Nolan “pants”

Before making this Nolan trouser pattern I did a quick search of the sewing reviews online, and a lot of people were very negative about this pattern. But I really liked the style and this pattern also has a sew-along class on Seamwork which helps you to get a good fit. I know from making other sewing patterns that my body shape is different to a lot of people’s, so I thought it was worth a try to see if this trouser pattern would fit me well.

1. The fabric

I bought this slate coloured linen from Like Sew Amazing, and when it arrived I was surprised how sturdy it felt. I had originally thought I would make a dress or similar with it, but in the end I decided it would be perfect for trousers. For the lining fabric, which was used for the pockets and the fly, I decided to use the brown Paisley cotton lawn I bought from Croft Mill and have used for a lot of my linings. For a couple of the seams I needed to finish them with a bias binding and for that I used an orange Tencel fabric which complimented the lining fabric really well. For the top stitching I decided just to use normal thread rather than top stitching thread.

2. The pattern

This pattern is a very utilitarian style trouser with deep pockets on either side at the front, two patch pockets on the back, and the legs taper slightly at the bottom and have small turn-ups. In terms of the size to sew, in the class they suggest basing the size to make on your hip measurement, and then adjusting from there. I found that my hip measurement size was 10, but I had to grade to a size 12 at the waist. Everything else I left the same.

3. The challenges

I found this pattern really easy to make, and I’m sure that was because the instructions on the video were so clear. I took my time making these and enjoyed the process, I think it took me a couple of weeks in total to make them, in and around working full time. I found the fabric was quite easy to sew with, perhaps a tiny bit slippery at times but that was easily remedied by just being a bit more careful.

4. The final result

I absolutely adore these trousers, the fit is almost perfect, they’re really comfortable to wear, and I think they look good. The only problem I have found is that when I walk for a long period of time in them that I get some chafing in between my legs. In part this might be due to the seams being a bit bulky, but I also think that the crotch depth is a little long. So my plan for my next pair of these is to shorten it slightly. But I think my quest for the perfect trouser pattern might be almost complete! I’m surprised that I like the turn-up design as well, which isn’t something I would normally wear but I actually really like it! If you’re considering making these trousers but have been put off by reviews from other people online, then I would recommend giving these a go, because my experience has been brilliant and I think it’s a great design.