OK! Round 2 from the sewing fashion front. This time around I decided to be a bit more practical and chose a pattern that was better aligned with my everyday life.
Before I quit my full-time job to be a SAHM, I worked as a manager at a retail clothing store with one of my primary jobs being to train my team on crafting outfits and styling customers from head to toe. Having to lead by example, I put a lot of thought into what I would be wearing each and every day. Now I dress for a 2-year-old to spill apple juice on, to sit on the floor playing “scary monster in a tunnel”, and most days, I don’t even leave the house. Which is all fun and games until you realize just how easy it is to ruin your favorite maxi dress that way. At first, I was really scared about my transition because the t-shirt with leggings that has essentially become the mom uniform is sooooooooo not me. But now I’ve learned that since I’m not beholden to a dress code any longer, I’m able to dress for no one but myself. Which sounds like it would be freeing, but has actually only opened the door to decision paralysis and that dreaded feeling of “closet full of clothes with nothing to wear”. Most of the clothing I own that fits me well and that I love to wear are bohemian blouses in delicate fabrics and skin-tight high waisted denim…not exactly the most functional for rolling around on the floor with my toddler all day. This leaves me with my casual, “day off of work” clothes that are basically pajamas and yoga pants with holes in the butt…which, although hella comfy, don’t reflect the person I feel like on the inside. So, these days I’m making it my goal to figure out what I want to wear when I’m dressing just for myself to live in and enjoy.
Enter these Moji pants, another pattern from Seamwork! From the time of writing this post, it’s been about a month since I’ve made these pants and I can honestly say that I’ve worn these at least once a week, usually multiple times a week. They are SO comfortable thanks to the drawstring waist. It just makes them perfect for hangin around, bein cool with my daughter. I took a little more time to research this pattern, checking out reviews and pics from other makers on Instagram and pattern review sites to get a better idea of the fit and to see what fabrics others made these out of. Although linen seemed to be the popular choice, I saw a few in denim and really loved the “casual but styled” vibe.
I chose a lighter weight denim from JoAnn Fabrics that had a bit of stretch to them, and I’m glad for that. A few reviews claimed this pattern ran a bit tight in the calf, which I typically don’t have issues with fitting, but they were right. Luckily with added stretch I could make it work. Which is a good thing since I LOVE how polished the cigarette taper at the leg looks.
Can we talk about the magic of drawstring denim? Because it is real and I believe in it! My retail background is in jeans so they were my main uniform for years. I’m glad I now have the look and feel of an easy jogger while feeling at home in good ol’ classic denim. WIN-WIN.
I’m already mentally making about 60 more pairs of these pants. They were a breeze to sew up, even for a complete newbie like myself. I credit this mostly to Seamwork’s incredible instructions. I’m more of a visual learner, so I really appreciate their use of TONS of illustrations and the extra hand holding.
I think next time I’ll add a bit more length for a higher rise simply because it’s what I’m used to and more relaxed in. I think I’ll also swap out the drawstring for an elastic waistband to make them a bit more forgiving on my hips when I’m sitting down.
I’m so happy (*relieved*) that my second sewing attempt went a lot more smoothly and resulted in something I genuinely love and am proud to wear. Here’s hoping it’s all uphill from here!
UPDATE!: I’ve made another pair of Moji pants and this time I sewed them up in a super soft fabric and lengthened the rise, making them my favorite at-home joggers. Check them out here!
-C
DETAILS:
FABRIC: Denim from JoAnn Fabrics
NOTIONS: Grommets & Cording – JoAnn’s
SIZE: I made a size 4, which ran true to size BUT would recommend grading between sizes or sizing up if you prefer more room in the calves.
KNOWLEDGE OBTAINED: Adding patch pockets, topstitching, adding hardware.
Nice work. And thanks for the useful info about the fabric and the fit funniness. 🙂
Thanks so much! I actually just made my second pair and lengthened the rise a bit which made for a much more comfortable fit which you can read about here:
https://www.happymakesme.com/home/minerva-maker-team-the-moji-pants-by-seamwork