Jalie 3461 Eleonore Pants

Here it is the third week in March and I can already see the end of our wonderful month here in southwest Florida.  We have been enjoying the sunshine and the warmth of renewing friendships.  We have also enjoyed our usual pursuits of biking, kayaking, beach sunsets, happy hours, dancing along with reading and just daydreaming.
What does this have to do with sewing?  Well, some of those dear friends were formed around the local American Sewing Guild chapter and neighborhood group.  Seven of us got together last week for lunch and I remembered our usual procedure so I even brought along some "show and tell."
Yes, I too have jumped on the Jalie Eleonore pants Jalie 3461 Eleonore Pants bandwagon and I am glad I did.  I have a perfectly acceptable stretch woven pull on pants pattern, the Style Arc Elle pants, my Elle pants   but when Fabric Mart had a 30% pattern sale I bought the #3461 Eleonore pattern....and I am glad I did.  That back yoke was something i had considered adding to the Elle pants but here it was already done.
I read the reviews....mostly those of middle aged and older women who like me added 1 1/2 inches to the pant top to make it fit more snugly directly at the waist.  I made a sample mockup in a neon lime green stretch woven and decided to skip their elastic instructions and just use the wide 2" elastic I have with the waistband as a casing.  I decided I didn't need the mock fly front stitching nor the mock front pockets since I will always wear these with a pullover top.  Then I used  a technique from Peggy Sagers' jeans sewing advice.  She says to line up the back rear pockets to make them vertically parallel to the center back seam.  Many jeans have the top of the back pocket parallel to the yoke...but since the yoke is angled, the pocket bottom (where the point is) ends up pointing right out to the widest part of your rear.  I think it's a minor issue for me but it absolutely does make a subtle visual difference.  Another reason I so often like the advice from her aptly named "Silhouette Patterns."  She's always working to make us look taller and leaner and I can use any help I can get.
All three pairs I have made so far have not had a problem with the elastic done as a casing but eventually I will try a pair with their technique so I have a comparison to make.
Here are the three versions....and some comments about stretch woven fabric:

Jalie Eleonore pants, 3461

My first, favorite and most versatile pair.  They are from a very stretchy wool lycra blend with a fine, fine, fine micro rib.  Terrific recovery and the matte finish is so nice.  Fabric Mart Fabrics, of course.

Next pair is from another very stretchy woven that I thought would fit the same but oh no, a little bit lighter weight fabric and definitely clingier.  These pants have a 3/8 seam allowance but I cut them out with 5/8 vertical seams.....and I needed every extra bit to keep from serious VPL problems.  They are very comfortable because of that great stretch but I will make sure to only wear them with a good tunic top to cover my middle section.  I wasn't happy with the topstitching on this somewhat "bouncy" fabric but love the color.

I was sewing all of these pants at my winter sewing retreat at the end of January.  This third pair got quite a hoot when I modeled them with the faux fur vest I had on that day....sort of elderly rock star look.  They are from cotton stretch woven (yes, Fabric Mart Fabrics) and I knew they were going to need a little extra space in those vertical seams because they do not have as much recovery.  So again, cutting them with 5/8 seams and then giving up that extra 1/4 for fitting made them very wearable and kind cute, too. 

Back deck pics in February with very little sun, sorry

 In the interest of science, I will also share the back version on this wild print.  You can't notice the effect of the of the vertical pocket placement on this wild print, but trust me, it works.  Line them up to the center back seam and they point down your leg line, not outward.

Only because we are friends, right....

Now let me share these new pants in their native habitat, where I actually blend right in with the million other people here brightly decked out for the stronger sunshine and resort vacation experience.  

Feeling happy in Jalie 3461 even before happy hour with friends

Here's hoping you are getting to enjoy the people and activities in your life that make you happy.  Here a few more pics of what does that for me: