I am very excited about this! I recently discovered the TDCO method for fitting pants this spring, and I have been watching videos on this process. It will be great to have Ruth guide me through the actual process!
I'm getting ready – have ordered my pattern and printed the worksheets. Very excited!
Do we need to have our fashion fabric, thread, zipper, button ready to go by this weekend? Or by another specific date, in order to stay on track? Thank you!
These are aspect you want to think about especially if they need to be mail ordered but for next week you will need your pattern, muslin fabric and interfacing for the fitting waistband.
Yay, pants! I just became a paid subscriber to participate fully in MPWM, and I couldn’t be more excited! I have never made zippered pants, but it’s a big sewing goal of mine. I look forward to working through it with you and this group.
I already have a question, if you have a moment. I bought the pattern, and I typically send my PDF patterns out to get printed on A0 paper. Do you recommend selecting the closest size and printing only that layer, or should we print all layers/sizes together? My measurements stretch across 16-18-20 on their size chart (and unfortunately, 00-18 are on one file while 20-40 are on another), so I'm feeling very unsure about what to print.
I would recommend printing 00-18. Printing all the sizes will help with learning as you will be able to compare your final adjusted draft to the nest. You also will will need to trace your selected size but you can skip tracing by printing another copy with just the selected size which is something I will do particularly when I am already paying for shipping.
Great question! For the Olive Pants we went deep and covered a lot of ground so afterwards we did the elastic wiast Fremantle Pants as a refresher project. So I guess I think of elastic waist pants as more of in between projects because the fitting is not as precise as other styles. Do you have a favorite elastic waist pants pattern or are considering a particular design?
Hi! Im still a little confused on cost, will your substack posts for this MPWM be free or paid subscribers only? I’d like to do this one, but I missed the first one with the Olive pants, so I’d like to go back and do those first, but those are paid. After a while do they get switched to paid subscribers?
Thanks for this question! After 6 months free posts become paywalled. In brief, my overall goal is to get more people making pants and understanding how the pant design to help build the #slowfashion movement with more makers. So if you have a particular question on a topic I am more than happy to answer. With the MPWM, it is an applied version of the general information already available for free on Instagram, customized for the design we are making. I have taken many sewing classes and am myself an educator so I am confident that a paid subscription is more than worthwhile and I am thinking if I should increase the price because ATM it is so inexpensive it does not reflect fair value. But I would also say that maybe a paid subscription works best for people who are looking for some personal coaching, or who want to understand what is happening with pattern adjustments in a fundamental (design-focused) way, or who are interested in body neutral approach to garment fitting. This is not everyone's cup of tea, sometimes people just prefer to be told "if you have a xxx butt then slash here in 3 places then move the side piece out by the amount you pinched" etc. (which is totally understandable, and there are lots of existing resources for that type of approach). I am developing other resources for people who want a general guide without having to go to social media or the internet.
Thanks so much for your response - I was not familiar with how the paywall on substack works. And that all makes a lotta sense. I definitely want you to get paid fair value for the service, and this information helps me weigh my options and find what works in my budget and learning needs.
That makes sense! Just to add that my allegiance and motivation is to the regular person who needs or wants to make their own pants and shift away from fast fashion. As a member of the making community myself, I am aware and respectful of the time, effort and resources needed to complete a a project.
This is my first MPWM and I am really looking forward to it. I am struggling to make the 13/14 Sept as I am on holiday. Will it be possible to catch up so you think? Once I have the timings I can see if I could join at least for part of the zoom session.
That’s great to hear! Missing any session should not matter, very unlikely everyone can make every session. #slowfashion is slow and everyone has busy lives so there needs to be flexibility, the key is patience and persistence!
hmmm. I need to think about the timing, since I'm going to be in PDX for October, and my sister doesn't have a machine. I would like to try fitting these on her, or my nibling who is very petite and has trouble finding pants that fit them, but I won't be there in November to do final fit adjustments. Will see if I can find a sewing machine first-- that could make it workable.
I am very excited about this! I recently discovered the TDCO method for fitting pants this spring, and I have been watching videos on this process. It will be great to have Ruth guide me through the actual process!
That is wonderful to hear and welcome!
I’m adding the dates to my calendar and looking forward to it !
Awesome, and thank you for showing your gorgeous Olive Pants at the last session!
I am so looking forward to the new sessions. Will do my best to prioritize these as they are so interesting and fun. N
Thank you, that is so kind and your presence is much appreciated!
Yay, thank you! Dates in my calendar and pattern printed. And I got a laundry rack to solve my mirror problem. I persist!
On my calendar! I'm available most of the sessions! I look forward to another shot at making pants.
I'm getting ready – have ordered my pattern and printed the worksheets. Very excited!
Do we need to have our fashion fabric, thread, zipper, button ready to go by this weekend? Or by another specific date, in order to stay on track? Thank you!
