Sew House 7 Free Range Slacks and Handmade Christmas projects

Disclaimer: I tested this pattern but my opinions are always my own (unless you want to buy me a house somewhere tropical, pay off my debt, and give me a yearly allowance of 300K then you can definitely have my opinion).

The Sew House 7 Free Range Slacks have been out for a while, but they were re-released and updated with a “Curvy” range. They are high-waisted, elastic waist, casual pants. There are two views: straight leg and tapered leg.

I made the tapered leg version in size 24. I used a stretch mystery fiber denim-like fabric in hot pink from a local fabric store called Fabric Fabric.

The fit is okay. There are definitely issues, but nothing tooo bad that doesn’t make this version wearable. Some bunching at the back, which I think I’m going to tackle, but I am unsure how to approach it. However, reviewing other versions on Instagram, I think they fit higher on my waist than most others, especially at the front. I think I will be lowering the front crotch a bit so it’s in line with the back. I also shortened the legs a bit much for this version resulting in a cropped leg versus a cuffed leg like the pattern intends. I am not sad about that. I love a cropped leg. That said, my calves are a bit tight in this view so I will also be adding a bit to make them fit better. It’s fine for this version because of the stretch in the material, though.

I love the pockets in these pants. Honestly, big pockets give me major happy feelings. I know I keep talking about pocket size, but like big pockets mean so much to me! Because I need my hands to steady myself when walking, having big pockets means I can shove a lot into them and keep my hands free to balance against walls. For me, big pockets means accessible fashion. That said, everyone’s needs are different. When I mention wanting bigger pockets in a TL:DR, it’s not a sweeping condemnation of the pattern. It’s just a comment on my access needs. And literally no one came at me saying that big pockets aren’t a criticism for a pattern, but anxiety was all….will they get what I mean when I say I love big pockets and need them? So this was my explanation that probably everyone already got but my neurodivergent ass needed to explain it. Hhaha.

Okay, back to the pattern. It’s hard to see but there is also topstitching on the pockets so they stay in place and don’t flap about. I love that detail a lot. The pockets are also part of the waistband, too, and there is a facing for the waistband.

Instructions were great. Very clear. Although, truthfully, I read through instructions once and then don’t really refer to them unless I get confused or tired.

These are pretty snazzy pants and I am happy with them! I definitely want to make a few changes for future versions, but these are definitely wearable.

Since it’s well into January, I should probably share my holiday projects from this year. All are patterns I’ve made before or me creating my own quilted design.

My very first pair of Christmas pjs! I used the Cashmerette Cedar Dolman for the top by adding sleeves, a waistband, cuffs, and a neckband. The pants are flannel Blank Slate Patterns Forsythe Trousers with cuffs. I made the pockets have hidden surprises. It’s Santa and a reindeer peeking out of them. So cute.

I only had a yard of the fabric. Lovely gifted to me by Gillian from Crafting a Rainbow. I pieced the back together without worrying over the pattern placement due to the small amount of fabric in the most Gillian move ever. Check out her blog and you’ll see her piecing is kind of her trademark. 🙂

I love them and have been wearing them nonstop since making them even though it’s the middle of January. Ha!

I even did a photoshoot with a chocolate Santa that I can’t eat because it had dairy and gluten in it. LOL. I gifted it to my husband in his stocking instead.

Speaking of my husband, I made him a few different pairs of pants:

It turns out me and my husband are butt doubles. Hhaha. I made him Forsythe trousers in a wintery print and a gaming flannel print. I also made him two pairs of Seamwork Mel pants. Missing above is the purple pair (which is the second purple pair I made him because he loved the first so much). Then I splurged on some bamboo terry from Water Tower Textiles for this burgundy pair. He looks great in all four pants. I realized how much I love seeing people in things I have made and it’s made me want to make him an entire wardrobe, which he is definitely into. Obvi. 😉

Another gift I made was for the Secret Sewing Swap:

It’s a reversible Helen’s Closet Costa Tote. I used cotton canvas and cotton/poly blend canvas. You can also spy my new sewing machine covers. I love them.

I also made two little bins and included thread snips, a hem guide, and thread in various colours based on what I saw in my giftee’s IG feed.

I definitely considered keeping it. Hahah. But I knew I could make more. 😉 And I made bins for myself too!

I decided not to make too many gifts this year and just really focus on some fun projects I have wanted to do for a while. They are so cute and match my sewing machine covers. Btw the pattern for those is from Closet Core Patterns and it’s free.

First up was a tree skirt for our fake tree:

I used some buffalo plaid and then made applique trees. Each panel is a quarter of the skirt with poinsettia fabric in between each panel and on the ends so they overlap. Then the entire thing is bound in a different poinsettia print. All materials I found in my stash. I used some brown fleece to quilt it on:

I didn’t want to get a bunch of quilting batting for the project since we don’t have the money.

After I made a skirt for this tree, I had to make one for another tiny tree that lived on our dining table:

I used some pre-quilted white knit and then attached a looooooooooong ruffle to it which I gathered by hand and then sewed to the skirt. The edges and centre are bound in the white fabric and the outside edge of both fabrics are finished with a serger.

It’s sooooooo cute, but that gathering ugggggh. I think it took me two hours to get it looking perfect.

My final project is a table runner that is only slightly not squared. Hahhaahah. You can’t really tell too much especially when there are things on top of it.

I had a leftover tree so I used that for the centre panel over red fabric and then made holly leaves and berries for the side panels with the poinsettia fabric in between the panels and red fabric on the end with the other poinsettia fabric binding the whole thing. This one is backed with a small cut of melton wool that I received from a local trading group years ago. It’s very cute and I am happy with it. 🙂

That’s all the things I made for the holidays. Gifts, things for myself, and Christmas decor projects. I really felt a lot better about it all this year and think that this will be what I do next year. I love making things for my family on the East Coast but it tends to exhaust me. This year, I did smaller projects for local people, meaning I didn’t need to struggle to get things made and out in time to get there for Christmas. I guess I didn’t realize how stressful that was for me. And the extra gift was being super happy every time Velvet wore the things I made, which was literally every day. 🙂

TL:DR Review

• Pattern: Sew House 7 Free Range Slacks
• Pros: Really good size range (up to 65 inch hip). Big pocket love! Great instructions.
• Cons: The front rise is a bit high for me. I have a B belly and it more than accommodates that and more. The pattern is drafted for 5’7″ and I am 5’3″ so that could account for the high rise.
• Make again?: Yes! I think these would be great in a linen fabric.
• Rating:  5/5 stars

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