And just like that we have a brand new sewing project: The Stone Trouser. This is only the second pair of pants that we have sewn up here on The Flora Modiste, and let me tell you--I am a fan.

As I mentioned in the post on the Clark Crop Pant, I have always been a bit hesitant to work with pants. It can be so so tricky to get the fit right, and the pant fly is actually pretty difficult to sew. (At least for me it always has been. Is that the case for everyone?)

No matter how many times I sew up a pant fly, I always forget the steps the next time. So I do it in a completely different way. Not entirely sure why, but it's always been that way.

I ended up having to sew two different samples for this project, which is pretty rare for me. The majority of the time, I am able to sew up a single sample. And the revisions that I need to make are often small enough that I can just make the pattern adjustments, move on, and cut the final garment out.

Not so with the Stone Trouser.

My point though--With both samples, I sewed the pant fly up completely different, each time. Again, no idea why.. It just sort of happened.

(Oh, pockets! There truly is no such thing as too many pockets, and no girl should ever have to live without them. Learn how to sew double welt pockets today with our downloadable, printable sewing tutorial!)

ANYWAYS. The Stone Trouser. I absolutely love this sewing project. As with the Clark Crop Pant, I was a bit terrified that I was going to completely botch both the sewing pattern and the sewing.. And would just end up with a sewing project-less-month.

But alas.. The Stone Trouser turned out beautifully.

The pants have a bit of a slouchy, boyfriend feel to them.. Which is exactly what I was going for. I am so tired of skinny, tight pants, and just wanted something comfortable.. But also flattering.

I decided to cut the pants slightly short, so that I could roll the hem up to really emphasize that boyfriend look. And of course, if I want to dress the pants up, then I can just roll them out and wear them with some high ankle booties.

Unlike with the Clark Crop Pant, I decided to go all in with the Stone and add in a zipper for the pant fly. (If you'll recall, I ended up using buttons for the Clark because I was a bit terrified of using a zipper.. Again, just so complicated.)

But I felt a bit emboldened by just how well that Clark turned out, so decided to just go for it. And it's actually one of the details of the Stone that I am most proud of.. The fly just looks so CLEAN. I love it.

(Oh, pockets! There truly is no such thing as too many pockets, and no girl should ever have to live without them. Learn how to sew double welt pockets today with our downloadable, printable sewing tutorial!)

And of course.. POCKETS. If you have followed any of our past sewing projects here on The Flora Modiste.. Then you know that I love my pockets. At this point, I kind of almost refuse to create a sewing project that doesn't include pockets.

Not only does the Stone Trouser have one set of pockets.. But it has two! I included inseam side pockets, because, really--What pair of good pants doesn't have inseam side pockets? (BTW, we have a sewing tutorial on how to sew inseam pockets. I got you.)

I also included (functional!) double welt pockets on the backside of the pants. Not only does it give the pants a more "complete" look, but I think it also dresses them up a bit, making them slightly less casual. Double welt pockets can sometimes be just for decoration.. But NO.

I mean, if you're going to go to the work of adding pockets on for decoration.. Why not just take the (literal) TWO extra steps to make it functional by sewing in the pocket lining?

Seriously. Non-functional pockets are something I will never understand.

But no matter.. The Stone has double welt pockets along the backside, perfect to slip an iPhone in to while on the go.

(Oh, pockets! There truly is no such thing as too many pockets, and no girl should ever have to live without them. Learn how to sew double welt pockets today with our downloadable, printable sewing tutorial!)

Perhaps one of the most defining features of the Stone is the fabric that I chose to use for the sewing project: Corduroy. I don't know why, but it was quite literally the only fabric that I saw the pants in from the moment I drew out the design and started drafting it up.

And the color too: Almost like a gold mustard. I LOVE IT.

Also, I really just love the look of corduroy.. It has a shine to it, without being obnoxious. It's retro without looking dated. And it's also pretty easy to sew with.

There are a few issues that can pop up when sewing with corduroy though:

1. Grain lines: Corduroy has a VERY distinct grain line, and you MUST pay attention to that when cutting the sewing pattern. (If you aren't sure how to cut a sewing pattern, we've got you covered. Def give it a read if you are at all hesitant.)
2. Thickness: Corduroy gets very thick, very fast. I definitely used less interfacing for this project than I normally would with a pair of pants, because my sewing machine wouldn't have been able to handle the thickness. (I learned this with the Clark Crop Pant, whose fabric wasn't nearly as thick as the corduroy used for this sewing project.)
3. Stiffness: Corduroy is a pretty stiff fabric--Definitely not the most comfortable fabric out there. I would recommend only using it for designs that aren't very form fitting, since you really need room to move in this fabric. I almost wish I had actually washed the fabric before cutting & sewing it--I think that would have helped with the stiffness exponentially.

But overall.. This was a pretty fun & educational sewing project. And I really love how it turned out. I think the Stone Trouser is going to be the perfect pair of pants to help transition from winter to spring.. Because spring is coming.

(Oh, pockets! There truly is no such thing as too many pockets, and no girl should ever have to live without them. Learn how to sew double welt pockets today with our downloadable, printable sewing tutorial!)

And alas.. The namesake for the Stone Trouser!

Our past sewing projects have been named after women from all walks of life: Authors, my fav characters from books, women I admire. The Stone Trouser is named after an actress that I also just loooove: Emma Stone.

I particularly love Emma Stone in the new(ish) Netflix show Maniac, which my husband & I watched in literally two days. IT IS SO GOOD. And she is just phenomenal in it. But I really fell in love with her after La La Land.. I felt like it was just such a beautiful role for her, and she absolutely killed it.

But what I really love about Emma Stone is that a short 10 years before she won her Oscar for La La Land.. She was just a funny chick in Superbad. We are about the same age, Emma & I, so it was really cool & beautiful to see her blossom & transform.. To go from being an awkward teen in Superbad to an Oscar winning actress in just 10 years.

And if that isn't inspirational, and someone to aspire to, then I don't know what is.

Also, she just seems like a totally badass lady to hang out with. And I loooove me some badass ladies. Would love any feedback you guys may have on the Stone Trouser! And of course, stay tuned for the full sewing tutorial next week. It's going to be a good one!

(Oh, pockets! There truly is no such thing as too many pockets, and no girl should ever have to live without them. Learn how to sew double welt pockets today with our downloadable, printable sewing tutorial!)