Breaking the pattern: Rae trousers

I have been wanting to make a pair of cool viscose summer trousers for a while. The Rae trousers from Saara and Laura Huhta’s book Breaking the pattern were a great choice. For a pair of trousers, these are very easy to make but the slits at the trouser legs give them a cool and trendy look.

These loose trousers feature an elasticated waist, pleats at the front and long slits at the front trouser legs. They also have pockets that are always necessary to have.

The pattern comes in European sizes 34 to 50 or UK sizes 8 to 22. I made the size 38 (UK 10) and it fitted nicely.

This funky geometric printed viscose comes (not so surprisingly) from the remnant bin. I like it that it looks geometric at the close-proximity but then it looks almost like a wild zebra print from a distance.

I have been lately surprised by how much fabric a pair of trousers takes. These kinds of loose trousers need at least two lengths of fabric. I actually bought another fabric first and then was surprised that 1,5 metres wasn’t enough fabric.

Sewing these didn’t take long. I did have some trouble with the waistband that seemed to be too big. I don’t know what happened there. Finally, I just sewed it on and chopped off the extra length.

And talking ’bout the extra length, these Rae trousers are loooooong. I had to chop off something like 15 cm and they are still a bit too long as they tend to get under my heels. But this is something that I usually expect when I’m making trousers since my legs are short.

Otherwise, Rae pants are free of any fitting worries. Due to the loose fit and a slightly dropped crotch, they probably fit almost anyone. So, this pattern is also very beginner friendly.

In the pictures, I have paired the Rae trousers with the Wanted top by Vanessa Pouzet and I think these two garments work nicely together. The loose trousers sort of demand a tight-fitting top. Otherwise, I would just drown in fabric!

Anyway, I can warmly recommend this pattern for anyone wanting an easy trouser project for the summer! These will keep you both feeling and looking cool! (Unless you are making poses like me in the above picture! Even then, it’s not the clothes’ fault!)

Thank you for reading and see you soon! I have so many makes that I haven’t yet had time to post, so subscribe to be notified on future posts if you haven’t already done so! In the meantime, happy sewing!

Katja