My absolute favourite book in the 34 books that I read in the series was The Mystery of the Ghostly Galleon (1979) with a genuine glow in the dark disappearing pirate ship!
The Hudson Pants are a casual lounging pant newly released by Kelli of True Bias and they have pockets!!! Perfect for storing all those clues I'll find while solving mysteries.
Seriously, I love pockets, and I love being comfortable. I've now made two pairs and will make more.
I'm a size 8 by TrueBias measurements and Kelli suggests going up a size if your fabric isn't very stretchy. I chose a fleece from Spotlight which has minimal stretch, and I wanted a comfy 'tracky dack' style, so I cut a size 12 for my green pair. They're a really comfortable fit, sitting on my hips and have been well tested as I've changed into them every evening for a week - it's chilly here!
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| PhotoBombed AGAIN! Can't a mum read or knit in peace... |
I did forget that I'm 5'6 and that the pants are drafted for 5'5, so for my second pair, I added an inch in the leg length.
I went down to the size 10 for my black ponte (from Darn Cheap Fabrics) and added 2cm in height to the CB (tapering to the side seams) and 1cm to the CF, as well as removing 2 inches in width from the CB waistband for my sway back. I prefer the high rise of this version, but that's possibly just a winter thing ;)
I can make my size 8, the black ones don't feel as loose as they look in these pics, so I'm sure they'll work in my 'correct' size.
Did I mention that there are pocketssess!!! I extended the pocket facing/lining (both terms are used on the pattern/instructions) to the CF so that they wouldn't flap about, not that my green ones do.
I was a little overenthusiastic with stitching the waistband onto my green pair and didn't leave it wide enough for the 2+" elastic to slide through, so they have two pieces of 1" elastic. I widened the waistband of my black pair by 1cm so that I could avoid this (as clearly, I can't follow 3/8" seam allowances consistently!)
The Hudson pant is exactly as I pictured - and just what my wardrobe required - comfy, with pockets & the black pair is worthy of being worn out of the home, especially when solving mysteries ;)
I've styled it with Tessuti's Mandy Boat Tee, layered with a black knit for winter.
The Mandy is a one size fits all free pattern for drapey knits. I have taken the front in by 5cm at each side as I felt swamped by the width of the fabric, however I've left the back as drafted and really like the drape.
I didn't have enough of my gorgeous (seriously, this feels luscious!) striped knit for the sleeves, and my black jersey was the wrong shade, so sleeveless it is! It does make it much more versatile. I'm really loving it as a layer with my Mosses and jeans as well as these Hudsons.
I simply finished all hems with a twin stitch, and yes, that is a cropped front and mullet back - I'm recalling 1983 here!
Check out Rachel's very stylish version of the Hudson Pants at Boo Dogg and me, and I want a merino fleece version just like Busy Lizzie in Brizzy's!
Kelli has also published a Sewalong, details here
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| Ahoy There!! There be windy days ahead, get thee into some Hudsons!! |
Love the stripey shirt with the black ones - great outfit! Did you take the Mandy in at the side seams? I think I'd like to try that!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the shout out!
DeleteThanks Rachel! Yes, I took 5cm of each side of the front of the Mandy but left the back width. I felt a tad swamped otherwise, but I do love the drape at the back - I'm fairly sure Amanda did a similar narrowing. And your Hudson's are my motivating pair, it's so lovely to have a pair of 'tracky dacks' that can be seen in public!
ReplyDeleteyou are so awesome. 2 pairs already! And I love it paired with the boat tee.
ReplyDeleteTracky Dacks- that is a phrase I have not heard before. They are lovely though. They look comfy, fun and stylish. Now I have to spend some time googling these Hudson pants. I've not made trousers before they seem to scary, but these are tempting.
ReplyDeleteI think most of us spend our sewing time trying to sew things that will be as comfortable as trackie daks. These are very stylish ones. Which tall ship's lines are you hanging off?
ReplyDeleteThanks Kelli for releasing such a timely pattern! And for the sew along - it was really lovely when you answered our queries about %stretch and we could all add another sewing item to our list of "things that get tangled in translation across the continents" - it's such a wonderful online community!
ReplyDeleteHi Louise, I did consider not using the Australian slang/jargon, but..... ;) it's all part of sharing the local flavour that we all bring to the global online community. I'm still in the 'many muslin' phase of 'The Trouser', so these were a lovely way of adding some warmth to my winter wardrobe. If you search on Instagram for #hudsonsewalong there will be lots of examples popping up this week ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks Paola - I agree, and this winter (and the last), I was struggling to find any warm ones with pockets, so I was seriously contemplating a hack until Kelli released them with perfect timing. And the rigging was SO much fun - a wooden pirate ship playground has just opened near home - we had pirates galore at the official opening on Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to check out this pattern. Looks like they would be great for winter walking pants. Very nice!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree on the slang giving flavour to blogs. You can almost hear the accent! I love american blogs "y'all".
ReplyDeleteMust have the pocketsess.... I love me some comfy clothes that let me clamber on some rigging and then sit down for coffee & cake ;)
ReplyDeleteThey are ;) And I still love the Bob Whites of the Glen, I re-read a few in the series, they're almost timeless - well, not as dated as Biggles - I find it hard to believe that the first ones were written from 1948-1958, I thought they were contemporary in 1980! Oh, and I'd meant to mention the Mystery on Cobbett's Island as one that I remember vividly every time I go sailing or follow treasure maps ;)
ReplyDeleteThey are all good reads... I would love to collect some of these for prosperity... mmmm
ReplyDeleteNow that's the way to look seriously stylish AND comfy! I haven't come across this pattern before...I feel a spot of Googling coming on ;)
ReplyDeleteomigosh, that takes me back, Trixie Belden! I was a huge fan too, once upon a time :) Cool tracky dacks, and they do look stylish enough to wear out and about :)
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love these shots of you, great location!! How comfy are these pants? I am wearing mine now :)
ReplyDeleteAhh memories re Trixie Belden, I used to have all of those books and Nancy Drew, and Secret Seven and Famous Five. Yep avid reader, but I don't remember them as vividly as you do though!!
Thanks Carolyn ;)
ReplyDeleteComfy and stylish is always a winner ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz! I never read Nancy Drew, but loved all the others - I still enjoy the Famous Five (& Trixie), but The Secret Seven hasn't aged quite as well - a huge thanks to my mum for storing them all for a few decades! ;)
ReplyDelete