Boro Boro Rocket Pants

I found a beautiful, thin wale corduroy at the fabric store a while back and bought enough to make a pair of pants for K. I told K I was going to make him a new pair of pants and he said, "Noooo!!! K no need pants!!!" Uhhhh, why would he be so opposed to new pants? I don't get it. I was going to make them anyway, but thought it'd be nice if I could work in some element that would make him love them.

Every Friday morning, we go to a mommy and me preschool kind of thing. The teacher reads stories, we sing songs, do a craft, and the kids play. One of the songs we used to sing is called "Boro Boro Rocket". It's, obviously, about a rocket. K loves it. I thought if I could work in some rocket material, maybe he'd be down with his new pants.

I used the same pattern as when I made these pants. It works; they fit; they seem roomy and comfy. I wanted to make them flat in the front, however, so I cut the outside of the front leg pattern piece on a diagonal from about the crotch up, essentially moving the waist in a few centimeters.

They were simple to assemble. Make the pant legs and then sew them together. I did all the top stitching, as per usual.

The main change came when sewing the inner (rocket patterned) waistband. Instead of sewing the front and back pieces together, I sewed the front piece completely to the front of the pants. I left the sides in the back open so I could slip some button-hole elastic through there.

 

After that, I sewed on some front pockets (lined with rockets) and put a little patch of rocket fabric in the back, at the bottom of the leg.

I was all done and excited for K to try them on, but had to wait for morning as he was asleep when I made them. When he woke up and saw the pants, he was super stoked. Then he tried them on and I realized they were huge!!

 

I'd expected the length to be a bit long, but they were about 2 centimeters too long. It would be a simple fix, but...whoops. The waist was also huge. No problem, just add some more buttonholes. The kicker, however, was the width of the pants. They were massive. I think it is an issue of the stiffness of the corduroy. I'd previously made the pants in a linen and they were totally fine. This issue took some thought.

 

I didn't want to sew the outside of the leg since the waistband would have to be completely taken off, as well as the pockets. I decided I'd go up the middle. I asked my mom and she said it'd be fine, but the crotch would get smaller too. I didn't want that, nor did I want to risk cutting the crotch seams and weakening them. Instead I took out the hem, drew a tapered line starting at about 4 centimeters on the bottom inside to about 2 centimeters up towards the crotch.

I meant to add a centimeter for the seams, but forgot as I made the first snip. Again, whoops.

I was able to zigzag the slit together and carry on as normal. Since it was at the very bottom, it would be folded under for the hem anyway.

I sewed the inner legs up and then topstitched starting at the crotch and working to the bottom on either side.

Then I hemmed them again, adding a second fold instead of cutting off the extra fabric. This kid grows like a weed; these pants will be too short in no time. Finally, I cut off the last two button holes on the elastic and sewed two more on either side.

The pants were done...again. I tried them on K this morning and they fit! And he loved them!

 

He was so excited to wear them to his preschool thing and show his teacher his "Boro Boro Rocket Pants."

After school, we played outside. (The photos make it look like I force K to wear his helmet while playing - not the case. He wanted to wear it and wouldn't swap for his beanie until it got so bitter cold he couldn't handle it anymore.) These much loved pants saw a lot of action today:

K rode his bike in them.

 

Jumped in them.

 

Floated in them.

 

Climbed in them.

 

Ran in them.

 

And finally K fell on the ground laughing in them.