Sew for Victory Challenge, Completed.

Despite march being a tough month, with alterations, illness, decorating and going away for week, I began to think I'd set the bar to high. Determined to part take in this Sew for Victory challenge I set about finding something to sew that was both quick and looked the part.

I choose a pair of trousers  I found in a back issue of Burda magazine issue 02/2012 pattern #115A. With hight waist, wide leg, pleated detail on the front, side zip and in-seam pockets. They were perfect for this challenge.

I didn't make a toile, as I didn't have time, which left me feeling uneasy on how they would turn out. Thankfully they were fine, that's not to say there isn't fitting issues but because this pattern has an elasticated waist at the back it proves to be a good disguise.

Ultimately I would have liked to have taken away the elastic gathering and I would have also lowed the waist a touch -as I have short waist -which I think would have made the trousers sit better, as I feel they are perhaps a little high.

 What I did alter was the trouser length. I took a total of three inches off leaving enough length to wear these trousers with heels. Having a small back meant the suggest length of elastic was going to be too loose so I reduced that by two inches to make the trousers snug.

Details 

I tried to stay as authentic as I could. everything I used to make these trousers was already in my stash.. The zip is concealable which isn't 1940's. It's dark red in colour too, but doesn't really notice. I'm thinking of painting the zipper pull with green nail varnish to make it blend in?

The plus side is there isn't an over looked seam insight. The outer side seams are pinked, as I only had a one centirmete seam allowance so it wasn't enough to turn it under stitch the seam which is what I did on inside leg, centre back and front seams.

 I had planned to hand stitched the trouser hem, so I pinked it and the stitched two small lines of straight stitches close to the pinking for extra strength but again time was running out so I cheated by doing a machine blind hem.

underside of the hem

right side of machine blind hem

Thoughts

Overall I'm really happy to haven taken part in this challenge and more importantly completed it. It's really opened my eyes to sewing more 1940's inspired clothing, I'm usually more attracted to the 20's and 30's. Although my trousers were really basic and simple to make I think they look the part. I'm pleased the trousers turned out well and I'm really glad that I didn't go with my first choice spotty fabric as this fabric definitely gives me more options with styling.

I'm hopping to wear this outfit to the next vintage vision event held near to were I live. Day to day I'm not sure I would wear this whole outfit but I think worn with a pair of wedges or black shoes and teemed with either a cropped top bearing my midriff ever so slightly or worn with a t-shirt I think it would look retro/modern.