Ultimate Trousers by Sew over It
It's been a long time since I last posted thanks to moving to London in November 2017 and all of the distractions that coincide with an international move. For years, I have been following Tilly and the Buttons and Sew Over It, always wishing I could attend one of their many classes. I was so excited to finally be in London where I have so many sewing classes at my fingertips! My parents bought me a Sew Over It gift voucher for Christmas and I quickly booked myself into the Ultimate Trousers class in January.
It's taken me a while to post this blog - mainly because my boyfriend (aka trusty photographer) was still in Melbourne until March. As much as I love sewing, I would be lying if I didn't confess that it can also be stressful. This Sew Over It class took all of the stress out of sewing. The class instructor was fabulous and despite having a big group to work with, she provided plenty of help and advice. Trousers have always scared me a bit - partly because there's a high chance of sewing the wrong pieces together and ending up with a few hours worth of unpicking and also partly because like most women, I don't have the perfect body shape.
The class instructor helped everyone fit their trousers to their body shape by making adjustments to their pattern. This made sewing the trousers so much less stressful. I tend to just make the size that I think is most appropriate and then after trying them on and discovering they don't fit properly, I spend several tedious hours unpicking and re-sewing sections. I can't describe how good it felt to have such a problem-free sewing experience!
My pattern was adjusted to take into account my combination of a small waist and big bottom/wide lower hips. It's rare for me to find pants that fit properly. I tend to fit somewhere between a UK 8-10 but usually find that size 10 fits my hips but then is a bit loose around my waist. This pair of Ultimate Trousers is probably the only pair of pants I own that actually fits properly. I also chose to crop my pants a bit more, but the pattern itself is designed to be cropped just slightly above the ankle.
I bought the fabric from the Sew Over It shop in Clapham. I didn't realise until I arrived at the shop one week before my class that everyone who books into a Sew Over It class also gets a discount on Sew Over It fabrics. You can actually purchase your fabric from the Sew Over It shop after arriving for your class, so there's no need to pre-purchase your fabric. My class was in the new Islington shop, which opened not long before my class.
Everyone who completes the class gets to take the pattern and instructions home with them, including your own adjustments so you can re-create your perfectly fitting garment. I highly recommend doing a Sew Over It class. I can't wait to book another class!
