Skip to main content

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!).

Comments

  1. 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. Amazing job on the pants, such great details.

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

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

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

      Delete
  5. Love it! Ottobre does have the best boy patterns.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 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
  7. Your work is fabulous! Great job on these pants.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grocery Bags

More gifts! These are just like the still-all-too-ubiquitous plastic grocery bags, but they're fabric.  I followed this tutorial and you actually use a plastic bag as a pattern.  The instructions are very good and include a pocket so that the bag can be folded up and is easy to keep in a purse or a car's glove box. Mostly for the sake of the gift recipients, here's how to fold up the bag.... 1.  Lay the bag pocket side down and fold it length-wise using the edges of the pocket as a guide. 2.  Fold it in half, aligning the top of the handles with the bottom of the bag. 3.  Fold in half again and then reach into pocket with your hand and turn the whole thing (pocket included) inside out. Happy shopping!

Shopping Bags

Most stores in our town charge you a nickel for a plastic bag when you check out. I love this practice and the way that it encourages people to bring their own cloth bags or reuse their plastic ones. My habit of bringing along bags to the grocery store is well established, but I used to find myself stuck at places like the drug store or farmer's market or other impromptu stops. Then I picked up a bag at an upscale kitchen goods store that rolls up quite compactly. Now I keep that in my purse, so I always have a bag with me. I like my bag so much that I wanted to replicate it for the art sale. The final result is a hybrid of the bag I purchased and these that I made last year. The bag is a little bigger than the average plastic grocery bag. The velcro tab is used to keep the bag rolled up, but also can close the top of the bag when it is full. Most of the bag is a single layer of cotton, but the handles are faced. There is a double row of top-stitching around both edges of

The Burda Skirt Again

I'm not sure what prompted it, but awhile ago I decided that I needed a green skirt. The last time I was at Fabricland I saw this green wide-wale corduroy. I wasn't really looking for the skirt to be corduroy and the color was a little different than I was hoping for, but since I had my eyes peeled for awhile and hadn't seen anything better, I thought I'd try the corduroy. After looking for a suitable pattern, I settled on the Burda 2/2010 skirt that I've already used three times . Because of the weight and bulk of the corduroy, I didn't want to try to mess with too many details. I'll use another skirt pattern soon. Really, I will. One of the things I really like about this pattern is the pockets. This time I made the pocket facings and part of the pocket bag out of a cotton woven solid to reduce bulk. Since I'll be wearing this skirt with tights I added a lining. Adding the lining was really simple except that I cut the lining exactly the sam