Feeling ever emboldened by my success with the Wiksten Kimono Jacket, I finally felt confident to consider sewing myself a pair of pants (!!), specifically, the Winslow Culottes. Let me preface this by saying that culottes are perhaps the most forgiving pattern one could possibly choose when it comes to actual sizing for the lower half of your body while still claiming to be pants, which for me was exactly what I needed. Pants and I have always had a difficult relationship, my hip to waist to thigh ratio being a bit...dramatic. For this project, however, the cut of the pants are so flowy that you don't actually need to measure anything but your waist! Curvy girls rejoice.

I cut the second length of these and they hit almost perfectly at the knee, using a drapey fabric that I can't quite identify that I purchased a while back from The Scrap Exchange. The directions for this pattern were extremely straightforward, but for difficult moments Helen's Closet also hosted an incredibly helpful Winslow Culottes Sewalong that I highly recommend for anyone who is considering sewing the pattern. It was my first time using my invisible zipper foot and save for a slight issue at the beginning that was quickly solved with my seam ripper, totally doable! My only other regret was not using paper-backed interfacing. I had a bear of a time trying to incorporate interfacing that wanted to cling to everything it touched as soon as an iron came near and would recommend you use a good-quality, stiff interfacing for the waistband unlike what I chose.

This pattern is extremely wearable and has already been a go-to piece for my summer wardrobe! They give me the practicality of pants while acting, and often looking like, a skirt. Win win win. For the fall I would love to figure out a way to cut a stretchier black knit version of these in a longer length, perhaps with the gathered waistband hack that Helen graciously provided as well.