Sewing for a life in lockdown
Loafing around in loungewear
The endless months of lockdown have finally led to me embracing the idea of making and wearing clothes for comfort. My go-to Indie pattern designer for this has become The Maker’s Atelier, with their penchant for simple, pared-back wearable styles, made up in beautiful fabrics.
The Wide-Legged Trouser from The Maker’s Atelier - https://themakersatelier.com/
The Wide-Legged Trouser pattern is a case in point; made up in a good quality stretch jersey it cannot – in my opinion – be beaten for comfort, style and effortless simplicity. I like these so much that I’ve now made three pairs – all in a heavy 4-way stretch jersey from M Rosenberg & Son’s online store – Stitch Fabrics - https://www.stitchfabrics.co.uk/. This fabric is a blend of 60% viscose, 35% polyester and 5% spandex and the quality is wonderful; it’s a good weight, sews up beautifully with a stretch or jersey needle, keeps its shape and launders well. It comes in a plain red, navy and black and I have now added all three colours to my wardrobe. I was initially hesitant about the red as it is very bright, but in fact, I think the red wide-legged trousers may be my favourites. With the addition of a jaunty side stripe, they certainly brighten up a grey day.
The Maker’s Atelier Wide-Legged Trousers are a quick and easy sew; the stretch version consists of simply a front and back pattern piece and can be put together in a jiffy with an overlocker. If you’re using a normal sewing machine, just remember to use a ballpoint or jersey needle and use a small zigzag, or stretch stitch if your machine has one. I always sew the main seams on the overlocker and then use a small zigzag to stitch the edge of the waistband down, and also to hem the trousers.
To attach the side stripe on the red version, I altered the recommended order of making up. Normally you sew the centre front and back seams (ie the crotch), followed by the inside leg seam, the side seams and then the waistband and hem. To make it easier to attach the stripe, I sewed the side seams first on each leg, attached the ribbon whilst each trouser leg was a flat piece and then sewed the inner seam. I then turned one leg to the right side and popped it inside the other leg to sew the crotch seam, finishing off as normal with the waistband and hem.
The wide-legged trousers and holiday top from The Makers Atelier, made up in jersey from Stitch Fabrics. The slight shade difference between top and bottom is a result of me buying the fabric several years apart!!
I’ve also used the navy jersey to make The Maker’s Atelier Holiday Shirt and Top for a total sportswear vibe. Although this pattern is designed predominantly for wovens it worked perfectly well with the jersey. I opted for the long-sleeved version with hood and drawstring waist. Whilst these garments are ideal for comfortable at-home dressing, I’d be perfectly happy to wear them out and about – they are a very versatile addition to my wardrobe and I’m convinced they’ll be worn for a very long time to come.
