Butterick 5504 Capris and shorts

~ Coco

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Revisiting a pattern I sewed way back in 2012, the year I started this blog! I had forgotten the nice lines and spectacular pockets of these pants.

5504-side

My 2012 version was View B, the capris, done in lightweight stretch denim, and I really enjoyed wearing them. So I ordered a similar denim from Fabric Mart. However, the fabric was such a disappointment. It’s heavy, stiff, and very stretchy, quite a bit more than the 20% in its description. Multiple washings didn’t help, and I really couldn’t think of any way to use it successfully.

Having decided that, I was happy to play with it. I started with the capri length and then took off 14″ to see the shorts 🙂

capris

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Top: New Look 6150 in grunge burnout jersey

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Just a few sewing notes:

  • This is a Connie Crawford pattern, and it’s described as ‘modern fit’. I’m not sure what that implies, but I like it. In the envelope drawings, the pants look wider at the bottom, almost like sailor pants, but they actually have a straight leg, as in the line art.
  • I sewed the size Medium.
  • Rather than use a drawstring in the waist, I added 2” to the waist band and used 2” elastic. I think 2″ is a little too much and plan to use 1.5″ elastic on my next pair.
  • And I used broadcloth for the pocket facing to reduce weight. Those pockets – such a nice detail.

emile

Odds and ends:

I finally found the pin in the sewing room carpet that’s gotten me (painfully) several times. Wicked – it’s a 2″ quilters pin.

pin

And I did a muslin of the Grainline Studio Alder dress, View A. I had to reprint the PDF and draft new tissue in size 10, but it was worth the effort. I love the lines and fit, it just needs a nice summer fabric and a little shorter length.

view A

 

I’m not fond of pointed collars, so I tried a curved one. Very cute!

Alder collar

In addition to playing with patterns, I’ve been very busy online, cruising the spring and summer collections. I always try searching on Pinterest, but it insists on feeding me shredded blue jeans, skimpy tops, bras, and makeup tips for older women. So weird.

Bye for now! Coco

10 thoughts on “Butterick 5504 Capris and shorts”

  1. I just found your blog when looking at a Kwik Sew pattern. I love all of your creations! I have never seen pants before. I like your Butterick 5504 very much. I have a long waist, I worry about wedgies. Even so, I going to try to find that pattern. Thank you for your lovely blog! Amie

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    1. Thank you, Amie! I find that these pants have a nice long rise, I didn’t have to add to the rise. You can add to the top and then adjust the fit before you decide where to fold it to make the waistband casing. Hope you like them!

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  2. Shorts look great and like the curved collar on you. I’ve heard that washing denim (the stiff kind) with one can of Coke, not diet or any other brand or variety, to soften the fabric. Can also do this treatment two or three times. I haven’t tried it, but I’ve heard Peggy Sagers discuss this in one of her videos. Probably could even be tried now they are finished.

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  3. I remember this pattern for the shorts/pants and didn’t give it much attention then. I really like the pocket detail now. Too bad it is OOP. With that stiffer fabric, I think the shorts are GOOD.

    Funny, I never have given much thought to pointed collars, or rounded. Guess it doesn’t bother me either way.

    ” I always try searching on Pinterest, but it insists on feeding me shredded blue jeans, skimpy tops, bras, and makeup tips for older women. So weird.” SO TRUE!

    Glad you won the war with the wicked pin. Hopefully it was before it got you this time.

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    1. All the good ones go out of print… But there are quite a few copies on Etsy/Ebay now, at decent prices. That pin, it was awful! It finally surfaced when I was shampooing the carpet (spring cleaning underway, one room to go). Those collars – my dad wouldn’t buy me blouses unless they had pointed collars, at a time when everyone was wearing Peter Pan collars. I was crushed! and I guess it stayed with me 🙂

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