Hepburn Pants Zipper Tutorial

I know when the Loes Hinse Hepburn Pants pattern first came out, there was concern over the zipper insertion. Seamstresses far and wide were stymied by the instructions included in the pattern and boy, were they pissed off! Chaos ensued, the oceans boiled and there was a plague of locust...

Needless to say, I was a bit apprehensive to try these pants myself. However, when I did, I had absolutely no problems at all. I followed the instructions and sailed right through, no fuss, no muss. Now, before you think what a pompous bitc...ahem...gal, let me tell you that I usually excel at difficult tasks and then get totally stymied by the simplest things. Just call me the idiot savant.

So, I tossed together a Hepburn Pant zipper tutorial. Now, with extra visuals! Hopefully, this helps out a frustrated sewist or two. The following is the construction of view A (the high paper bag waist) as per the steps listed in the pattern instructions. View B is constructed in much the same way. Note that all the pictures can be clicked on to make them bigger for better detail.

Steps #1-13: Just follow the instructions - I don't think there's any wackiness here. For my pants, I tend to omit the pockets. I enjoy a good pocket, but I don't love the extra padding in the hip area, so I rarely use them.

Step #14: Notice on the front pattern piece there is a dot at the bottom of the fly opening (the dot is circled in red on the pattern piece and on the corresponding piece of fabric in the photo). You will stitch, right sides together, the two legs of the pants from that dot, around under the crotch, all the way to the top of the back waist. The stitching line creates a big "J" in profile.


Press open the seam. In the photo you can see that your pant legs should be completely attached together at the crotch, except for the fly region.


Steps #15-16: I think the construction of the waistband facing is well explained. Just remember that when the instructions say "right" and "left", it is referring to the location of the piece as it will be worn on the body when the pants are complete. Also, be sure to mark the dots in the lower corner of the right and left waistband facing pieces - they will come in handy later. As a side note, I used a lightweight white knit interfacing for this slightly stretchy RPL (rayon, polyester, lycra) fashion fabric.

Step #17: Turn pants right side out. With right sides together, pin the right fly front panel to the the right waistband facing (left photo). Sew together from the top of the waist to the marked dot and clip to the dot (right photo).


Step #18: Press this small seam open. The unstitched portion is pressed toward the waistband facing.


Step #19: Fold back the right fly panel at centre front, use the marked notched as a folding guideline and secure with pins. The fly panel and pant front should now be right sides together. See photos for Step #20 to see the fly panel folded properly.

Step #20: Continue pinning the waistband facing to the pant, right sides together, around the entire circumference of the waist. Sew facing to waist using a 1/4" seam.


Step #21: Fold waistband facing away from the pant. Understitch (sewing through both the facing and the seam allowances) close to the seam line around the circumference of the waist - you will not be able to understitch all the way into the right side. In the photo below, this is the right side of the back of the pants with the waistband facing at the top and the body of the pant below. You can see the understitching on the facing.


Step #22: Turn facing right side out and press. The photo shows the inside of the right front of the pant in the fly region.


Step #23: To locate the position of the top zipper stop on the left side of the fly, transfer the dot from the waistband facing to the same position on the fly. To do this, fold down the waistband facing onto the fly and mark the position of the dot onto the fly (marked with a pin in the photo).


Place the zipper face down on the edge of the fly and stitch in place. I have lined up the top zipper stop with the pin from the photo above.


Step #24: Turn zipper right side out and stitch along teeth.


Step #25: Press right fly along fold line.

Step #26: Stitch one end of the elastic to the loose seam allowance of the right waistband facing.


Turn elastic into the facing, lining up the elastic with the long edge of the facing, being sure the elastic does not twist.

Step #27, 28: Fold the seam allowance, wrong sides together, on the left side of the facing. Attach the elastic here, as shown in the photo.


Step #29: Attach the elastic to the long edge of the entire facing (I used my serger to attach and clean finish in one sweep). The elastic has to be stretched to distribute it evenly along the facing edge.


