How to Do Fashion No. 14 Madrid Trousers

[Gifted pattern]
Pattern Description: These trousers are inspired by the masculinity of 1940s female fashion. They have all the details of male trousers and yet are perfectly fitted for a woman's shape to underline her fierceness.

They feature a back pocket welt, fly front or back invisible zipper closure, cuff or regular hem, slanted pockets with waist stays.

Pattern Sizing: 34-48

I cut a size 38, my measurements are:

Hips: 98 cm (38.5in)
Waist: 72 cm (28.5in)
Bust 88cm (34.5in)
Height: 1.72m/5.7in

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes, mostly, but I had to take out 4cm from the front width to be able to squeeze them from my fabric.

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes, in the majority, but I feel like the welt pocket explanation could use a few more diagrams or a video. I also used a different method that I am more familiar with.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

I love high waisted trousers! And I really enjoyed the tailoring details and how much they stretched my skills. I had to do a few good practice runs for the welt pockets. I think the overall shape is very nice. And I really like the slant pockets and the fact that there is a pocket stay included.

Fabric Used: I used some heavy poly crepe with 4-way stretch. This was a mistake, as I did not pay attention to which way there was most stretch and I ended up with it going lengthwise. Very annoying! However, I mostly fixed it by fusing some thin woven cotton fusible interfacing to the front and it seems to have mostly resolved the bagging issue. These pics were taken before I did that, so you can see a bit of distortion.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: As I mentioned above, I took 4 cm (2cm from each pleat) to try to squeeze it from my fabric piece. I also took 1 cm off the front crotch, as it was a bit too long for me. It also had a crease on the front, but this fabric does not hold creases too well, so decided to go without it. However, to note that I normally have to add 2.5cm (1'') to the back crotch to accommodate for my round derriere, which I did not need to do here. So if you have a normal sized bum, you might want to check that out and see if you might also need to take something out from the back crotch as well.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I think it a very good pattern that works very well for my body shape. I cut a size 38 and other than the length modifications, I did not need to make any width changes. I usually have to blend waist to hip and this time it was completely unnecessary. Which is a winner, because of the slant pockets.

Conclusion: I am very happy with the shape and overall look of these trousers and I think they will be a great addition to my wardrobe. I have a few other high waist trousers so probably won't be needing a new pair any time soon, but they were really fun to sew and I enjoyed stretching my skills.

Much more details and pics on my blog, Sewrendipity