Alabama Chanin Pants

I've finally had a few moments to spare to stitch up these really comfy, well-fitting Alabama Chanin Pants. My first go is a basic garment ~ plain, single layer. I wanted to make sure they fit correctly before putting in the time and expense of creating a fully embellished version. I used Alabama Chanin 100% organic medium weight cotton jersey fabric in the color Suede. Unfortunately, this gorgeous color was a limited run, and is not available at this time. 

I made the size suggested by the sizing chart, and am very happy with the final fit. They are not clingy or tight, nor are they over-sized and baggy; but a very nice tailored look in a relaxed sort of way.

The photo above is with the waistband stretched tight, and below the waistband is cinched in about two to three inches, how I would wear them. You can see there is not a lot of superfluous fabric.

Because I'm rather short, I added about two inches onto the cropped pants length and ended up with the perfect long pants. I would guess it took me about six to eight hours to cut out and hand stitch these pants.

I was contemplating not putting in the casing and drawstring, but using the fold-over elastic instead. I feel it would have been too low-waisted for me. I like to wear these type of pants a little higher than my jeans. Next time I think I'll add an extra inch or two, and then try the elastic.

I'll get a lot of wear out of these pants. The color is perfect for every season. The single layer is lightweight enough for summer; and there's just enough room to slip an extra layer for warmth in the fall/winter months. I have enough of this fabric to make the car coat, which is in my queue of projects. Perhaps I'll get to that after the holidays!! Speaking of which, I hope you all have a most wonderful Holiday Season.

Sewing Update:

After wearing the drawstring a few times, I found it to be a little big and bulky. I had a spare evening, so I took off the casing and drawstring, then added the fold over elastic. First, I cut the elastic at a snug waist measurement and added 3/4" for overlap. I measured the elastic into four equal sections (minus the 3/4") and put a pin at each quarter. I then matched the pins up with each seam so I would get an even distribution. Then I stretched the elastic as much as I could, but still had to disburse some gathers around each section. It was a little tricky, but worth it. I LOVE how they fit now.

The new lower waistline hits me just below my belly button in the front, and rises up to my natural waistline in the back. I'm 5'2", so taking off the casing, and lowering the waistline 2" may not work for everyone.

I made these in a size small, the size I wear in the skirt. I'm going to size down for my next pair, just because I'm curios to see how those fit. I'll post my results when my next pair is complete.