Olive Free Range Slacks

Hi friends!

I wanted to do a fall/winter sewing plans, just like how I did for spring/summer. But I’ve already started making fall clothes as it’s gotten a lot cooler where I live.

So, rather than spending time planning for it, I’m just going to keep on sewing!

First ups are these elastic waisted pants.

Pattern: Free-Range Slacks by Sew House Seven

Fabric: Cotton stretch twill from RICK RACK Textiles in forest green colour

I initially wanted to make an elastic waisted pair of pants for summer (I made these in August.) We had a very hot summer this year, and fitted jeans were feeling too warm for me. So I thought that relaxed elastic waisted pants would be great for hot days—and I still think they could be, but as it turned out, this fabric was a little too thick for super hot days.

Don’t get me wrong, this cotton stretch twill is great! In fact, it’s way better than I expected. The surface feels slightly brushed but not so much that looks fluffy. Just enough to make it soft. It’s sturdy yet a bit of stretch provides the comfort. The colour is beautiful too. I bought it in navy as well as this forest green, and I’m happy that I did.

Because it has a weight similar to a stretch denim, this pair will be great to wear all year long, except for super hot days (warm weather would be fine… just not when it’s 30+ degrees.) That being said, this fabric could make a great pair of bermuda pants which would be perfect for summer.

Even though I initially wanted a pair of pants for summer, I think it’s actually better that I ended up with a pair that I can wear all year long. (Let’s face it, summer here is really short.)

Now let’s talk about the pattern.

Free-Range Slacks pattern has high waist with wide elastic. It’s not like pj pants elastic waist, this pair feels a lot more secure and fitted around the waist which I love! Probably because of the wide elastic and the fact that they don’t have a lot of fabric gathering around the waist.

I love the deep front pockets with top stitches! They’re subtle but give these pants some interesting details. (Also functional!)

The pattern has two options for legs: tapered version and straight version. I went with the tapered version this time and I love the look of them!

I wanted a slightly cropped length, plus I’m short to begin with (150cm), so I did a lot of length adjustment. I also made the leg parts slimmer—I think it’s because my fabric is a bit stiffer and doesn’t have any drape almost at all. They had to be a little more fitted to achieve the similar look as the samples shown on their website.

The recommended fabric ranges from lightweight fabric like cotton poplin and rayon blends to mid-weight fabric like linen, cotton twill, and light weight denim.

Something like denim would have very little drape much like the cotton I used this time, while linen could have a moderate amount of drape, even with a medium weight.

So depending on what type of fabric you choose, these pants can have a very different look, I think!

If I wanted another pair that are actually hot weather friendly, I’d choose something like linen or cotton/rayon blend so that they would be more flowly.