Step #30: To finish the left side of the fly, fold down the facing and stitch it to the fly region.


Step #31, 32: To finish the right side of the fly front, the instructions have you attach the zipper and topstitch the fly all in one step. I prefer to attach the zipper first and then topstitch in two separate steps. I feel this gives me greater control over this procedure. Below is how I do it.

Attach zipper to the right fly region. Line up the edge of the zipper tape with the edge of the right fly flap. Slip the top portion of the zipper tape under the right facing. Stitch the zipper in place along the teeth. Be sure to only stitch through facing - do not stitch right through to front of pant.


Step #33: Topstitch the fly front, through all layers. I like to mark my topstitching line with chalk.


Step #34-38: Follow the given instructions. The top of your pants should look like this:


And, voila! Hepburn pants the HZC way!

ETA: To see the completed Hepburn pants, click here.

I Won!

I found out yesterday that I was one of the Interfacing Bundle winners. I want to extend a huge thank you to Pam of Off the Cuff Style. I cannot wait to get my hot little hands on my prize! Woot!


In other news, I am still sewing and I have a bunch of new outfits to show off. I just need to get out the camera, slap on some make-up and snap some shots. Unfortunately today it is too cloudy (and unbearably, painfully hot and humid) and tomorrow I am heading over to the house of a friend to teach her teenage daughter how to sew up a skirt. So, I will see when I can squeeze it all in.

Lacquer Lundi

I want to start by sending out a huge thank you to everyone that sent on well wishes for Simon's health. It really is comforting to have a support group from around the globe. He is doing much better now and hopefully there won't be any lasting effects from the Vestibular Syndrome. However, every time he even grumbles in his sleep, I'm hovering over him to be sure he's okay. Being a mommy is hard!

Now, on to the pretties:

China Glaze - Code Orange
- purchased at head2toe.com for $2.99 US

I enjoy a good orange polish and Code Orange, from China Glaze's Operation Color collection, is one of my favourites. This medium orange polish has a subtle pink shimmer that gives it beautiful depth.

My only problem with this polish was the formula. The consistency was a bit runny and this causes the polish to pool at the cuticle unless great care is taken to avoid this. Other than that, Code Orange was great - it covered in two coats and dried fairly quickly.

It held up well over the two days I had it on - only tip wear.


China Glaze - For Audrey
- purchased at Sally Beauty Supply for $3.99 CDN

Do you like Tiffany? Do you like Audrey Hepburn? Did you like the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's? Well, put them all together and you have China Glaze's tribute polish, For Audrey. As can be expected it is the exact shade of the signature Tiffany blue box.

This polish applied well (although the formula in my bottle was a smidgen too thin) and was opaque in two coats. It held up well for the two days that I wore it - only tip wear.

My only concern with this polish was that it did not really flatter my skin tone. It brought out the purpley-blue undertones which made my skin appear a tad sickly. I think this shade is better suited to a darker skin tone. I will still wear this polish however as I love Tiffany. I have never received a Tiffany blue box of my own, but with For Audrey on my nails, I can daydream about it! And, just for fun, here's what I want: this, this, this and this (hint, hint)!


BB Couture - Poison Ivy
- purchased at overallbeauty.com for $8.00 US

I adore green nail polish. It is probably my favourite lacquer colour (closely followed by blue). I am always looking for the next great shade of emerald, forest, olive or mint. Poison Ivy is one of those amazing polishes that makes my heart go pitter patter! It is a medium-dark green creme with a deep rich look to it.

The only problem with Poison Ivy was the application. The formula was quite thick and difficult to apply evenly to the nail on the first coat (although I certainly will add some thinner to overcome that issue). The second coat applied more smoothly and that was all that was required to attain a perfect opaque finish.

I only had tip wear after two days of wear.

