Have you ever made the Jutland Pants by Thread Theory Designs?
I love this pattern. The directions are pretty straight forward and the end result is a polished pair of pants. This is my second try with this pattern (my first being this 12oz canvas pant pictured immediatly below - you can read more about them here), and I feel like every time I make them, I get a little closer to the perfect fit.
My husband has a very athletic build (big bottom, skinny waist, broad shoulder and upper body). After my first pair of Jutland pants, I quickly realized that he would need a curved waistband for all future pants. I went to YouTube and found this video to draft my own curved waistband. While I was nervous about the waistband, after following this tutorial it went off without a hitch and fits him perfectly. I would recommend making a note of the waist and hip measurements, and see if you too would benefit from a curved waistband.
I also really enjoy being able to add fun pocket details. My husband works as an Emergency Medicine doctor, so it was fun to add these simple pocket EKG topstitching details.
Jutland pants, as it says on the directions, are constructed to be tighter than ready to wear pants. I wanted my husband to be extra comfortable, so I sewed the pants up on the outer side seams and crotch with a smaller seam allowance, to add some extra room. The 5/8” seam allowance allows for sizing adjustments or preferences where needed/wanted.
The one thing that I feel like I haven’t figured out yet is the zipper fly. While I have followed the instructions both times, there are things that I need to do differently for the future. The fly not only feels flimsy, but the left front zipper shield/facing doesn’t stay in place to keep the zipper covered when the pants are zipped up (meaning it pulls to make the zipper constantly visible even when the pants are zipped and buttoned). If you have had experience with this, or know of a solutions I would love to hear it. Once I nail the fly, this will be my go to shorts/pants pattern for my husband.
All in all I am happy with this pair, and all that I have learned. So much of the joy of sewing for me is the joy of learning and improving, and I am happy to say in the world of slow fashion, I slowly continue to do both!