Pietra Pants & Shorts Pattern

These where the first set of trousers I have made. Love the pocket . Love the fit. I have made two pair.

I’ve been sewing for a long time but this was my first time making pants. I’m so happy with how they turned out. This pattern is so great. Classy yet comfy and able to be really versatile. Thanks!

This pattern was easy to follow and makes lovely shorts! Can't wait to try the pants next.

As many women I have a unique body. Very short arms and legs, but a long spine with average bust. Add an apple belly without waist, and boyish hips and bum. In my online sewing group, we share questions and answers, and here I got the tip to try Pietra pants, a unique design. I chose to make the shorts as a (wearable) toile in weaved, plain cotton. My waist measure really puts me in the middle of sizes, and I had to print both 0-20 and 14-32 to find out. Finally, measuring the actual BODY waist and hips, helped med choose base size 12. Hacks: I needed to reduce the back width down to size 8, and make a "rich apple hack", to the side fronts width (inkl pockets) into size 16, to have nice pocket access. My belly is happy with the flat and high front, ant the easiness of back elastics, Yeah!! I will really make more pants of this pattern! It invites to many hacks.

I've started sewing again after several years off and chose this pattern and the cielo top as my first projects because I just could not get a brown linen pant out of my mind. Now I've sewn them up (about 3 evenings sew time) and I have a fantastic pair of pants! Any errors are a result of my own inexperience, like making a size too large (easy to fix by making the back elastic tighter) and thinking the rise is a bit too high even for me, a tall gal (my next pair I will edit the pattern before cutting). The only part that was truly confusing was making the back waist band with french side seams. I definitely didn't do it "right" but it looks good from the outside. The instructions do indicate french seams are an option for fabric that is want to fray (like linen), but no tips for accomplishing the construction in this area with them. The fit is loose and so comfortable, immediate love.

I have several pairs of linen pants/shorts planned for the Pietra pattern, but my next pair I will try in a wool suiting type fabric if I can find a good one so I can wear now in the winter. I just wore the linen version in 25F weather and it was not my finest idea.