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Cranky Pants

Crank Pants-09

Sometimes I’m a morning person.  Sometimes I’m not. And when I’m having a bad morning I can only handle routines–shower, coffee, drive to the studio.  I find it very difficult to dive into creative work.


And if I’m having a hard time waking up, I really shouldn’t do office work–bills will make it worse, no one wants an email from that version of me, I definately can’t work on a blog or tutorial–but, I’ve got to do something, DOING wakes me up.  What to do?   I recently settled on a solution to this problem: make pants for babies.  Actually, it solves two problems.


Problem 1: Sometimes I’m not a morning person and I can’t dive into my normal work.
Problem 2: My stash contains a lot of fabric that I like, but am highly unlikely to use in a quilt–too bright, too juvenile, too novelty.


The solution:
Make Quick Change Trousers.  Or, as I like to call them, Cranky Pants.

Quick Change Trouser






This is a pattern in Handmade Beginnings by Anna Maria Horner.
I have always thought these pants were adorable, but seeing various versions made by Ashley (Film in the Fridge) and Amanda (Soule Mama) actually convinced me that I would very much like to make them.  Soooooo cute and perfect for brights and novelties!


Plus, it also solves Problem 3: My friends are starting to have babies en masse and I can’t/won’t make quilts for them all, the pattern is really simple and now takes me no more than 45 minutes per pair.  Perfect for a little wake-up exercise.

Cranky Pants - owls and paper clips

The pants are reversible! I have been trying to make them all gender neutral to add to the challenge.  

Cranky Pants are reversible

Some details on making:  on a friends recommendation I bought Sewable Swedish Tracing Paper and traced the pattern onto it.  This stuff is really see-through and durable.  Great for tons of uses!  I’ve cut out the three smallest sizes so far (3 months, 6 months, and 9 months) and used them several times.


Because there are a lot of straight edges on the pattern, I use my rotary cutter for most of the fabric cutting.  This saves time, but after doing it a few times, I started worrying that I’ll slowly shrink the pattern by cutting little slivers off here and there.  So, when I traced the pattern for new sizes, I added a line 1/4″ inside the edge.  That way, I’ll know if I’ve shunk the pattern down (as a quilter, 1/4″ is a magic thing I recognize on sight.)

Adding 1/4-inch Seam to Pattern






Also, while the book says you need 5/8 yard of two fabrics for the 3-month and 6-month sizes, it’s not true.  1/2-yard of each does it.   Which is great.  So much of my stash is 1/2-yard cuts.

Cranky Pants fold ups
Cranky Pants with Seahorse Yoke

Picking out the fabrics is pretty fun.  I’ve really been digging through my stash.  The little bits for the back yoke are quite small, so even some tiny pieces have found their way into pants!  I had exactly that much of the seahorse fabric.  Perfect!


Speaking of the stash, I’ve posted a very tiny destash on ebay.  It’s stuff that might be too valuable for cranky pants, but that I’m unlikely to use in a quilt.  If you are interested, the listings are up on ebay, username FreshModernQuiltsLLC.  They end on Friday, June 14th.






Pants!

Cranky Pants Pile


This Post Has 20 Comments

    1. Thanks! I think I just need time, more than coffee (I can only handle 1 cup) but boy-o-boy can I be cranky!

  1. i love the idea of making pants instead of quilts for new babies. i have a backlog of quilts i've been meaning to make, but i know there's realistically no time (and some of these babies are now well over a year old… whoops.) but these are adorable! and glad to to know they are quick to make.

  2. Oddly enough, I had two pair of these pants cut out and sitting on my sewing table for a week, just waiting… Thanks for posting this and inspiring me to finish them. They are adorable, and so simple and fun to make!

  3. These pants are like a gateway drug into sewing clothing. At least it feels that way for me. I keep making pants for my boy and can't stop looking at patterns for my girls now, and dresses for me… Of course, I haven't sewn anything else yet.

    1. Quilting is my jam, though. As fun as garments might be for other people, I would rather be quilting. The original and best high!!!

  4. love love love these pants! I make these all the time for my cousin's kids and i love how fast and satisfying they are, your fabrics are so pretty!

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