Chi-Town Chinos Sewalong: Back Assembly + Final Fitting

Welcome back! I hope you’ve been talking up your fly zip skills to everyone you come into contact with. 🙂

Today we’re getting a breather–it’s all downhill from slash pockets and fly zips!

ALL VIEWS:

(1) First, we will sew the darts in the back. Mark the dart legs on the wrong side of the fabric.
(2) Fold along center of dart, right sides together, making sure that the dart legs are lined up with each other. Pin.
(3+4) Starting at the top of the dart, sew toward the point. As you near the point, shorten your stitch length (I prefer 1.0mm) and sew one stitch off of the edge. Leave 2-3” thread tails and tie them together in a double or triple knot right at the point of the dart. Trim threads. A short stitch length plus tying off your thread tails will create a smooth, secure dart point.

For a full photo tutorial on sewing darts, click here.

Lightly press your dart toward the center back. If you have a tailor’s ham, use this to press your dart. You may also use a tightly rolled towel in a pinch. A tailor’s ham is a rounded, tightly-stuffed pillow used to press darts or curved seams; the rounded surface of the tailor’s ham mimics the body’s contours.

***NOTE: If you want to add welt pockets instead of patch pockets, click here.***

Pin back pockets to the pants/skirt back along pocket placement line, topstitch at 1/8” from the pocket sides and bottom edges. Topstitch again at 3/8” from edges.

If you have chosen to add pocket flaps:
(1) Take your pocket flaps and lay them upside down and face down above the back pockets with 1/2” of space between. Sew 1/4” from raw edge of flaps.
(2) Trim seam allowance down to 1/8”. Be VERY careful not to catch the pant/skirt fabric underneath. I like to fold the pant/skirt fabric away and cut from underneath so I can see where it is.
(3) Turn flap down, press, and sew 1/4” from folded edge, enclosing the raw edge.

VIEW A: 

Take each pant back and place them right sides together. Beginning at notches, sew crotch curve, backstitching to secure.

VIEW B: 
Take each skirt back and place them right sides together. Beginning at notches, sew center back seam, backstitching to secure.

FINAL FITTING

We are going to baste everything together to assess fit. This step is optional, but recommended for the first go around.

• VIEW A:

• Place the pants front and back right sides together and align the inseams, making sure that the center seams match up. Baste together.

• ALL VIEWS:

• Right sides together, align the side seams of the front and back. Baste together each side seam.
• Pin center back closed above the notches and try on. Pin front closed above the zipper. Move the center back pin(s) in or out as needed to achieve a good fit. This will be your final center back seam location.
• Decide if any changes to the hips are needed at the side seams. Mark any changes on your fabric and transfer your adjustments to the flat pattern for future use. Remove basting stitches.

That’s it for today! You’re cruising. Tomorrow, we start putting all of the main pieces together, and we will finish it on Saturday. Exciting!!

Below you will find the list of links to each blog post in the sewalong. If you have any questions, absolutely feel free to e-mail me.

• Introducing the Chi-Town Chinos Sewing Pattern
• Introducing the Chi-Town Chinos Expansion Packs
• Chi-Town Chinos Tester Round-Up
• Chi-Town Chinos Expansion Pack Tester Round-Up
• Part 1 : Inspiration
• Part 2 : Supplies
• Part 3 : Customizing the Pattern
• Part 4 : Fitting + Finishing
• Part 5 : Prepwork
• Part 6 : Front Pockets
• Part 7 : Fly Front
• Part 8 : Back Assembly + Final Fitting
• Part 8.5 : Welt Pockets
• Part 9 : Waistband, Center Back Seam, Inseam, Side Seams
• Part 10 : Belt Loops, Bar Tacks, Hemming, Front Closure