Slow fashion is a global movement, the partner to slow food. Food and clothing, the fundamentals. And just like cooking from quality ingredients brings appreciation of food, one way to participate in slow fashion is through making garments.
There is no other garment that is as worthwhile to DIY as tailored trousers. Pant construction requires the most basic machine sewing skills.
This image is from the latest issue of Harper’s Bazaar. Check out the white pants, Loro Piana $2,175. And even if you had $ to spend, and the pants came in your size, they still wouldn’t fit as well as the ones you made yourself.
Making pants used to be considered a topic for advanced sewists because the fitting portion was so arduous. #TopDownCenterOut has changed that. Pants fitting is accessible to all, no matter what the experience level. This means that a total beginner could dive right in and make pants as a first sewing project. And once a person realizes their superpower in making pants that fit, it revolutionizes their relationship with fashion.
This summer I worked with two volunteers who are brand new to making garments. Neither individual even had a sewing machine at the start of the summer. I am happy to report that yes, it is indeed totally possible to make tailored pants as a complete sewing beginner. There were two major challenges. One of the challenges is particular to beginners which was learning to operate the sewing machine with a consistent seam allowance. The other challenge is common to all of us and that is project management.
A maker is essentially a contractor, building a garment from the architectural blueprint of the designer. Garment construction involves many different tasks. There will be delays and unexpected setbacks as you juggle the project together with everything else in life.
To help navigate the project of pants making, I divided up the challenge into sessions which was refined as we went along. I am sharing the current version with you here with the goal of linking as I go into more depth on each topic separately.
What I find impressive when I see a list like this is just how much knowledge and skill goes into making garments.
If you are a maker new to garment making or a slow fashion educator you will want to bookmark this and come back to it often. The learning for each session could be covered in a 1-2 hour lesson and for makers can use the sessions as a guide to review progress.
Your feedback and comments are welcome. If you have made, or are thinking of making pants as a first project please share your experience and expectations.
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