company from Canada and I want to make ALL of their clothes for myself.  Plus, they offered me some really great advice on tailoring the pattern to fit me, which is super amazing!

I'm just at the very beginning stages of this project, but I'll be posting updates as I go.  Right now I've just printed the pattern out, and I've ordered the supplies I'll need.  Once my fabric arrives I'll begin the broadcloth mock-up!  In the meantime, I'll be giving some sneak peaks of the patterning process.  Stay tuned!