Re-working a Badly Designed and Costly Pattern

Three Pair of Vintage Pants

Those pants I made and then modified a couple weeks ago, don't really fit right, and they are awful. So here I go again. The pattern, as so many are, is completely mis-sized (Very Expensive to find out they can't get a pattern right!! A brand new pair of jeans tossed in the trash!) So I am adding to both sides to bring it into a more correct size. It's a zipper fly pattern, but he wants button fly, so I am modifying that too. I am making them big enough to put a some elastic in the back, to make them easier to get on and off (like, leaving the button fly buttoned) and adding interior buttons so that he can use his beloved suspenders, and look like a character from 'Little House on the Prairie'.

1" bigger on both sides

Cut down the crotch to the pins

Beginning sewing 1 of 3 pairs

To add button fly, you need an additional fly set

I put the fly in (and out) 3 times..

The waistband is bigger than the pants

Putting in the pocket

They are starting to come along

Waistband is really thick!

I haven't added buttons or elastic

One pocket is a little wonky.

Made 2 right fronts, time for ripping

Waistband, hem and all the buttons...

The suspender buttons going on

With elastic, is it strong enough...

They are a bit too big, more elastic!

Pattern size 52, waist size actually 46" NOT 52"

1/2 the waist band 23" total 46" NOT 52

The jeans I just made came back to me, he couldn't even get them on. It's terrible when you spend so much money on a pattern, only to find that it's badly made/designed and wont even fit the body your making something for, although the size you made (based on the pattern) was three sizes too big!

I understand fully why folks don't sew anymore when you can't count on these company's to creating sewing items especially patterns that will fit. They are doing such a horrible job at their job!

Can you imagine offering Home Ec classes, and no one in the class has a project that works or fits because the pattern companies can't be bothered to do a good job. Great message that sends out!

This solution was as bad as it looks. First of all, they still are too small. I'm getting them back, ripping out the back section, and then pulling them apart at the sides and adding a contrast fabric there, and then putting bits of it on the pockets to pull it together. Work begins in November!

Adding the inches back in!

First try, no additional waistband

Adding fabric and separate waist band