A Scare

I had a bit (and if by a bit, I mean that I thought my heart was going to stop) of a scare two evenings ago. I woke up around 4 am to find Simon having what appeared to be a seizure. His body was rigid, his eyes were moving quickly from side to side and he was obviously in great distress. He was unable to stand and kept keeling over onto his side. It was like he was having a stroke. After calming him down a bit, my husband and I brought Simon over to the 24 hour emergency vet. Thankfully, the husband of a friend was the vet on duty and he gave Simon a once over. The diagnosis : Vestibular Disease. Vestibular Disease is caused by inflammation of the nerves of the inner ear and causes the dogs (usually older dogs) to lose their sense of balance and get extremely dizzy and it can take anywhere from days to weeks for the dog to recover. He prescribed Benadryl and sent us home. After a few hours of sleep, Simon was much better. We even went for a very short walk later in the day.

However, yesterday he seemed so much better that I took him for a longer walk. Big mistake. When he saw other dogs at the park where we walk, he lost his mind, got all worked up and hurt his front paw (I think he stumbled awkwardly on it). I had to carry him home. Yep, I carried a 38 lb dog for half a mile. By the time we got home, I was ready to collapse. I gave him some pain meds and he slept most of the day.

Today he seems much better, but we will certainly be taking it easy for the next couple of days.

Has anyone else had a dog with Vestibular disease? Please tell me about your experiences.

Water Cooler Wonder Award

A huge thank you to Sher who bestowed upon me the lovely "Water Cooler Wonder" award. Can I just say I love the kitschy vintage illustration on this award! So retro!

Butterick 4986 & Kwik Sew 2948 & Simplicity 7816

Pattern: Butterick 4986 (view A) & Kwik Sew 2948 & vintage Simplicity 7816 (view 4 - minus the pockets)


Size: Top (B4986) - size 8; Tank top (KS2948) - size XS; Skirt (S7816) - waist 24" and hip 34.5"

Fabric: Top - Blue waves rayon lycra knit from Lucy's Fabrics; Tank top - teal slinky knit from Timmel Fabrics; Skirt - Kiwi waffle weave linen from Fabric Mart.

Project Photo:

Comments: Sometimes ya just gotta have a bright outfit! I love teal and lime green together - it just screams summer to me. So when I noticed how well all these fabrics coordinated, it was a no-brainer to create an outfit.

The Kwik Sew tank top is the only pattern of the three that I have sewn with before and it is a TNT. Easy to put together and very flattering for a simple shell.

In the past, I have tried several twist top patterns (the kind that is an actual wear alone top like the ones in Simplicity 4076) and I never have luck with them. As a very small busted woman, I could never get the top to look right - even with a small bust adjustment on these patterns, the bodice still looked saggy and unfilled. Not to mention, these tops are always so insanely low cut, which is not a good look if you have a fairly bony upper chest like I do. However, B4986 caught my eye when it first came out because of the nifty twist on the front and the fact that it is a cardigan style, rather than a stand alone T-shirt. Well, I am a huge fan of this pattern - it fits well, it's easy to make and it's super cute!

The skirt is made from a vintage pattern that I have had in my stash for a while. I like all the different options provided in this pattern. I plan on making all of them at some point because of the success I had with this skirt. My only issue with the skirt is the fault of the fabric - it wrinkles like mad. Normally, I'm cool with the rumples in linen, but this particular fabric is evil incarnate - it wrinkles even if you look at it sideways. Oh well, next time I make it, I'll use better fabric.

Conclusion: A fun and funky summer outfit that reminds me of sherbet (umm, sherbet...).

