Pants: Simplicity 7092

I have been working with a pants pattern I’ve had around for awhile — Simplicity 7092. I made myself 2 pairs of pants with this pattern about 5 years ago. My favorite of the two is made from a black linen-blend, while the other that I also like is made from a wheat-colored linen-blend. I still wear both of those pairs of pants; they fit really well. The only thing that bothers me is that they’re made to sit 2 inches below the waist, which I thought I would like at first but have since learned that I hate. One inch below I could maybe handle (I’ve got shorts like that), but 2 inches? No thanks.

Simplicity 7092

In order to make these pants perfect for my taste, I raised the waist on the pattern by 2 inches, bringing it back up where I like it. I tested this change on Sunday using some sage green cotton and they turned out great. I’ve worn them for pajama pants, although Jeff thinks they’re nice enough to wear out and about. I will take that as a compliment, along with his initial response that he didn’t think they were homemade.

Another change — I eliminated the drawstring in front. I did this for two reasons: 1) elastic all around is easier, and 2) I can’t do buttonholes on my sewing machine right now, which is how the draw cord would have to come out of the waistband.

JoAnn has a 50% off sale on the same black linen-blend that I used 5 years ago, so it was $3.99 a yard. I bought 3 yards of that, out of which I can make 2 pairs of pants (since it is 50″ wide fabric). The total cut cost $11.97; each pair of pants cost half that, or $5.99.

I cut them out this afternoon and sewed them, using only my serger and coverstitch. For one pair, I used all black thread and for the other, I used white. Here’s the pair with white contrast-stitching.

Down the side seams, I triple coverstitched for faux flat fell seams. Here’s a close-up of the pair with the white stitching.

The next thing I’d like to do with this pattern is adapt it for knit shorts. I already tested my shorts length using the same sage green cotton woven I mentioned above. The big change will be that I will have to remove some of the ease since I’ll be working with knit. I will try that maybe next week.