Facing my fears part 3: my first fly front trouser zipper sample

Three of my coworkers independently asked me on Friday what I'm doing on my three day weekend.
Each time I replied, "I think I'm going to sew my first pair of trousers."
I was met with silence each time.
But you, dear reader, understand how exciting this is!!

Tonight I sewed my first fly front zipper for trousers sample.
I've sewn fly fronts for jeans but not for trousers before.  The order of construction is a little different and I wanted to practice first.  This sample is using the Sewaholic Thurlow trousers pattern.  I followed a combination of pattern instructions and Lladybird's sewalong picture tutorial.

The inside is ok.  There is a little bubbling which I think was probably due to the fabric not being aligned properly when I sewed the crotch seam.  However, that was all the way at the beginning so I can't verify that now.

The insidelooks ok  for the most part.  That fly front extension seems gigantic, but I think that's because when the waistband gets sewn on, it will have a button AND a hook/eye type closure on the inside, so it has to be wider.
But I'm more concerned about the zipper length.  The pattern calls for a 4" zipper, and I actually had one from Fabrix in SF.  This means, though, that the distance from the top of the pants to the start of the zipper is 1.125"!!!!  If you sew the waistband with a 5/8" seam, there would be 1/2" gap between the waistband and the top of the zipper, amIright???  

I sewed the crotch seam, front and back at the start of the sample.  Here is a good reason why you really need to
a) be precise
b) check the back pockets before sewing in the zipper.  The welts are not aligned with each other!

Here's a view from the inside.  The pattern has this triangle shaped extension, like men's trousers, which would enable you  to 'let out' the pants in the future for any, um, expansion...I'm not sure if that will make it into my version as that part got lopped off during muslining...

So, what's next???  Antoinette helped me with my trouser muslin last weekend, so I am going to take it apart and sew up one more muslin, and if all's well, I'm going to make my trousers!

Love the delicate pink outlining some of these peony petals from the Princeton Farmers Market.
Be well!

Thanks American Sewing Expo!

Thanks American Sewing Expo!
They had a contest recently in one of their newsletters, to celebrate their 20th year, with an unspecified prize...the prize arrived last week!

The contest was to name the person who has taught at the ASE the last 19 years. The hint was that she's on the ASE homepage. I was pretty sure I knew who it was...checked the website, verified it was Kathy Ruddy, then sent my email response.  It said the first 3 respondents with the right answer would win a prize.

Since I was jetlagged in San Diego, and read the email minutes after it arrived in my inbox, I was pretty sure I had a pretty good chance of winning.

The bag is zippered and insulated, and of course I love the contrast binding!

Thanks for your comments on the welt pocket sample #2, and your encouragement.  LinB, you are right, it's important to keep the welt going the same direction as the fabric nap unless the contrast is intentional as a design element.  I had followed the pattern layout and it wound up being that my nap for the welt pocket is horizontal while the nap of the leg is vertical.

Tonight I cut out the pieces to make a sample fly front for the Sewaholic Thurlows.  There is a mistake in the pattern layout--be sure to follow what the pattern piece says--cut the left front and right front on the fabric with right sides up (fabric and pattern!). As Jennifer Stern would say, "Ask me how I know"


The pattern calls for a 4" zipper and I have two of those from Fabrix in San Fran!
Be well!