Pattern Description from Named website: Very wide-legged, mid-length culottes, high waist, diagonal pleats and side pockets in front, a neat, narrow waistband
Pattern Sizing: EUR 32-46 (US 0-14 / UK 4-18)
The instructions were easy to follow. Though the pockets were a little tricky for me because this was my first time sewing pockets like this – where part of the pocket uses fashion fabric and the rest lining fabric. I’ve just sewn pockets you insert in the side seam or patch pockets. The pockets use fashion fabric and lining fabric. My fabric was a lightweight synthetic jacquard (don’t known the fiber content) so I just used fashion fabric for the whole pocket. But I don’t recommend that because you have to sew through a lot of layers when you get to sewing the waistband around the front pleats – for those inches, you’re sewing through six layers of fabric (waistband, 2 pocket pieces, the pleats, which I count as 3 layers).
I really like the design and the unique front diagonal pleats.
There were some drag lines in the back and got fitting help, taking in about 1/4″ in my first mockup. I also dropped the back crotch 3/8″. Named Clothing designs for a height of 5’8″ (172 cm), my height, so I didn’t make any other changes.
My fabric was lightweight so I thought it needed a little more interfacing at the waistband. The interfacing piece was supposed to be half the height of the waistband, but I cut my interfacing using the entire waistband pattern piece. I thought folding it in half would give it a little more heft. I think I would have been better off using a heavier interfacing and cutting it in half, which would have made for a more crisp fold at the top.
I bought the PDF pattern because international shipping costs are too high.
I’d like to make it again – maybe in a crepe fabric. The pattern recommends “a well draping, medium-weight fabric, for example polyester or wool crepe.” You can see more photos on my blog:
Warning: These are high-waisted culottes so you can only wear cropped tops or a top that you can tuck in. I only have two tops I can wear with this so I now need to sew some cropped tops.