After my two most-worn M&B Glebe Pants (both natural linen) died in quick succession my wardrobe has been screaming out for a new pair so at the August M&B Patreon Zoom Sewing Circle last weekend I finally finished up this pair in A+R Fabrics Herringbone linen.
The deaths were particularly sad because the pair I’d made to replace my most-loved and first ever pair died first because the fabric just did not hold up! A particular disappointment since I felt like I’d purchased pricey linen which should have been up to the job.
One thing that’s not a disappointment about those 2 pairs of pants dying is that I got to replace them with this delicious herringbone linen. It’s hefty, and it’s soft and I have high hopes of it withstanding my powerful thighs!
I can’t lie to you, dear reader. These pants sat in the naughty pile for quite some time before I finally finished them off. I don’t remember exactly why they were in the naughty pile but I unpicked 6 darts (6?!?) from the back and unpicked the darts on the front before starting again.
Size: I printed and cut out a Size G for this pair, even though I’ve generally made a Size F. I’d hoped that the extra room I’d gained would give me a bit of ‘breathing’ space around my lower belly (but above where my hip is measured). I’ve got a relatively low and protruding bum and a full lower belly that is firm rather than soft and pliable. While they appreciated the space, my waist didn’t care for the extra fabric, which was exacerbated by the flat front (means the fabric at the back is doing all the gathering work and you end up with much more fabric gathering in the small of your back).
Adjustments: In the end, I moved the front pleats and deepened them and I removed some width through the centre back seam, and lowered where the waistband sat on the back rise of the pants. This removed some extra fabric through the back and took care of the ‘pouf’ of fabric which would be perfect for accommodating a shelf-but if I had one.
The natural linen Glebe Pants have become such a wardrobe workhorse and a comfort item for me. It’s something I know that I can reach for even when I’m at my most frazzled and nothing looks or feels right! They feel put-together but can also look casual- I appreciate that they never make me feel under, or over, dressed.
New stuff is always exciting, but when a beloved item dies it’s an emergency! Let me encourage you to make sure you continue to make glebes on a regular basis. At some point I fell into a regular crisis mode because I made a whole lot of pants, then a couple years later they all gave up the ghost more or less together so I was spurred into making even more, and on and on. The problem was that having so many made me complacent and I didn’t make them regularly, hence the bad cycle. When I figured this out and started making sure I kept up a regular injection of new pants life evened out in a more pleasant pattern 😁. Note that I also buy fabric similar to the current favorites to have on hand for the inevitable replacement.