McCall's M856 (2024), view a, denim shorts
2025-Oct-15, Wednesday 12:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebeMcCall's M8536 is a pattern for awesome looking wide legged jeans. The only catch is that it is a mens pattern. But why would we let that stop us?
Going by the hip measurement I traced a size 48. The hip line is supposed to be 23cm below the waistline. I measured this out on myself and found the proportions unworkable. So I shortened the waist-to-crotch height by -9cm front and back, which took out ~-6cm from the zip length. Sometimes known as a Shorter Lower Torso adjustment. (Hashtag petite life.) But I made sure to move down the pockets instead of shortening them. Then I got started on the toiles.
First problem was the, predictably, gaping back waistband. I removed -3.5cm (-7cm total) from the top width of the centre-back yoke, sloping to nothing removed at the bottom of the yoke.
But the waistband is similarly too large. This pattern uses a straight waistband, which I couldn't make fit well. So I took the waistband pieces from McCall's M8531 (2024), the womens (flared) wide-hemmed trouser pattern released at the same time, which has a curved waistband. From measurements I traced and cut a size 20 back waistband, and size 24 front waistbands (left and right) for the toile.
With the waist sitting better I could turn my attention to the crotch fit issues. The most pressing issue to deal with being the wedgie, sometimes known as a Prominent Pubic Area. The adjustment being to deepen front crotch curve, making it more L-shaped, and adding a little to the centre-front at the inseam crotch extension. Cue many revisions iterating on tiny increments.
Next, the front thighs were pulling, and too tight when sitting. Sometimes known as a Larger Thighs at Front, and Inside, the alteration is to let out front crotch extension, pivoting to the knee. By +6cm at each front crotch extension.
Finally I noticed the fabric wasn't sitting nicely over the arse, with a little too much cleft definition. So I did a similar crotch curve reshape, but to the back this time. This combined with needing to remove the excess at the centre-back waistband could indicate a Sway Back.
Happy enough, I proceeded to cut fashion fabric.
I used classic black denim, 100% cotton, 330gsm (about 9.7oz), and cut the shorts version, to not have to worry about the leg length. I skipped the side pockets. Also needed was interfacing, a trouser zip, and a button. As well as black thread, and a denim needle. Narrow zipper foot, walking foot for when things get chunky, regular straight stitch foot, stitch-in-the-ditch foot, and a buttonhole foot. Plus a serger/overlocker to finish the raw edges of the fabric.
Swapping to the womens curved waistband had a cascade effect on the construction, because a zip fly waistband is asymmetrical. I had to flip the whole fly unit, which also meant I had to switch the side the centre seams were pressed and top-stitched down on. Also, because it was a two-piece waistband (inside and outside) instead of folded (like the straight waistband), I could catch the belt carrier loops between them, making for a sturdier result.
The construction is sectioned, time wise. First you do the pockets, then the fly, then the waistband. Whereas the actual leg seams are almost incidental. Not trimming my seam allowances almost prevented the machine from managing the buttonhole, but it got there. My initial choice of a regular button did not last, The waistband is just too chunky. I replaced it with a low shank button, left it a little extra thread tail (which I buttonhole stitched around, like button loops). I'm trying to avoid a metal two-piece shank button, because I'd rather lose a button than tear the fabric. Hopefully this lasts.
The front waistband pieces were a bit large, I could have gone for at most the size 22s. The waistband side seams almost matched up perfectly, am happy to live with the slight misalignment.
The extra added to the front crotch extension has moved the inseam quite far back, which is helpful for reducing friction when walking, but should probably be more evenly distributed.
Somehow, even with the -9cm height removed these are still up to my belly button. With the very hipster vibe of these I could see myself taking off another couple of centimetres in future.
The front crotch isn't absolute perfection, but I want to see how these wear in before I go making more changes. Some creasing is to be expected, after all. I am happy to wear these outside. They fit so effortlessly, and I can fit half the world in the pockets. I look forward to making full length versions at some point.
