Today is the release of One Thimble Issue 15. So now I can share with you the Dax Trousers by Gracious Threads that make up one of 10 very cool patterns in this issue of the magazine. I made up a pair of these pants for Jonathan in denim to make a really great pair of all-around everyday jeans, that are just a little bit fancy!
Gracious Threads was one of the first pattern designers that I started patter testing for last year. Gracious Threads patterns are designed in Canada by a gorgeous lady named Jessica, who creates beautiful patterns for boys, girls, and women. There are not many interesting boys patterns out there, so I was very keen to be a part of the testing for this pattern which is perfect for the little hipster in your life. Let’s get straight into the details:
The Pattern
The Dax Trousers are a classic pants for boys in sizes 2-12. They can be made in almost any woven fabric and could be really casual or really dressy, depending on your choices. I made this pair up in a size 6, with no modifications. You can see in the photos that the legs are just a tiny bit too long – but the pattern is drafted with a slim leg, so they won’t drag on the ground, and he will get a lot of wear out of them, even if he does suddenly grow an inch overnight (as little kids do).
I chose to make up this pair in a lightweight denim. This denim came as a pre-cut from Spotlight. I went with this solid mid-blue colour because I wanted a versatile pair of pants for Jonathan that would be practical for winter, but also trans-seasonal, so that he can get a good bit of wear out of them.
These pants feature a zippered fly, elastic waistband and welt pockets!
I made the waistband adjustable by using button-hole elastic. I used the same method as described in the Gracious Threads Maple Skirt pattern. At the moment Jonathan really needs some firm elastic at his waist – because he has no hips to hold his pants up! But, I never know when he’s going to have a sudden growth spurt. Having the elastic adjustable will mean that the pants can grow with him.
Did you notice that I mentioned welt pockets? I have never sewn these before, and I’ll admit that I was a little bit scared of them. They look like they are going to be really complicated to construct, and I won’t lie – there are a few steps to making them, but they weren’t difficult at all. In fact, they came together really well, and I’m completely blown away by how good they look, considering they are my first ever welt pockets.
The step-by-step instructions that Jessica wrote for these pockets are so good, that I want to go ahead and put welt pockets on just about everything! I might even have a try of using a contrast for the ‘lips’.
And they are good sized pockets too – not just pretty on the outside, also very practical for whatever it is that little boys want to stick in their back pockets.
The zippered fly was only my second one ever (the first was on a pair of pants that I made for myself earlier this year). Unfortunately, my sewing machine was not overly fond of the topstitching thread that I was using, but apart from that, the zipper itself fits in beautifully.
I used a large black button for the waistband closure, the zip itself is a brass trouser zip (a very short one!). I haven’t sewn zips into Jonathan’s pants until now, mainly because I don’t think he needed them, but partly because I wasn’t sure if I could do it. But there’s no going back now – the zip was easy to put in, the pattern provides clear instructions and lots of pictures to help.
The topstitching doesn’t look as messy all over these jeans – it was just mainly around the fly and waistband.
Where to Buy?
This pattern is released as part of One Thimble Issue 15. You have two options:
Purchase the full magazine: you get 10 pdf patterns, 29 articles, and if you purchase before 15 May, you will also get a bonus printable!
Purchase the single pattern: you will get the full pattern.
The Dax Trousers include:
– sizes 2T-12
– front hip pockets
– fully functional fly, fly shield and button closure
– belt loops
– optional cuff tabs
– metric + imperial measurements
Thanks for reading!