These are aspect you want to think about especially if they need to be mail ordered but for next week you will need your pattern, muslin fabric and interfacing for the fitting waistband.
Yay, pants! I just became a paid subscriber to participate fully in MPWM, and I couldn’t be more excited! I have never made zippered pants, but it’s a big sewing goal of mine. I look forward to working through it with you and this group.
Big welcome! I'm delighted to meet you and make pants together!
I already have a question, if you have a moment. I bought the pattern, and I typically send my PDF patterns out to get printed on A0 paper. Do you recommend selecting the closest size and printing only that layer, or should we print all layers/sizes together? My measurements stretch across 16-18-20 on their size chart (and unfortunately, 00-18 are on one file while 20-40 are on another), so I'm feeling very unsure about what to print.
I would recommend printing 00-18. Printing all the sizes will help with learning as you will be able to compare your final adjusted draft to the nest. You also will will need to trace your selected size but you can skip tracing by printing another copy with just the selected size which is something I will do particularly when I am already paying for shipping.
Will you ever choose an elastic waist pattern for this?
Check out these posts on fitting and making the Fremantle elastic waist pants:
#MPWM Fremantle Pants June 5th 2025
https://ithacamaven.substack.com/p/mpwm-fremantle-pants
Elastic Waists June 19th 2025
https://ithacamaven.substack.com/p/elastic-waists
I Am Not A Pyjama June 20th 2025
https://ithacamaven.substack.com/p/i-am-not-a-pyjama
Notches and Seam Lines June 26th 2025
https://ithacamaven.substack.com/p/notches-and-seam-lines
The Art and Science of the Details June 27th 2025
https://ithacamaven.substack.com/p/the-art-and-science-of-the-details
Fremantle Finale July 16th 2025
https://ithacamaven.substack.com/p/fremantle-finale
Great question! For the Olive Pants we went deep and covered a lot of ground so afterwards we did the elastic wiast Fremantle Pants as a refresher project. So I guess I think of elastic waist pants as more of in between projects because the fitting is not as precise as other styles. Do you have a favorite elastic waist pants pattern or are considering a particular design?
Hi! Im still a little confused on cost, will your substack posts for this MPWM be free or paid subscribers only? I’d like to do this one, but I missed the first one with the Olive pants, so I’d like to go back and do those first, but those are paid. After a while do they get switched to paid subscribers?
Thanks for this question! After 6 months free posts become paywalled. In brief, my overall goal is to get more people making pants and understanding how the pant design to help build the #slowfashion movement with more makers. So if you have a particular question on a topic I am more than happy to answer. With the MPWM, it is an applied version of the general information already available for free on Instagram, customized for the design we are making. I have taken many sewing classes and am myself an educator so I am confident that a paid subscription is more than worthwhile and I am thinking if I should increase the price because ATM it is so inexpensive it does not reflect fair value. But I would also say that maybe a paid subscription works best for people who are looking for some personal coaching, or who want to understand what is happening with pattern adjustments in a fundamental (design-focused) way, or who are interested in body neutral approach to garment fitting. This is not everyone's cup of tea, sometimes people just prefer to be told "if you have a xxx butt then slash here in 3 places then move the side piece out by the amount you pinched" etc. (which is totally understandable, and there are lots of existing resources for that type of approach). I am developing other resources for people who want a general guide without having to go to social media or the internet.
Thanks so much for your response - I was not familiar with how the paywall on substack works. And that all makes a lotta sense. I definitely want you to get paid fair value for the service, and this information helps me weigh my options and find what works in my budget and learning needs.
That makes sense! Just to add that my allegiance and motivation is to the regular person who needs or wants to make their own pants and shift away from fast fashion. As a member of the making community myself, I am aware and respectful of the time, effort and resources needed to complete a a project.
This is my first MPWM and I am really looking forward to it. I am struggling to make the 13/14 Sept as I am on holiday. Will it be possible to catch up so you think? Once I have the timings I can see if I could join at least for part of the zoom session.
That’s great to hear! Missing any session should not matter, very unlikely everyone can make every session. #slowfashion is slow and everyone has busy lives so there needs to be flexibility, the key is patience and persistence!
Ruth you don’t have the zoom links up yet. Same time slots as we’ve used for previous #MPWM?
https://ithacamaven.substack.com/p/mpwm-shop-pant-kickoff-weekend
hmmm. I need to think about the timing, since I'm going to be in PDX for October, and my sister doesn't have a machine. I would like to try fitting these on her, or my nibling who is very petite and has trouble finding pants that fit them, but I won't be there in November to do final fit adjustments. Will see if I can find a sewing machine first-- that could make it workable.
This is very portable! https://store.moma.org/products/axe-yamazaki-sewing-machine?