Patterning
Going by the hip measurement I traced a size 48. The hip line is supposed to be 23cm below the waistline. I measured this out on myself and found the proportions unworkable. So I shortened the waist-to-crotch height by -9cm front and back, which took out ~-6cm from the zip length. Sometimes known as a Shorter Lower Torso adjustment. (Hashtag petite life.) But I made sure to move down the pockets instead of shortening them. Then I got started on the toiles.
First problem was the, predictably, gaping back waistband. I removed -3.5cm (-7cm total) from the top width of the centre-back yoke, sloping to nothing removed at the bottom of the yoke.
But the waistband is similarly too large. This pattern uses a straight waistband, which I couldn't make fit well. So I took the waistband pieces from McCall's M8531 (2024), the womens (flared) wide-hemmed trouser pattern released at the same time, which has a curved waistband. From measurements I traced and cut a size 20 back waistband, and size 24 front waistbands (left and right) for the toile.
With the waist sitting better I could turn my attention to the crotch fit issues. The most pressing issue to deal with being the wedgie, sometimes known as a Prominent Pubic Area. The adjustment being to deepen front crotch curve, making it more L-shaped, and adding a little to the centre-front at the inseam crotch extension. Cue many revisions iterating on tiny increments.
Next, the front thighs were pulling, and too tight when sitting. Sometimes known as a Larger Thighs at Front, and Inside, the alteration is to let out front crotch extension, pivoting to the knee. By +6cm at each front crotch extension.
Finally I noticed the fabric wasn't sitting nicely over the arse, with a little too much cleft definition. So I did a similar crotch curve reshape, but to the back this time. This combined with needing to remove the excess at the centre-back waistband could indicate a Sway Back.
Happy enough, I proceeded to cut fashion fabric.
Adjusted front
Photo by chebe
Adjusted back
Photo by chebe
Adjusted crotch curve
Photo by chebe
Construction
I used classic black denim, 100% cotton, 330gsm (about 9.7oz), and cut the shorts version, to not have to worry about the leg length. I skipped the side pockets. Also needed was interfacing, a trouser zip, and a button. As well as black thread, and a denim needle. Narrow zipper foot, walking foot for when things get chunky, regular straight stitch foot, stitch-in-the-ditch foot, and a buttonhole foot. Plus a serger/overlocker to finish the raw edges of the fabric.
Swapping to the womens curved waistband had a cascade effect on the construction, because a zip fly waistband is asymmetrical. I had to flip the whole fly unit, which also meant I had to switch the side the centre seams were pressed and top-stitched down on. Also, because it was a two-piece waistband (inside and outside) instead of folded (like the straight waistband), I could catch the belt carrier loops between them, making for a sturdier result.
The construction is sectioned, time wise. First you do the pockets, then the fly, then the waistband. Whereas the actual leg seams are almost incidental. Not trimming my seam allowances almost prevented the machine from managing the buttonhole, but it got there. My initial choice of a regular button did not last, The waistband is just too chunky. I replaced it with a low shank button, left it a little extra thread tail (which I buttonhole stitched around, like button loops). I'm trying to avoid a metal two-piece shank button, because I'd rather lose a button than tear the fabric. Hopefully this lasts.
Result
The front waistband pieces were a bit large, I could have gone for at most the size 22s. The waistband side seams almost matched up perfectly, am happy to live with the slight misalignment.
The extra added to the front crotch extension has moved the inseam quite far back, which is helpful for reducing friction when walking, but should probably be more evenly distributed.
Somehow, even with the -9cm height removed these are still up to my belly button. With the very hipster vibe of these I could see myself taking off another couple of centimetres in future.
The front crotch isn't absolute perfection, but I want to see how these wear in before I go making more changes. Some creasing is to be expected, after all. I am happy to wear these outside. They fit so effortlessly, and I can fit half the world in the pockets. I look forward to making full length versions at some point.
Finished, back
Photo by chebe
Finished, front
Photo by chebe
