Style Arc are based in my home town – Melbourne. They’re a terrific bunch of women who also design awesome clothing and draft superbly. I really liked the look of these trousers – fitted yoke waist, pockets, tapered but loose fit. And the added style feature of the very eye catching front full leg pleat.
From the SA website
As I traced off the pattern I altered the pockets to be slant pockets with a pocket stay. I did my usual waist adjustment to remove excess, tapering in from the upper hip on each pattern piece.
Sewing up was interesting to say the least. Style Arc have a minimalist approach to sewing instructions. Consequently I folded and stitched the pleat the wrong way. Instead of the outside in, mine is inside out. Style Arc have some instructions on their website – craftily hidden under blog posts, I managed the fly zip anyway.
Then I put them on. They were awful. Nicely stitched together but just so horribly wrong for me. When I walk the pleat opens and refuses to close again. They are going in the naughty corner until I can be bothered to toss them out. There is no way to salvage this mess.
Costs
Fabric – Tan or Beige drill, from a fabric swap a few years ago – free
Pattern – Style Arc Teddy – bought during a Frocktails shopping visit – $5.00
Zip, lining fabric, thread – all from stash free
Totals = $5.00
Annoyance factor – Construction = fine, outcome = NOOOO!
Do it again? No, this is just not me. I finished this the same weekend I made strawberry jam that did not set. I used pectin, lemon juice and special sugar. My jam never sets, even when I make plum jam. At least it is tasty – unlike these trousers.
Bobbins, Bikes and Blades 
Oh no!
I had a run of Style Arc wadders, mine problem was sizing.
I can’t help with the jam, pickles are my forte.
xx N
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I have seen this pattern before and liked it. Style Arc do some very nice patterns, though I’ve never bought one. Shame about how yours turned out! I avoid making strawberry jam, much as I like it, as as the one time I did it didn’t set. I’m OK with other types of jam so I just buy the strawberry now if I want it!
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The jam has been re-badged as a coulis. Sounds more upmarket and is also more accurate. It is delightful over ice cream.
Style Arc patterns are so well drafted, they always work in terms of putting them together. But these trousers were not for me. Just wrong on so many levels. Oh well.
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Mmm. You don’t think they’d work if the pleat was the way it was intended? I could see it’d involve a lot of picky unsewing though.. So maybe not worth further aggravation.
My jams don’t always set, and I never bother with pectin. If I could say anything, it’d probably be to cook them longer. But I am just as happy with a soupy mess so..
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Hello M-C!
I considered flipping the pleat then realised that would not reduce the puffing out, just redirect it slightly.
I am loving all the sympathy about jam and it not setting! I did not realise it was so common.
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I’ve never tried to make jam, but it sounds yummy – setting or no! I’ve tried to use pectin as a way to get a dairy free ice cream texture before… The success was not exactly what I had hoped for. Also sorry that the trousers didn’t work out, but at least there’s always more patterns and more fabric 🙂
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Jam is so incredibly yum. So is my coulis 🙂 I am loving all the jam-setting sympathies!
Yes – there are other patterns and fabric. The financial cost of these ones was low.
Back to the TNT shapes – I should stick to classics.
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I really love Style Arc’s designs most of the time and their drafting is great. I am an experienced sewer and don’t mind minimal directions but sometimes theirs is just WRONG! It’s frustrating! gah!
Too bad about the pants. That would bug me too!
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ALmost over it. The trousers have left my home, soon the pattern will follow. Then I’ll be able to concentrate on a style that will work for me.
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