Summer Sewing! The Flint Pants from Megan Nielsen

Have you ever experienced sewing fate? You know when you have a very specific vision in mind for something you'd like to make, and then BOOM, a new pattern is released at almost the same moment you're having the idea, and it's more or less exactly what you had in mind? This is essentially what happened when Megan Nielsen released the Flint Pants this spring. Cropped wide legs pants are all the rage right now, and I was planning on drafting something for myself when Flint came along and saved me the trouble.

I know there are a few similar styles out there right now (I'm thinking of the Emerson Pants from True Bias and the Winslow Culottes from Helen's Closet) but Flint has the right rise and leg proportion for me. I also love the waist/pocket construction; the pants un-do in a way so that the pocket and waistband are completely integrated. Ironically, one of you took pictures of vintage shorts with a similar closure and sent them to me a few years back for possible inspiration. I've always had the idea batting around in my brain, but Megan realized it beautifully with this pattern.

I also love the button and waist tie options. I opted for the tie for this version, although this is actually my second pair of Flints. The first pair I made with camel coloured tencel and the button waistband, and while equally loved, the love is tempered by a major wedgie situation (I wore them one day at a Ginger workshop and realized I was continually, um, adjusting in class). For my second  attempt, I scooped out the back seat curve about a 1/2" to make room for my prodigious booty; I can pretty easily make this change to the tencel pair but I haven't gotten around to it. These guys are made a with a soft, medium weight linen and I basically can't take them off, now that there is no cleaving happening against my will.

I know food, water and shelter are all basic human needs, but I'm gonna just put this out there: so is linen. It feels so good against your skin (especially after multiple washings) and keeps you cool when it' s so hot you want to just someone to follow you around with a sprinkler set to gentle mist. Even in linen, maybe big billowy pants seems like a weird warm weather staple, but I personally prefer the coverage. I like wearing shorts, but sometimes you just don't want the back of your thighs touching anything (especially chairs that dozens of other people have sat and sweat in, shudder), so a loose fitting pant like Flint in breathable fabric is kind of the perfect compromise.

And perhaps this is a controversial opinion, but I love the tuck/pleats at the waist, too. I have a bit of a tum, and I find super high waisted things can really accentuate it sometimes, especially fitted pants and skirts (though not with Ginger since they don't sit at the true natural waist). I think the pleats soften this area so you can't tell what's fabric and what's croissant. They won't make you look "skinny", but I'm not skinny and don't want to look skinny, although no body shame if you are indeed, skinny. I'm just saying, I don't mind some volume on top of my natural volume, okay?

Short of my seat scoopage, I didn't make any mods to the pattern. The fit is pretty perfect outta the gate, and I would highly recommend this pattern if you want the perfect drapey pants to wear with cropped or slim-fitting, tucked-in tees. I've been pairing mine with cropped linen tees for the full Elizabeth Suzann effect. One note I would make about construction, however; the instructions suggest clipping into the back seat curve if you're not serging it, and I would not recommend doing that. Seat curves get more stress than just about any seam on the body, and cutting close to it (especially with a loose weave like linen) could mean a split seam down the road. If you don't have a serger, I suggest trimming the seams to 3/8", serging or pinking and pressing open, or using a french seam.

So, are you fully on the Flint train or do you prefer a slimmer look? What have you been wearing to keep cool this season?

ps. Thank you so much for all your insight and kind words on my post last week about the current state of the blog. I really, really appreciate your support and brilliant suggestions, and am super excited to start having fun around here again!

pps. I am totally obsessed with my handmade espadrilles from Mumi Shoes. So comfy, so chic, so affordable.