True Bias Lander Pant and Short

The Landers are an itch I’ve wanted to scratch for ages.

These are the cropped leg version, although not actually that cropped on my 5ft 3 frame.

I feel I’m channelling Carey Mulligan from The Dig set in the 1930’s in this outfit.

I wanted a loose fitted pant. I didn’t want the fabric distorting at the button fly. There is zip expansion back available too.

I graded from a 10 at the waist to a 8 at the hip.

The outer leg seam is purposely 1 inch wide to allow for adjustments to be made. But remarkably when I tried them on at basting stage ( the pattern tells you when) they were absolutely perfect, with no adjustments.

However I soon became unstuck when I basted on the straight waistband. It just stuck right out, away from my waist.

I didn’t want to unpick the whole waist band so I unpicked the top stitching, unfolded the band and inserted 3 darts which are completely hidden by the belt loops.

I'll use a curved waist band next time.

There's more detail and photos on my blog post.

The Lander Pants are a much loved trouser and short pattern that many, many sewers have made over the years. I liked the smart casual look of them and had been imagining a light denim pair of shorts for the Summer for quite some time! The shorts are a great way to test the fit without committing to too much fabric so if they didn't work out, it wouldn't be the end of the world. I used an 8oz light blue washed non stretch denim for these from Sew Me Sunshine and got these out of 1 metre, by cutting on the flat.

I fell between two sizes so I graded from a 2 at the waist, to a 0 at the hip, (my measurements are 27" waist, 34" hip) following the same curve for the front side pocket pattern piece too. I left the main pattern pieces at the size 2 around the crotch area as this was just easier. The instructions start by construction of the pockets, and I decided I wanted a contrast top stitching look so they had a more 'jeans' like feel, but I just used a standard weight thread in a tan colourway. I then basted the main pieces of the shorts together and tried them on to test the fit - which was pretty good I have to say! There is a 1 inch seam allowance included at the side seams so that you have a bit more room to let them out or in which is really good. I then sewed all the seams for real and constructed the button fly (my first one!) which actually wasn't too bad.

The instructions are very good and the drawings are super clear at showing you what to do, so I had minimal problems with construction. Once the fly was done I tried them on again and realised though that my button fly wasn't quite meeting at the bottom! I worked out what I'd done wrong though and shouldn't have rolled the seam of the left fly piece to the inside of the shorts as much as I did. I think I thought I was doing a facing where you want the seam edge to be completely hidden but this then meant that the fly just didn't quite meet by a few mm - aargh!

I managed to rectify it anyway with a little unpicking and maneuvering , I also let the side seams out by 1-2 cm each side which reduced the amount of pulling across my hips which was accentuating the gap. It's then a case of sewing the waistband, belt loops and buttons on! I decided to use four jeans buttons but you can use any buttons you like. I'm so, so pleased with these overall. They are by no means perfect, but I have a lovely pair of shorts that I'm really proud of and hope to wear for many more Summers to come! A great pattern for an adventurous beginner or intermediate sewer, I've got a full length corduroy pair planned now for the Winter!

Holly x

I can’t believe how long it took me to make this pattern but I’m so pleased to have finally made myself a pair of Lander Pants! For my first version I decided to go for a classic black denim but I’m already envisaging many more pairs in different colours.

The pattern fit incredibly well with very few adjustments. I took in the waistband by about 2cm on either side but didn’t need to take a wedge out of the centre back seam which I often need to do with trouser patterns.

I really love the details of this pattern, especially the front pockets. I’d love to make my next pair with contrasting topstitching to really make the pockets obvious. I used brass jeans buttons for the fly and I omitted the back pockets for a cleaner look.

I’m really pleased with these overall and am already planning my next pair.

More about my lander pants on my blog

How many pairs of Lander pants is enough for your closet? I sewed 4 pairs this weekend and have just drafted another pair of Harris Tweed shorts (which will be lined).

Notes:
- my working toile was the pair of plaid shorts and after taking my measurements (wrongly), it turns out I am not a size 0 but a size 4. Thank God for the 1" side seam.
- the crotch length is either too short or too long depending on where you want your waist to sit. There isn't any shaping in the waistband, which can be a little gappy in your lower back; however, I almost always wear my pants with belts so it's not a big thing for me. I love the pockets and the exposed buttons.
- I had to lengthen the shorts by 1" and for full length pants (not ankle pants), I had to extend by 3".

Highly recommended as a base pattern for a world of awesome pants!

I was super excited about this pattern but always a little nervous about fitting trousers. I choose the size according to my measurements and when it came to the first fitting, they were huge and very oversized. A lot of adjustments to the leg width was needed.
Also the waistband was a challenge. It’s a straight waistband whiich left a gap at the back. Next time I’m thinking of drafting my own curved waistband.
But despite these challenges, there are so many positives. I love the pockets, front and back. I also love the high waist which is just so comfortable to wear. I will make this pattern again, but double check my measurements first.
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