Looks Like I Made It: McCalls M7661 Trousers

Sunday, 8 September 2019

McCalls M7661 Trousers

I bought a pair of paperbag trousers from Primark and was mesmerised by their construction. I spotted the McCalls M7661 pattern online and thought they looked kind of similar in design. I was particularly drawn to the high waist and tie front so I thought I would have a go.

I made my toile from some really light fabric (wayyyy too light, very see-through!). I found that the gathers hung reallly nicely though so made a mental note that my final fabric would also have to be quite light.

The gathers are a really sneaky way of making these trousers a doddle to fit. They provide some extra room in the front which allows for movement, but the nipped in waistband keeps them figure flattering. Gathering is also realllly fun to do. Two loose lines of stitching then pull the ends until it fits between the markings. Pin and stitch, so satisfying! For option A on the pattern, there is also some sneaky gathering on the belt where it joins at the side seam.

The belt is a really neat way of adding some more interest to the trousers whilst helping a little just to tighten the fit. The belt joins at the side seams, so when tied it pulls in the back and hides any problems at the front haha! I did make a little alteration to the fit of the waistband (I didn't just hide it I promise!). It was a little too roomy in the front so I pinched at the top of the side seams and pinned. They fit fine at the hips so was really just a case of drawing that waistline in a bit at the top.

I also needed to make a slight swayback alteration as usual. The fabric was pooling in my lower back, or riding right up so the back sat a lot higher than the front. To rectify I pinched the excess fabric out of the back of the trousers where it joins (leaving the waistband the same shape) and drew on ny new seamline. I ended up taking a good couple of centimeters out then curving back up at the top of the side seam insert to join the original seamline. It makes for a bit of a funny looking pattern with the back scooped so low, but I'm getting used to the shapes that will fit me... Praise my tiny back!

I made mental note while assembling my muslin, that I would need to finish the raw edges of the side seams, panels and inner leg seam before assembling so that all the seam allowances lay flat when attached. This was a bit of a change to the usual blitzing the seam allowances as I go along, but actually found it much more enjoyable. I didn't have to keep switching machines as I went along or hold my breath that I was going to slice something important off as I overlocked!! Haha!

I added about 3 inches into the length. It was a bit of a last minute decision. I thought my toile looked cute but I've never been much of a girl for culottes, so I decided to add in a bit of extra length.

The fabric I chose was this lovely Paul Smith wool blend at £12 p/m from the fabric shop in Attercliffe. I was pretty certain I wanted stripes but I hadn't decided until I found it whether I wanted office vibes or summer vibes. I landed on these pinstripes and thought the sun isn't going to hang around much longer, so office vibes it was!

If I'd picked anything any heavier I don't think those gathers would have sat so nicely, but this fabric is so lovely to touch I knew that it would look dead profesh by the time I'd finished. There's definitely scope to make a summer pair from some crepe, so just on the lookout for the perfect print now.

Next time I cut the pattern I think I will pinch a little more out of the centre front of the waistband and maybe just add a little more into the bum area, though I don't think that's essential. There's so many variations of the pattern, I'm tempted to make the gathered wasitband version with no belt next time and maybe mix it up a bit by using a contrast for the outside leg panel.