"Just the pants, ma'am"

I have a very bad habit.

Maybe it's laziness,  but when I "frankenpattern" -- was that term invented by a sewing blogger? -- I never record the changes I make so if I want to repeat them in the future, I have to start from scratch.  Well, that's not entirely true: I take pictures.  But even then, if I need to remember how I did something, I have to go through hundreds of photos and try to recollect my process.

Wouldn't it be easier to take notes along the way and keep them in the pattern envelope?  YES!

Wouldn't it be easier to trace a new pattern that includes all the changes I made?  YES!

But I resist every. single. time.

UPDATE: I just realized why I resist: I won't know until the garment is done whether I like the results of the "frankenpattern" or not, so I don't want to invest the extra time taking notes.

For the pants I'm working on (the ones that will match the navy herringbone jacket), I wanted to use the McCall's Williwear pattern I showed you yesterday (8536).  But the pieces turned out to be too wide and I didn't have enough fabric.  I had just enough for a pair of Kwik Sew jeans, but I didn't want jeans pockets or a back yoke.  So I "frankenpatterned," combining the elements I wanted to use from the Williwear pattern, like the single-welt back pockets and slant front pockets, with the more narrow silhouette of Kwik Sew 3504.

Here are the slant pockets (I'll probably add a bar tack to reinforce the edge):



Here's the front fly:



Here's a single welt back pocket (I may add a buttonhole):



Consistent with my lazy ways, I used the same serger thread on the seam allowances that I'd used on Cathy's red rayon dress.  It's all on the inside anyway, right?



I'm almost done with the pants, believe it or not -- I just have to attach the waistband and belt loops, add a waistband closure (I'm partial to buttons), and eventually hem the bottom.  I usually leave the final hem job for after I wash the pants a few times.  For photo shoots, my pants are generally just tacked up.  That way, I can take into consideration the many comments I receive criticizing my pants length! (he he)



I never did make it to the Garment District today as I lost all sense of time once I got these pants underway; maybe tomorrow.  If I'm having my jacket done at Jonathan Embroidery, I may also have them do the waistband buttonhole -- that one's always a struggle due to thickness.

And that's it.  I hope to finish these tomorrow, along with the jacket.

Do YOU keep track of your "frankenpattern" combinations and alterations?  (And if so, how?)

Have a great day, everybody!

(Try to spot Doris's stunt double!)