Peg Bag and StyleArc Barb pants

Earlier this week I was hanging out washing and my plastic peg bucket broke.  Yes, pegs all over the ground.  These plastic buckets never last very long, so I decided it was time to put my sewing to a practical use and went looking for free peg bag patterns.  I found this lovely Dirndl clothespin bag here.  I used left over fabric from my gingham shirt and red dress and some trim from my crazy quilting to make this.

Cute, practical and will last a long time.  The 'apron' in the front is another pocket.

I've been wanting a trouser pattern that I can use again and again.  So far my trouser making efforts haven't been very successful as the crotch never seems to fit correctly.  After reading reviews on Pattern Review the StyleArc Barbs pattern seemed very popular and consensus seems to be they are a good fit.  Best of all the pattern is a free download.  You select the size you want, and they send that size, as well as the size on either side.  So I selected size 14 and was sent patterns for sizes 12, 14 and 16.

I used size 14.  The pattern calls for a stretch fabric, recommending bengaline.  I bought some cotton sateen and bengaline from Spotlight to use.  For my first effort I used the cotton sateen.  For a while I've been wanting a pair of patterned trousers.  I've always been very conservative with trousers going for plain colours, usually black or navy, so high time to break out of my corporate mind- set and go with something different.

Here they are:

I'm very happy with these. They were super easy to make as they are just an elastic waist.  They are a great fit, if anything a bit long in the leg, next time I'll shorten them a couple of inches.  At 5'9" it's very unusual for me to need to shorten anything, I usually need to lengthen.  The elastic was meant to be 5cm wide. I only had 2cm and that is fine, though a bit wider would be better.


I did change the way the waistband is constructed.  The pattern said to insert the elastic into the waistband and then attach the waistband to the pants.  I attached the outer side of the waistband to the pants, inserted the elastic, stitching down at each quarter, then sewed down the inner side of the waistband to the pants.   I felt this would allow me to control where the elastic sat better.  I've had RTW elastic waisted pants where the elastic has twisted inside the waistband and didn't want that happening.