Closet Case Patterns Rome Collection – Pietra Pants/Shorts
Good things come through waiting… Such is my thought when Closet Case Patterns finally launched their new Rome Collection after months of teasing =) The new 3-piece collection is designed to teach beginner sewers the sewing basics, as well as keeping experienced sewers engaged with interesting details. Whichever level you are at, these summer loving modern pieces have enough variations to produce a whole capsule wardrobe.
Early this year I had the opportunity to test the Pietra pants and let me tell you – it was so hard to keep the secret since then! I made the shorts version in a linen cotton blend in a dark berry color. From the moment I tried it on, it was basically either on me or in the laundry =). The flat front gives a sleek at first glance, while the elastic back keeps things super comfy.
The best feature for me though are hands down (literally) the big pockets! They are roomy enough to fit a smart phone comfortably which are so rare in shorts. The pockets are constructed as an integral part of the side and front seams so they stay flat and stable. NO MORE FLOPPY POCKETS!
The Pietra has several leg variations and the shorts are slightly flared. I chose a mid wight linen cotton blend with a bit more structure this time for workhorse type summer shorts. Next up I would love to sew up some wider legged pants version with a swishier fabric like tencel twill!
The only mods I made are for the elastic waist back. The pattern calls for 2″ wide elastic which I didn’t have on hand at the time. So I used two 1″ wide elastics instead and simply separated them with a line of stitching. I actually prefer this to the wider elastic because of the added flexibility. One trick I learned is to cut the bottom elastic slightly longer than the top one so accommodate the wait/hip curve. The result is better customized fit as well comfort.
That’s all for now and I’m off to check out more details on the lovely Trio and dream of all the possibilities…
Tags: closet case patterns, new sewing patterns, pattern testing, pietra pants, pietra shorts, romecollection, sewing