Garment Patterns
The Merchant & Mills Eve Trouser
Have you ever tried on a garment that instantly boosted your self-confidence? In a perfect world, every garment hand-made for you would elicit instantaneous self-love. But, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Sometimes, no matter how much we love a garment, we don’t necessarily love ourselves more because we’re wearing it. At the same time, there are those pieces of clothing that, (like those infamous Pants of the Traveling Sisterhood), magically magnify every good thing about you, as well as make those physical features you may usually degrade, infallible. As my grandmother once said, while admiring her favorite all-purple outfit in the mirror, “I don’t care what anybody says, I look great!”
These fabulous Eve Trousers made just for me from our unique Thick-Woven Yarn-Dyed Cotton in Spice, embody my grandmother’s sentiment. In them, I feel like Katherine Hepburn: spirited, fierce, and unwaveringly self-assured!
Hot Off the Press
This pattern, relatively new, and already wildly popular, is impossible to keep in stock! (Apparently I’m not the only one who feels like a Hollywood starlet in these pants!) Cropped and slightly tapered with the option for a cuff, these pants simultaneously accentuate the waist and lengthen the leg without clinging unflattering at the hips or thighs. Simply put, they do precisely what a good pair of trousers is designed to do!
Unfortunately, there are no front pockets drafted in this pattern which is inconvenient. However, in the case of the Eve Trousers, I’ve chosen to relax my strong pro-pocket beliefs, because I think that the lack of front pockets in this design actually heightens the over-all sophistication of the garment. What’s more there are two, good-sized, patch pockets on the back to make up for any functional deficit.
Made to Measure
In catering to my rather curvy measurements, Bonnie cut the pattern pieces between (several) sizes. These trousers are a 10 at the waist, a 14 through the rise, a (generous) 12 through the hips, and a regular 12 through the remainder of the garment. The photos Merchant & Mills feature on their pattern and website of these trousers, are less tailored than the pair Bonnie made for me. While a less-fitted look in these trousers can be complimentary, especially if a stiffer fabric – like our Ventana Twill – is used, the Yarn-Dyed Cotton in Spice’s natural drape makes any excess fabric in the hips look sloppy rather than fashionable.
Closer to Closure
Throughout this sewing process, the most drastic alteration Bonnie made was moving the zipper from the side seam to the center back. Her reasoning was that zippers installed at the side seam sometimes cause an irritating puckering when the wearer sits or walks. But, by putting the zipper at the back, this ‘side effect’ is avoided. Additionally, I like the symmetry created be moving the zipper. It caters to my my Type-A personality.
The Fabric
The unique combination of sea foam green and rust in this Thick-Woven Yarn-Dyed Cotton in Spice, creates an iridescent illusion. An already visually interesting fabric due to the thick weave, these colors provide additional depth. However, the downside to this interesting amalgamation, is that color matching with other garments can be tricky! Unsurprisingly, choosing to isolate the dark orange or light green within this cotton is the easiest way to match, but as you can see above, a dark green matches reasonably well, as does an off white or eggshell like our Raw Silk Noil in Cream.
As previously mentioned, this fabric’s weave is thick and textured, but also a little loose. As such, Bonnie took care to to fuse interfacing to all the back-center, and inseams for durability’s sake. (A smart move, since I plan on wearing these out!)
Chuffed to Bits!
Bonnie had a great time making these trousers. The pattern’s instructions were easy to follow, and the results were (clearly) satisfactory! Her only lament, when it comes to Merchant and Mill’s patterns in general, is that a conversion from metric to imperial measurements is not included in the pattern. Fortunately, we live in an age of information and conversion charts are readily available. The Sewing Notebook blog has a particularly thorough, and easily printable, chart which contains formulas for converting commonly used imperial and metric measurements, and a descriptive conversion chart that goes up to a little over three yards. Just follow this link to check out the chart.
Star of the Show
For too long I avoided trousers, believing them to be generally unflattering. But, the Eve Trouser pattern has proven that sentiment wrong a hundred times over. Confident and comfortable, in these trousers, I am ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille!
You look great in those trousers. They are high on my to-do list so enjoyed your review. I am not curvy in the slightest and I’m sure my fitting changes will be completely different but the relocation of the zipper might be copied.
Thanks for reading Barbara!The zipper feels really natural in the back, and, with a hook and eye at the top, it’s not bulky at all – I think Bonnie made a good adjustment. Good luck making yours! I’m sure they will be great. (PS if you frequent social media, please tag us! We’d love to see your results.)
Hi Maisie,
These look amazing! I am about to cut out and am also curvy – if you are comfortable, can you tell me your waist and hip measurement? I love the way yours fit compared to the M & M version!
thanks,
Kel
Hey Kel,
Thanks for reading! My waist measurement is 30″ and my hips are 43″. As mentioned in the post itself, Bonnie cut between sizes. My trousers are a size 10 at the waist, a 14 through the rise, a (generous) 12 through the hips, and a regular 12 through the remainder of the garment. I absolutely LOVE these trousers and I especially like them more tailored. M & M does tend to dress all their models in over-sized versions of the garments which I think (especially when you’re curvy) is less flattering. Good luck with your trousers! We’d love for you to tag us, #confidentmaker, in any pictures you may post so that we can see the finished project! Happy Sewing.
-Maisie
Thanks Maisie! I’m different measurements but the exact same proportions so this gives me a perfect idea of what to cut. If I may, also, a quick plug – anyone in Australia reading this can check out the Animal Rescue Craft Guild to see what they can sew, crochet or knit for our wildlife carers in the fire affected areas. I’m midway through some wallaby pouches right now :).
https://www.facebook.com/groups/arfsncrafts/announcements/
cheers,
Kel B
Yay! I’m sure you’ll love these trousers as much as I do, and thank you so much for the link to the Animal Rescue Craft Guild. They are a great resource. I was excited to discover that they have really precise directions on how to make pouches and etc., as well as updated information on what patterns they are most in need of.
Hi Maisie, thanks so much for posting that. FYI
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/07/australia-wildfires-animals-shelters-knitting
Best,
kel
Thanks for great info.
I’m just about to cut out my first pair and this helped me hugely.
Glad to hear it, Mary! Good luck and happy sewing!