Sunday, February 12, 2012

Culottes Then and Now: Knee Deep

Oh, my friends, there's a fine line between culottes and clown pants - which I suppose is one of the reasons they've been a bit out of phase these last couple of decades.

Where to begin?

Well, they're not finished and I've been working on them steadily for 2 days (upwards of 12 hrs of actual sewing now). That's to say nothing of the hours I've spent tracing and altering and muslining and blogging. Which ones have I thrown my lot in with? The modern ones - with back crotch curve and darts altered like the McCalls vintage ones.

Fucking pleats! They're like sartorial instruments of torture. Between the spatial reasoning I had to develop to fold them and the fussiness of getting the seams aligned and being careful not to sew the wrong bits (or leave holes in the right bits) - not to mention that this fabric, for its many pluses, does not want to hold a crease - I am spent. I can scarcely care about bringing back the trend.

But we haven't begun to discuss how they actually look, oh no. They're a bit like something that would no doubt have me unceremoniously thrown off Project Runway - or seriously humiliated by Michael Kors.

I should have shortened the crotch length by an additional half an inch, at least. The crotch hangs halfway to my knees. Did I say that I have now taken 5 inches off the bottom (and they're still too long) and 2.5 inches out of each side seam (that's 5 inches of width, over all) and the things just continue to grow? WTF, people. How do these pants keep getting bigger?

OK, note to self: Do not accidentally cut a size up and then say it's ok cuz you're having a fat week. I should have made these in a size 12 - down from my usual size 14 - not a freakin' 16. There is SO MUCH FABRIC. The pleats add, like, a yard of it somehow.

In an effort to smallen them up, I increasingly hacked away at the internal construction, making it look like something out of a freak show. (There are internal side pockets which is why I didn't just easily serge a whack of the side seams and call it a day. Trust me, though, I did consider just serging off the pockets.)

Then there's the fact that, inasmuch as culottes are just like a skirt mixed with pants, culottes are NOT like a skirt, nor are they like pants. Instead of bringing the best of both, in this instance they appear to be a mash up of the worst elements culminating in a kind of sack-like effect. Note: It's not flattering.

Lest you wonder if wearing things large is slimming, I assure you it's not. It's absolutely as volume-adding as garments that are too small.

I've done the best I can with these so I'm going to hem them, add a hook and eye and see if all of my franken-efforts will yield a wearable piece.

OK, let's take 2 minutes to focus on the good, yes?
  • If I were to make them again in a size 14, with a shorter crotch and with a creasable fabric minus the pleats, I imagine they would work well.
  • As it is, the colour and drape of my fabric is awesome. And it somehow works perfectly with the spring palette colours I chose. It's not too brown - more mulberryish - and I love it.
  • I don't have to worry that they're not adequately "retro". Trust me, they're like nothing out of this century or half of the last one.
  • It's good to have to work one's brain in a new, painful way every once in a while. It's been a long time since I've been so frustrated and confused during a sewing project. I guess it's about time. Really, there's no learning in an easy project - just fun.
  • Given how many challenges I have encountered with this project, I have persisted. Every time the bobbin ran out in the middle of an important seam, every time I had to find some way to alter things half-sewn, each frustrating moment that, initially and arrogantly, I felt insulated from on account of my having made a muslin - I worked through. There's something to be said for that.

Yes, I'm going to show them to you - probably on me, if they are wearable in the end. I just can't do it today. I need to regroup.

Do shower me with your consolation and head pats. Please.

15 comments:

  1. K, I'm so sorry. I have to confess I bursted out laughing whilst reading your post but just because of the way your wrote it. I do completely understand your pain as I've been in similar situations with some projects. Sometimes, things just don't work. Take a break and you know what, good on you to see the positive side of it. I often can't.

    I still look forward to see them on you.

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  2. Consolations and head pats? I'll do you one better. How about some wine? It sounds like you deserve it. I can't wait to see how they've turned out, it's been a hell of a ride. :)

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  3. I so love how you take up a project and see it through. And that you document in such detail to let us all participate in the learning process. Enjoy the rush that comes with each new challenge and the store of knowledge and techniques you are building up. A wearable garment in a wonderful bonus, but sometimes some of the learning is about what doesn't work and those are good and valuable lessons too.
    LoisK

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    1. Lois: So happy if these posts allow others to participate in my experience - I only wish this one had been a nice experience. They're more fun to follow along :-)

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  4. Suzy: Oh, laugh through my pain - I can take it :-) You know those bad sewing moments. How truly miserable they can be??

    Andrea: Oh, wine has taken the edge off. Good call.

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  5. I'm anxious to see if they're as bad as you make them out to be. Regardless, it sounds like they were a challenge and an interesting learning experience, and that's important too. :-)

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    1. They're not as bad as I made them sound. Nor are they as good as I had expected them to be!

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  6. Well at life's end will be regret the garments we made that weren't great or the one's we DIDN'T get to make? (Note to self: start those silk pants now so you don't have regrets later!)

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  7. I've come to your blog via Male Pattern Boldness. The title of this post caught my eye because ehm... there seems to be some kind of culotte synchronicity at work here.
    I've just made my first pair, blogged here: http://petitmainsauvage.blogspot.com/2012/02/and-now-for-something-completely.html and received a comment from someone who was also trying culottes.
    And I've just uploaded a pattern tutorial here: http://petitmainsauvage.blogspot.com/2012/02/those-culottes-tutorial.html

    I hope you'll overcome the spell of bad sewing luck. I look forward to seeing the end result.

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    1. Thanks for this info, Lauriana. I've linked to your great posts...

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  8. Oh no! Do they have crazy crotch? THey are an extreme style, but maybe they'll work in an edgy way?? Sigh. It stinks when you put so much work into a garment and then don't like it, even if it does fit.

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    1. It does, kind of. But I think it might just be culotte crotch. Hard to say...

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  9. Oh, no! Well, I shall continue to hope that you'll find them wearable, once you've recovered from the trauma. Hooray for learning experiences! (I'm still working on the Clover pants one...)

    I'm glad Lauriana posted, I was thinking I needed to mention her culottes. Although I think the look she was going for was different. Oh, good luck!

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    1. I'm recovering slowly. :-) I can't believe you forgot to mention Lauriana's posts! She is def going for a cuter, younger look, I think. But what a great designer and sewist she is!

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