V1729 Don Pants Hack

Gun to my head, if you asked me to pick a favorite designer I'd probably say Rachel Comey. And it's not because I have so many that I love that I can't pick just one. Beyond the most recognizable, I'm not familiar with apparel designers or fashion houses. My poor memory isn't built for that kind of encyclopedic logging of names and signature styles. But if you mention sewing, miraculously I suddenly can access that part of my brain: the only reason why I know who Rachel Comey is, is because of her collaborations with Vogue Patterns. These patterns are identifiable as garments sold in her RTW line, and I own two of them: V1729 (Transit Pants) and V1645 (Steadfast Jumpsuit). And to name a few not in my collection, but caught my eye: V1994 (Drill Jumpsuit), V2035 (Geles Jumpsuit), V1501 (Delane Dress).The designs are unique but have a cool, uncomplicated appeal; I imagine that RTW clothes have to maintain a degree of simplicity to ensure that they'll sell well among average people. Average people willing to spend $500 on a single pair of pants, that is.

The pants I'm wearing here, believe it or not, were not $500 and they were also not from an existing pattern. They're a copy of RC's Don Pants (pictured beneath the jump) which is a RTW design that does sadly not have a Vogue counterpart. But in a way separate from the aesthetic, they're still RC because I repurposed V1729 to emulate Don. By adding two simple changes in the angled front pleats and an exposed zipper, I have an entirely different look. Without the signature ankle pleat V1729 already resembles Don and its straight-wide leg, so I figured the hack couldn't be difficult. And it wasn't! I'll demonstrate how later in the post.

Corduroy Don Pants in Bottle Green

To quickly recap, I cut the same size as my last V1729's, meaning size 14 waist and 12 hips. I used my own curved, 3-piece waistband rather than a single-piece straight one. I didn't crop the hem this time. I raised the back pockets 1" and kept the slash pockets. Don has welt pockets in the front but I opted to not transfer them over. I thought the pleats overlapping the slash pockets made a cool effect with the intersecting lines. But to de-intellectualize the design choice, it's really because welt pockets are more difficult to install and I just didn't want to bother. I'll admit that welt pockets would have been the more comfortable option in the end. The pleats add bulk to the waist area that the slash pockets only compound upon. My cotton twill fabric is 8 ounces per yard, which I don't consider thick or heavy, but the pocket situation is currently making me reevaluate the weight. It's all about context, you see.

Maybe the exposed zipper fly will have a moment in 2025 and I'll turn out to have been an early adopter. I started this project just a few days before the indie darling designer Daughter Judy released their Monty Pant, which also features an exposed zipper. If it catches on then I'll have more excuses to get some practice in, because I sadly beefed it when installing the zipper on these pants. I accidentally cut the fabric where I wasn't supposed to and I had to cover up the very visible slit with a small rectangular patch. I don't think it's the most noticeable but I also don't think it looks right. Whatever. Who the hell's gonna be staring at my crotch so intently?

As far as minor mistakes go: if I could go back I would set the pleat deeper towards the center. As is, the fold is only about 3 inches from the edge of the pleat. I find that the line the pleat creates isn't as sharply defined as I'd like. In the sample photo of Don, the pleat line extends just below the model's knee. I attempted to copy this line faithfully, but mine peters out around the mid-thigh. I think the solution is to either add more fabric to fold into itself by making the pleat wider, or elongating the pleat even lower than below the knee, or both. These changes would also be necessary for achieving the same look if I wanted to use a lighter fabric with less body, or fabric that won't "hold" pleats well.

Alright, now that I've done my overview of pattern alterations and future adjustments, that means it's time for a...

...Tutorial!

It's easy if you're already familiar with the slash/spread method to create extra volume for pleats. The difference is that you're doing it at an angle, rather than up and down or along the grain. You can do this with a pants pattern you already have on hand. You might have already intuited how, but in case you haven't, I'll show you how I did it:

1. Take your front leg pattern piece. If your pattern includes a curved or slash pocket, use the bottom pocket bag piece to fill in the void. Remove the seam allowances from the top edge, the side seam, and the inseam.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Along the top edge, measure a distance of your choosing away from the side seam, Point A. This will be where your pleat ends. My Point A is 1/4" away from the side seam. Copy Point A on your original pocket piece as well. Next, mark Point B, which should be a point below wherever your knee is, and 1" away from the inseam. (My Point B was only 1" below my knee line, but based on how my pants turned out now I might place it as much as 3-4" below).
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3.  Connect Points A and B with a dotted line.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Determine how deep you want your pleat to be. Mine is 3", so I mark Point C 3" away from Point A, along the top edge. (I would make Point C ~5" away if I were to do it again). Draw a solid line connecting Points B and C. Cut along this line, ending at Point B, and spread the wedge. To make the spreading and pivoting easier you can cut another line perpendicular to Line BC, starting from the inseam to (but not through) Point B.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. You want to spread the widest part of the wedge twice the distance between Points A and C. So, if my chosen distance was 3", then I should spread the wedge 6". Tape your tissue paper underneath and leave some extra hanging above the top edge of the pattern. Mark the center of the wedge Point D on the tissue paper.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Fold the pattern by bringing Points D and A together. Line up the top edge of the pattern for accuracy. Fold the crease along the dotted line between A and B. If you can't force your Point D to match Point A exactly, just let it rest somewhere along the dotted line. If you want to be extremely meticulous, have a copy of the original front leg piece on hand, and fold the new piece until it is congruent to the original.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Draw a line across to close the gap. It's helpful to trace the line from the original pattern piece, or you can eyeball it. Cut the excess off. Unfold, then add the seam allowance back to get your altered pattern piece. If your pattern included curved or slash pockets, you added paper to fill the empty space in the beginning of the tutorial. At this point you may cut it off again.
   
   
8. When the time comes to cut your fabric, transfer Points A and D to the edge of the seam allowance and mark them as notches. If you're working with pockets, the Point A notch will be on the pocket piece and you will have to install the pocket completely before you continue. Bring the notches together, right sides touching, and baste the pleat down along the top edge. This is your new front leg piece that should resemble the shape of the original. Now, proceed with construction however your chosen pattern instructs.
   
   

 Lastly....

I'm going to close out this entry with another impromptu non-pattern product review. This time it's Spray n Bond's Basting Adhesive that comes in an aerosol can. I used it to baste my patch pockets to the butt and the zipper to the front. I am telling you, imploring you seriously, don't use this stuff where it will be visible. Or even at all, if you can help it! It says that it "cleans up" with soap and water and it is plainly a lie. Does not come off with hand soap, does not come out with laundry detergent. It left obvious glue stains where I sprayed it, sometimes soaking through the layers of fabric and drying stiff. They looked like dark spots or water rings with defined outlines. There was some probable user error on my part by me spraying too liberally, but the point is that it doesn't do what it says by not washing out. 

THE DEVIL

Apparently it's common knowledge to quilters that you can't trust spray adhesive of any brand or manufacturer to wash out, even when it's labelled as a temporary bond. Well, lesson learned from this dressmaker. The bright side to this experience is that the stains can be removed by dabbing pure acetone on each spot, letting it dry, and repeating until it's fully gone. So long as your fabric contains no fiber that acetone dissolves, and so long as the acetone doesn't lift any of the fabric's dyes, it will work. You just have to be patient.