Venice Trousers

A couple of weeks before I was to go to Venice on a work related trip (lucky me!) I knew I wanted to make something cool, practical and stylish to take with me. I would be walking around all day, it would be hot in late June and also the mosquitoes were likely to be anticipating the arrival of my pale, hitherto uncovered ankles.  

Trousers were the way to go, a loose style, slim at the ankle and skimming everywhere else.  The last Sewing Bee publication, Fashion with Fabric has a jumpsuit pattern hack that enables you to just make the bottom half, with a drawstring tie and slightly dropped waistband. I matched this pattern with some fabric I already had in waiting, some soft black, grey and pale peach viscose in a bold design with a good drape.

I think I managed to sew these in about 2 hours, they were so straightforward and the loose style meant no fitting or fiddling about with a draft or toile beforehand.  I did then take the side seams out though and insert some pockets, which I rushed to do a few hours before I left for my flight.  But I need somewhere to put my hands when I'm wearing very loosely fitted trousers and a couple of deep pockets were an easy (if a bit of a last minute) addition.

They proved the perfect all-day-long trousers, matched with a floaty black cotton shirt from H&M and my neon stitched New Look high tops. During a 10 hour stint of walking in the heat, sitting in the shade, standing for long stretches gazing at artwork (hands in pockets), getting caught in a ferocious cloudburst and running for cover, then drying out again, these pants stayed cool and crease free.  

There was lots of pocket action, making me glad to have added them, with tickets, map and a camera on quick rotation at all times.  Venice is almost impossible to walk around without stopping to take photos every 20 steps or so. 

Then taking a wrong bridge and getting lost because you're too busy looking up at another beautiful balcony. And then deciding to go with the wrong direction for now because it looks so interesting and hey, look through that doorway!  Let's go through... I'll find my way back eventually.  

Combine 3 days of that combined with the Biennale and pavilions upon pavilions of artwork from the four corners of the world and that's a very full 3 days.

I love Venice. And now these trousers will always remind of that trip.  The Venice Trousers.

I would quite like to make the whole jumpsuit in this fabric, so if I can find some more of it there will be a full length version of me in peach and black zigzags.