Pietra Pants and Shorts

[AnneFrances]

I had exactly the same experience with a toile of the Pietra  trousers.  I liked the idea of the pockets, and the possibility of fitting alterations down the front, though I am not quite sure how they would be on someone like me with a "saddlebag" shape - very wide thighs.  But the back waist was hopeless, far too much fabric making bulky gathers.  I am still wondering about taking the back of my standard, and now well-fitting, trouser block (arrived at, over at least a decade, from multiple fitting toiles, and not-quite-fitting but wearable trousers!)  and putting the front of the Pietra onto it.  I know some people really like tghe Pietra, but I can't work out what shape they must be! I'll be interested to hear if anyone has found a solution.

[Lemon Syllabub]

Update.....
Being a stuborn B***** and resenting paying 20 quid for a pattern and then not being able to use it.
Do you know how many minature gins you can buy for £20? 
I persevered until I came up with something wearable!

I lowered the waist, tapered the back pattern pieces from my hip upwards & followed people's suggstions and added darts. I started the elastic gathers an inch in from the side seam to prevent the seam from pulling. I interfaced the waistband where I attached the elastic to give it more stability.
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Still not perfect but for a bottom like mine I think this is as good as it's going to get!

Also when I wear them in the garden .... or perhaps the beach  :thumbsup: I won't have the t shirt tucked it.    It will be covering my derriere. 

I'll definitely use this pattern to make more shorts this Summer and I may even use it for a pair of wide leg trousers.

[HenriettaMaria]

Would this help?  It's Vogue's fitting shell for trousers.

https://jaycotts.co.uk/products/v1003

[Ohsewsimple]

Look pretty good to me.  Not quite sure what you’re expecting from an elasticated  waist pattern.  There will always be excess. if there wasn’t you would need some way of getting in them or a fabric that stretched. 

[Puzzler]

I think they look so much better.  :thumbsup:

[Ploshkin]

A good save.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

They look great, the pockets are interesting.

[Lemon Syllabub]

@HenriettaMaria A fitting shell sounds a really good idea. I hadn’t thought of that. It would be great to end up with flat pattern pieces that represent my shape so I can use them as a guide for other patterns.  :thumbsup:

  Not quite sure what you’re expecting from an elasticated  waist pattern.   

Perfection 
No, I'm joking, but a fighting chance would have been nice.

The front of the pattern has a very long interfaced facing which is panelled to give shaping. It also gives a lot of structure.The back is practically a large rectangle of fabric. The difference in volume between the back and the front is huge…. And made worse by the high waisted design. I didn’t take a photo of the shorts sewn with the original back..... 

I think this pattern is drafted for someone who carries their inches on their large pert bottom, not their saggy tummy. 
This was my first attempt at sewing trousers and initially the pattern alterations I needed to make weren’t obvious to me at all so it was great to be able to ask for advice and suggestions from this forum.    :thumbsup:

Without you lovely lot I doubt I would have finished them. x

[Ohsewsimple]

@Lemon Syllabub perfection would be nice wouldn’t it?     I have to say what you’ve ended up with looks really great.  Sewing the elastic down makes a huge difference as it flattens the excess.  Without the extra rows of stitching you get a distorted view of what it will be like. 

I never wear my tops tucked in so it doesn’t matter too much.   I need the excess that elasticated waists create or I can’t sit down!      There is always a trade off between looking sleek when standing and being able to sit down comfortably.  Folks who are nice and slim don’t have quite the same problem.

I’d also recommend a fitting shell however you do it.  A bought pattern is a good starter place.  It may take a while to get it right but it would very useful for adjusting other patterns.  It might also save some money because you could use it and adapt it to other styles yourself!   

Good luck on your trouser journey.

[Ploshkin]

Yes, I have a much tweaked jeans pattern that is a perfect fit.  I wheel out the pattern pieces and use the crotch shape for any trousers I make.  It saves a lot of hassle.