Treasure Pockets for ME!

I'm really on a roll with this sewing for me thing!  This time, not only was I able to make something fun I can wear this summer... I also saved a pair of pants from the pile of doom in my closet known as "these used to fit me, and they're too pretty to get rid of."  It's a sad sad pile.

BUT... I had a lightbulb!  Raina's little treasure pocket pants are so cute (yep, they became Raina's... from the 12 month pattern size!).  And that bird fabric, LOVE.  So why not adapt it a little, and make it for me?

I started with pair of magenta-purple-ish linen pants from Old Navy.  The tag says they are a 2, and that little number is laughing at me.  I didn't cut it, but I wanted to.  It's nice to have it there though, reminding my 4 sizes larger self where my butt used to fit!  Babies.  They are so worth the bigger clothes.

So I cut them right up the outside leg seams, making one really funny looking pair of pant-things!  I tried them on like that for Raina, and I may have made her laugh harder than she does when Caillou's daddy gets pizza all over his face.  That's somethin'.

I took the side pocket panel pattern pieces (that's a mouthful!!) from Raina's pants, and made them longer. I used the same width and pocket size from the 12 month pattern, pinky swear!  I didn't need a SUPER wide panel, just wide enough to accommodate some leftover morning sickness-subsiding bagel baggage.  I sewed them together just like the pattern says, and then attached to to my wide open pants... just like the pattern says.

I made it really easy for myself and used the bottom edge of the sheet (that's what the bird fabric is from, if you haven't read the other couple posts where I've used it :)! )  No hemming, and easy to line up with the existing finished bottom of the pants.  I suppose if I hadn't been using a fabric with a finished edge, I would have pre-hemmed the pocket panel before sewing it to the pants.

They needed a little tweaking at the waist when I was done, since the width of the panels actually made them *TOO BIG*!  I love saying that.  I took them in a little, just curving my inside seams and then finishing them with a zig-zag stitch.

Purty!  Raina is pretty amused that we have matching pants now :)  I am, too, actually!  And I love that I got to use this bird fabric for something I can wear!  I'll try to get a decent picture of them on me to post, but I'm usually the one behind the camera, so we'll see how that goes.

I have a couple more pants awaiting this treatment right now... and I'm resisting the urge to match the panels to the tops I'm making.  I love the fabrics, but the matchy-matchy-ness of it creeps me out a little.