Lacquer Lundi

Last week, Sher asked if I ever have to throw out any of my polishes when they get old. The short answer is no, no and nope. Polishes don't ever get to the point where they have to be thrown out (unless you just hate the colour). Even if your polish gets thick, lumpy, chunky or completely dried out, just add nail polish thinner (I use Beauty Secrets Nail Polish Thinner from Sally Beauty Supply). Be careful not to add too much at a time though. For a light thinning, I add 5 to 10 drops to the polish bottle, close the lid and shake it up. If I still need things a bit less viscous, I repeat the aforementioned until happy. If you do manage to get a bit overzealous with the thinner and make polish soup, don't freak out. Just leave the lid off the polish for a minute or two (or three or four) and allow the thinner to evaporate. Voila, no need to trash perfectly good polish ever again. Or you can always send your old polish to me. I'm thinking of opening up a polish rescue - it'll be a non-profit haven for unloved and over-the-hill nail lacquer!


Now, on to the pretties:

OPI - Have You Seen My Limo?
- purchased at Rachelle's (my hair salon) for $7.00 CDN

Have You Seen My Limo? is so frickin' awesome! (Yep, I just said "frickin' awesome"!) This polish is a dark brownish-purple base with greenish-silver shimmer. If you like vampy colours, chances are you will like this one.

As with most OPI polishes, Have You Seen My Limo? applied easily, due its nice consistency. However, I found that I needed three coats to eliminate all streakiness. Although I prefer a polish that covers in two coats (or ideally, one coat), I am willing to go the extra mile for this one. It held up well - for the three days that I had it on, all I got was minor tip wear.

I think this may become my regular pedicure polish from here on out, as I like a nice dark colour on my toes.


L'Oreal - Shocking Green
- purchased at Shoppers (chain drug store) for $5.99 CDN

Shocking Green is such a unique colour - a yellowed green with subtle gold shimmer (enlarge the photos for a better look at the shimmer). I don't have any other greens in my collection that are even remotely like this one. It reminds of the colour that would be produced if Kermit the Frog had a love child with an alien.

I have included pictures both in sun (to the right) and shade (to the left).

Unfortunately the formula on this brand is not spectacular. It is very thick and difficult to push around the nail. I had to resort to adding thinner (rather apropos considering the beginning of this post, don't cha think?) to get a better consistency.

This polish did wear fairly well. after three days I had minor tip wear, although it was beginning to get small chips on the edges of a few nails.


Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear - Blue It
- purchased at Wal Mart for $2.07 CDN

Blue It is a gorgeous royal blue polish, with a metallic like sheen. It is quite stunning and eye catching. I have a soft spot for blue polish and this one is very high on my list of most loved.

As with all the Sally Hansen HANXW polishes that I own, Blue It has a great consistency and applied to the nail quite well. It covered in two coats and dried quickly.

This polish holds up reasonably well - only tip wear after two days.

Simplicity 4045 & Loes Hinse Hepburn Pants

Pattern: Simplicity 4045 (view B) & Loes Hinse Hepburn Pants


Size: Top - size 8; Pants - size S

Fabric: Top - jade handkerchief linen from fabric Mart; Pants - brown rayon/linen from fabric Mart.


Project Photo:

Comments: Good ole Hepburn pants again, but this time I opted for the cropped version. As I've said before, I realize that all the image consultants say that short gals shouldn't wear cropped pants because it makes us look stumpy(er). A longer pant is always suggested as it's more likely to fool the observer into seeing a long, tall line. Well, I got news for ya - I'm short and you can dress me in pants to the floor made out of pinstripe fabric and then get me to strap on 6" heels and I will still be short. So, sometimes I just toss out what's "best" and opt for what makes me happy - hence, cropped pants.

I have also made the top in the past - well, sort of. I had actually made a dress, but the bias cut did my pear shaped figure no favours, so I hacked off the bottom and hemmed it up into a top. So, this time I went straight for the top pattern. Unfortunately, as it's designed, the top pattern is quite short - too short for my liking if I turned up the recommended hem. So, I used hem tape and turned up a scant 1/2" hem to get as much length as I could. Next time I make this top, I will be adding 3" to the bottom.

Conclusion: I love this colour combo. I can't seem to get enough of it lately. I also love these two patterns, so I'm a happy lass!