Bryce Cargo Pants

These are the Hey June Handmade Bryce Cargo Pants. I’m extremely pleased with them!!

After my recent success with my Ginger Jeans I knew I had to keep going with ‘trousers’ to build on my experience, knowledge and skills if I was ever going to be able to start to replace all my ill fitting smart work trousers.

The Bryce Cargo Pants are mid-rise, slim fit, ankle length trouser.

They have traditional pleated cargo pockets above the knee with pocket flaps, deep slash hip pockets and back flap pockets. They also have darts at the knee which was a new one on me!!

A zip fly and belt loops complete the traditional cargo styling.

The seam allowance on these pants is 1/2 inch (13mm) . Something to be aware of when cutting out if you are not going to make a toile, but use your intended fabric straight away – which I did. This approach worked for me on the Ginger Jeans.

I cut out the main pieces for a size 10 grading to a size 12 at the waist and basted them together.

My only alterations were

Lengthening and widening the darts at my waist at the back.

Taking 5mm down the inside leg seams and then another 5mm at the in side seam near the crotch.

Resewing the front to back crotch seam using the actual seam allowance of 13mm, not my conservative allowance of 9mm.

On makes such as these, where there are so many different parts, I try and batch my interfacing, preparing, folding, ironing of all the parts possible, such as the 4 pockets!

They are a fairly long sewing process, it cannot be denied, but doing a few steps every day soon gets through them. I think the trick , is not to stop!

I used some Liberty Lawn off cuts for pockets. Next time I will extend these across to the fly, like the Ginger Jeans, as this supports my tummy and stops it pulling slightly at the completed fly.

I’m 5 ft 3.5 and did not reduce the length on these at all and they turned out a little cropped, just on the ankle bone – so be aware of that.

I wouldn’t have gone for mustard buttons but I was limited to my stash and actually I really love them.

I used the same green thread as my top-stitching thread and am happy with the result. My edge foot (below) has been an absolute game changer in achieving neat top stitching.

There’s a flash of stash pink bias tape on the inside of the waist band.

The fabric is Lady McElroy stretch olive green denim from Minerva with 3% Spandex. It was exactly the right match for this pattern.

They are sooooo comfortable – however i did have to add back in the 5mm down the inside leg seam!!! The addition of the mid thigh side pockets seemed to have tightened the leg up a little. But 5mm was all it needed.

I’ve worn them for a whole day of chores, a little gardening, a walk and an hour of evening TV. I didn’t feel I needed to take them off. That’s a sign of a well fitting pant in my book. The fabric gave just a little but not enough to bag out anywhere.

And without the cargo pant detailing, I am considering them as an alternative work trouser.

And I’ve just noticed that Hey June Handmade has 20% off patterns until 12th May.

So there you go. Next, a couple of tops, then back to bottoms again!!!

Love, Lucie xx