How I made my Purple Trouser Suit. A Minerva Craft Blogger Network post

Purple Haze

How I made my purple stretch trouser suit. A Minerva Crafts Blogger Network post. Pattern by McCalls

 Adaptable, wearable, comfortable and very easy to make. A beginners project with no buttonholes to worry about.

I seem to live in trousers and jackets and wanted a smart trouser suit for travelling in. The fabric I chose for this suit is a stretch Bengaline/Rayon which has spandex I  the mix so that it stretches. This fabric is a medium weight and has no drape in it so it is best suited to garments such as this trouser suit.

This is what you will need in order to make your own trouser suit in a size 12/14. Everything is available from MinervaCrafts.com

• 3M of Memphis Bengaline Stretch Suiting in Purple STRETCH BENGALINE SUITING
• 1.5M Anti static dress lining in Gold LINING
• 0.5 M woven interfacing WOVEN INTERFACING
• Purple 7" invisible zip ZIP
• McCalls 6711 
• Gutermann Purple thread THREAD
• The pattern is Mccalls 6711

We are going to make this trouser suit. It has a jacket with no fastenings and trousers with pockets and a flattering centre back zip.
Wash your fabric, dry and iron it before doing anything thing else. There is a possibility that this fabric could shrink otherwise.
Fold it in half, pinning the selvedges together. The fabric stretches along its length but not across so ensure that all pattern pieces are running down the grain when you pin them in place.

Make the trousers first. However I do strongly recommend that you make a toile up first. Trousers need to fit perfectly, they need to hug the figure but not be too tight or pull anywhere, so it is best to make a trial garment first. Use some cheap fabric with stretch in it and make them up, allowing extra seam allowances. Fit them to your liking before transferring the alterations to the pattern.  Please do not skip this step!
On the photograph above #1and #2 show the pocket being made, the instructions on the pattern sheet are from 1 to 4. Make sure that you double stitch and overlock the pockets to ensure that holes do not appear in use.
Stitch the darts.

I used an invisible zip, inserting it in the centre back using a special invisible zip foot on my sewing machine. If you have never used invisible zips I really insist that you have a go. Once you have put one in sucessfully you will never want to use another method I promise you.
Stitch the remainder of the centre back seam and the centre front seam too.
Stitch the side seams and the under leg seam from one side right the way down to the other,  matching seams carefully
Overlock all raw edges including the hems

Apply iron on interfacing to the front and back facings and stitch them together. Overlock the bottom edge.

 Stitch the facing in place as above and finish the top of the facing with a hook and eye closure
Slip,stitch or top stitch the hems in place.

These trousers have a flattering straight leg and fit well over the hips,  because they are made from stretch fabric they are comfortable to move in and sit in but retail  their shape well.

Now, let's make the jacket.

Gather together your fabric, lining, pins and tacking thread.
Cut out all your pattern pieces and transfer all pattern markings onto your fabric using tailors tacks.

The very first thing to do is to press your woven fusible interfacing onto the front pieces and the collar.

Then join the fronts to the side fronts

If you have a walking foot I would use it for making the entire trouser suit. The fabric stretches and when sewing an uninterfaced piece to one which has been stabilised with interfacing you will find that the fabric stretches making it difficult to sew the two together.
If you do not have a walking foot then tack everything together before sewing slowly and carefully, don't rely on just pinning.
Stitch the back darts and joined the side and shoulder seams.press using a pressing cloth

Make the collar up and turn it right sides out, pushing the points out with a point turner. Stay stitch the neckline

 Stitch the collar to the jacket within the seam allowance matching pattern markings.
Put the sleeves in following 10 to 13 on your pattern instructions
Tack your shoulder pads in at this stage.
Make up the lining in exactly the same way, but don't put the sleeves in.

Right sides together pin the lining to the jacket shell and stich from one side all the way round the neck and down the other side stopping at the dots which you will have marked on your fabric after cutting out.

You will notice that there is a pleat in the centre back of the lining. This is for wearing ease and is especially important when working with stretch fabrics.

Turn up the hem and invisibly catch stitch in place , slip stitch the lining to the hem as above.
Turn up the sleeve hems in the same way, then slip stitch the sleeve linings in place,  being careful not to distort the shoulder pads.

This trouser suit took no time at all to make and I have to say that it is one of the most flattering outfits I have ever made. I love the fit, I love the fabric, I love how comfortable it is to wear.

It is very smart and as I have already said very easy to make.

 For more detailed instructions on  making your jacket, take a look at my pink lined jacket on this link PINK JACKET  this was another post for MinervaCrafts.com.


I wish to thank Minerva Crafts for the wonderful fabric and notions gifted to me in order to make this beautiful trouser suit. THANK YOU.

Angela