August’s Minerva Make… Floral Peddle Pushers

Good day folks!

How is everyone? Are you, like me, lamenting the impending end of summer? Well I’m here to inject some colour back into that doom with my latest make for the Minerva Crafts Blogger Network and because there’s no time like the beginning of September to pull on some bright vintage style pedal pushers!! 😉

I wanted to make some summery peddle pushers/cropped trousers for a while and in true Gabby tradition actually made these last week on the rainiest, bleakest day we’ve had in ages and I’m now wondering… do I have to wait till next year to wear these?… Let’s hope not.

Anyway – I’ll stop being so English by talking about the weather and talk about the trousers! Here’s my kit from Minerva to make these beauties…

I wanted to try the bottom part to lovely Gerties’ Butterick Ladies Easy Sewing Pattern 5895 – Cropped Top & Jeans  it’s an easy pattern to follow – definitely one for sewers with some experience as there is no hand holding in the instructions and if I hadn’t already made a few pairs of trousers and many shorts I would probably have been lost but they sewed up very quickly – they only took 3 hours with cutting out included.

How gorgeous is this fabric?! It’s Traditional Floral Print Hendon Stretch Cotton Twill  I thought it was about time I got to know denim/twill (as making jeans is next on the horizon) and this stretch cotton twill jumped out at me – it’s even nicer than I thought it would be – such a lovely soft texture and it’s so so pretty…

I did however make a MASSIVE ERROR with it – the back of the pattern envelope says the jeans are suitable for Denim, Twill and Poplin but NOT stretch twill… now they are suitable – they work wonderfully together but I should have made them at least a size smaller to account for the stretch… I did not and alas I now have pedal pushers that are a little big and don’t show off the stretch at all. I still like them how they are- they look like they are just in twill and they are relaxed and comfortable but the crotch is a little low and it is a bit of a shame. I have taken in the inner and outer leg seams as much as I can without distorting the shape too much. I might go crazy and unpick the lot to take in the crotch seam too OR maybe they are destined to be a present for someone instead – lets see how this one plays out! I think mistakes are the best way to learn so I’m not too downhearted.

To end on a positive – I really am in love with this fabric – I enjoyed working with it and finally using my ballpoint needle that was gathering dust. It pressed wonderfully and sewed up like a dream – not at all how I imagined a stretch twill to behave so I’m over the moon, learnt a lot and ready to try jeans next! 🙂

Until next time – HAPPY SEWING!