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Ottobre 1-2011-29 Khaki Pants

I really like a lot of Ottobre's patterns for boys. They have creative and interesting details. But sometimes those details look overwhelming to me - multiple zippered pockets, many small parts to trace and piece, extra seams to topstitch, etc. I like those sorts of things, but I'm not always convinced that the extra effort is worth it for a garment that is quickly outgrown.

A couple of weeks ago I squashed my doubts and made a pair of pants for my son from Ottobre 1-2011-29. The No Kung Fu (?!) pants are described as "outerwear pants," but I'm not entirely sure what that means. The directions don't call for insulation, lining, or waterproofing. The suggested fabric is "outerwear fabric" - not so sure about that, either.

Ottobre 1-2011-29

So why did I choose this pattern over some others? The knee patches, my friends. My boy blows out the knees on his pants with astonishing speed. I'm hoping these knee patches slow down the wearing out just a bit. Since I was looking for everyday pants more than outwear pants, I used a khaki brushed cotton twill from my stash. It was really nice fabric, but I have no idea where I got it or how long I've had it.

Ottobre 1-2011-29

Let's look at some details.

Back pockets and yoke...

Ottobre 1-2011-29

The instructions were pretty specific about topstitching and I followed them closely. Triple stitching here, edge stitching there, etc. I like the finished result of combining different types.

Cargo pockets and leg zipper...

Ottobre 1-2011-29

Pardon the wrinkles - I took these after they had been worn. The zipper matches better in real life. I don't think the zipper will ever be closed, but it is functional. I wanted to include it for "the whole look."

Knee patch...

Ottobre 1-2011-29

I was not very fussy about getting great rounded corners on the patches.

I'm really happy with how they turned out and I think the extra effort was worth it! I'll likely use this pattern again.  I was expecting them to be longer when finished, so next time I'd change that. They are a great fit now, but I'd like them to fit for awhile (since the knees are going to stay in tact!).
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Comments

  1. KID, MDApril 13, 2012 at 8:18 PM

    They look great!! We have the same knee problem around here, and I was just contemplating this pattern for my guy, but all the piecing made me think twice, too. I think you're right though - sometimes that extra effort really pays off. Thanks for the reminder!

    ReplyDelete
  2. LoriApril 13, 2012 at 9:21 PM

    Amazing job on the pants, such great details.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LauraApril 13, 2012 at 10:52 PM

    Fantastic. I need to work on my top stitching. I would love for mine to look that good.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Freedom Acres FarmApril 14, 2012 at 12:00 AM

    Can anyone tell me the website address of where to order the Ottobre mazazines/patterns in the US?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SandiApril 14, 2012 at 1:03 AM

      The Wooly Thread handles US subscriptions, but I just get mine straight from the Ottobre website (www.ottobredesign.com) and I get my issues in a very timely manner and it's easy to subscribe with Paypal, plus you can get back issues shipped free if you are a subscriber...which is how I ended up with every issue every published in English plus a couple I could only find in German.

      Delete
    2. ReneeApril 14, 2012 at 9:40 PM

      Thanks for that info, Sandi. I didn't realize that about the back issues shipped for free. That's good to know. My subscription is through The Wooly Thread and I've been very happy with their service.

      Delete
    3. Freedom Acres FarmApril 17, 2012 at 11:06 PM

      Thank you very much for the info! I look forward to checking it out.

      Delete
  5. SandiApril 14, 2012 at 1:01 AM

    Love it! Ottobre does have the best boy patterns.

    ReplyDelete
  6. SueApril 14, 2012 at 1:23 AM

    Great details!

    ReplyDelete
  7. VanessaApril 14, 2012 at 4:23 PM

    Great pants! You can't go wrong with Ottobre. I went to Hobby Lobby to get some kid's Simplicity patterns for 99 cents, and decided I'd rather stick with the Ottobre patterns. The results you got are stellar!

    ReplyDelete
  8. RuthApril 15, 2012 at 2:38 AM

    Your work is fabulous! Great job on these pants.

    ReplyDelete
  9. RuthApril 15, 2012 at 2:40 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. khaki pants for menMay 9, 2012 at 9:16 PM

    Great job! love the details!

    ReplyDelete

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