Hey y’all! Sew My Style coordinator Paulette asked me if I was interested in coming back for a month and I happily accepted. I’m subbing in as a leader for June. I’ll be focusing on the Free Range Slacks from Sew House 7. I was excited to see the extended sizes released for this pattern because I’ve always liked the silhouette and style of these pants.
The pattern recommends “bottomweight fabrics that aren’t too heavy” which is a pretty broad category. I love that, because it opens the door to a variety of fabric options. They go on to suggest cotton twill, cotton/linen blends, rayon/linen blends, linen, tencel twill, light to mid-weight denim, wool gabardine, and cotton poplin. I thought I’d highlight a few fabrics that you could use.
We are entering the hot and humid summer where I live, so I’ve been focusing on making garments that will work for this weather. My first choice is linen! I don’t mind wrinkles but I prefer working with linen blends as they tend to be a little less wrinkly and less expensive. I will share some fabric options you can try for this pattern. Here are some lovely options from the Sewing Studio.
This is the Grace Viscose & Linen Blend in the Copper (rust) color way. I’ve used this fabric for dresses and pants in the past and I really like how much drape it has. It is 70% viscose and 30% linen. Keep in mind that it is only 51″ wide, so you may need to use the 45″ fabric cutting layout.
This fabric has a texture to it that could make your pants feel fancy. I find that is an easier fabric to work with. Cutting, ironing, and sewing is a breeze. Make sure you choose a sturdy finishing method because this fabric will fray. There are many other colors of this fabric available. Some that caught my eye are the Seaweed, Rose, and Plum.
Here we have the Soft Wash Linen in the Marine Blue color way. This is a medium weight linen that has a great “worn in” feel. I haven’t used this fabric yet, but I’m imagining a very soft linen that is perfect for warmer temperatures. It appears to have a bit of texture that is typical for 100% linen
The great thing about this color is that you could absolutely wear it year round. I think it would pair well with a bright yellow, a bold floral print, or a black and white polka dot. This fabric is 7.5 oz and 54″ wide. The Soft Wash Linen also comes in Black, Cayenne, Ivory, Mustard, and Olive.
This Tencel Twill in Olive immediately caught my eye because of the color. I really like olive green and it pairs well with a lot of garments in my closet. This tencel twill is 58″ wide and weighs 5.9 ounces. It has a lovely drape and really makes a sleek looking pair of pants.
Tencel can be a bit more difficult to work with due to its shiftiness. I would suggest cutting on a single layer to avoid ending up with misshapen pattern pieces. I would also use a fresh Microtex needle when sewing this fabric. Although it isn’t easy to sew, I think tencel twill wears very well over time. This fabric also comes in Black and Navy.
I also found several types of bottomweight fabrics over at Harts Studio. You can search directly in the search box or you can look things up by category.
If you are going for a workwear inspired vibe, this Santa Cruz Twill in Mushroom would be a great fit. It give me elevated uniform vibes. It is a classic color and a lightweight 100% cotton option. The twill weave gives this fabric a subtle texture. It is a bit sturdier than the fabrics mentioned before and it has less drape.
This is a 60″ wide fabric that can be machine washed and dried. I like the idea of making comfortable pants that you could use for outdoor activities and hobbies. I might have to snag some of this fabric to make a pair of gardening pants. This fabric also comes in Slate and Navy.
If you’d like to try a print for your Free Range Slacks, then this Essex Yarn Dyed Linen Blend in Plaid Indigo could work. This windowpane print gives a cool edge to your pants.
This fabric is 43″ wide and is 55% linen and 45% cotton. This is a sturdy fabric that still has some drape. You can pair this fabric with a solid top or go bold by mixing prints. It is a versatile option that could extend your current wardrobe. There is also Black and White Plaid version of this fabric along with several solid colors and a few other prints.
There are a LOT of fabric options for the Free Range Slacks. I’ve highlighted a few here but there are many more to choose from. If you’ve got a local fabric store, now would be great time to support them. You can also shop your stash! That’s something I’ve enjoyed doing recently. Hopefully this post helped you find a suitable fabric. I can’t wait to see your version!
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