StyleArc Claudia Pants: Muslin 3

I don't know how this is, but I'm onto muslin 3 of the Claudia pants and I'm actually having some fun. But man, I've got SO many new alterations for this next attempt, it's crazy...

On finishing my latest version yesterday, let's call it muslin 2, here's what I learned:

• This is a new glitch: I have front crotch "smiles" or extra fabric because the front crotch curve is too long. Apparently, when one has a full abdomen, this is quite common. First time for me, however... I'm going to apply this alteration - wedging out 2/3" of fabric to nothing at the side seam and then adding the length back to the base of the curve.

• Why oh why am I so incapable of noting the difference between waist facing and waist bands?? These pants have facing - which means they don't have additional height of a band at the top. The result is that now I have to add ALL the fabric I removed from the crotch curve back into the waist because I'm not joking about making pants that fit at the true waist. I'm not dealing with muffin top. On the plus side, I've gained an inch in length...

• And, on the topic of length, I've got to add half an inch back to the base of the leg - I'm getting longer still!

• The original line of these pants is not optimal, IMO. They're SUPER 80s, not my fave era, as you know. I've got to get rid of the leg dart. It's killing me with its stirrup legging vibe. I'm also going to alter them into straight leg (rather than tapered). I think it will be a more modern silhouette and will balance my proportions better.

• Gotta add back that inch in the hips that I removed last go around!

• And, while I'm at it, I'm giving a tiny bit more fabric to the front inner thigh.

• Finally, I'm closing the front from 2 pieces with seam to one, uncut piece. I don't need a line bisecting me at this juncture. I also think it's dated, given the line of the rest of the pants. And it takes some effort to finish that seam nicely - which is just stupid given that I don't like it.

You know, if this were my third jacket muslin, I'd be ready to kill myself. And here I am, third go round with So. Many. New. Alterations.

But it's cool, peeps. For some reason, I don't bring judgement to my fitting of pants in the way I do to the fitting of the tops. I feel like I've got a chance to turn these into a very well-fitted garment - nay, sloper, if I put in the time.

Stay tuned.