Burda Hemp Pants

(Sorry about the bad photos.  After I took them, I realized I should have turned on the overhead lights in that room.  Next time!)

These pants were thrown together using a pattern from the April 2000 Burda Magazine.  I’ve had it all these years and have never made anything from it until now, which is a shame since there’s a lot of good stuff in there.  It’s no surprise that I’m 10 years behind the times with this. 

These were made from a cinnamon-colored cotton/hemp I ordered from fabric.com.  Unfortunately, these are considered burnt orange where I live, so I have to wear them carefully.  I can’t say I particularly recommend this fabric.  It’s coarse, not at all very interesting and doesn't have much in the way of drape.  I also bought some in yellow and who knows what monstrosity I’ll make out of it.  The price was right, though: 10 bucks a yard for 54” wide fabric.  I think I’ll wash the yellow stuff about 3 more times to see if it softens up a bit.  I’d tell you to watch this space for an update but really: don’t hold your breath.

Because I fall somewhere in the realm of a Big 4 size 12 (I’d be a 13 if they made that size), I originally made this in a size 38 using some nice silk tweed I got from a fabric swap. But those turned out a tad too big and I felt my sanity slipping away from me all day at work when I first wore them.  I plan to take them in, which should be pretty easy.  Considering that,  I made these hemp ones in a size 36.  I love the shape of the wide, curved waistband and, if you look at the picture carefully, you can spot the little invisible zip pocket that sits in the seam between the yoke and the leg.  I do need to shorten the front crotch length a bit, though, but I think they fit pretty well.   They could stand to loose a bit of fabric in the back leg.  I'll fix that on the pattern next time.

These things were so easy and fast to make, I couldn’t believe it. The day I made the silk tweed ones, I came home from work and traced out the pattern from the magazine.  Then I added the seam allowances.  Then I chose my fabric only to find I didn’t have enough by, like, 2 inches.  So I agonized for about 15 minutes over what to make them out of and settled on the silk.  I ironed the fabric and cut out the pattern.  Then I made them up while drinking a glass of wine.  After two hours, I had everything done but the hem!  

These hemp pants have a side invisible zip.  I got lazy and machine-stitched the hems (I hand-stitched the silk ones, of course; what do you take me for?)