Choosing the pattern

The Megan Nielsen Opal Pants sewing pattern are a relaxed fit, high waist trousers that have quite a few different pattern options. The pattern has the option for a paper bag or standard waistband and has shorts and different fitted legs. So you really can create all sorts from these! Over on Megan Nielsen’s instagram, she also has hacks on how to elevate these trousers even more, which I will definitely be trying!!

Choosing the fabric

I was gifted this really lovely Robert Kaufman Essex Canvas Fabric in the shade ‘Natural’ from Minerva and I was hoping that it would work for this pattern. The fabric itself is structured and medium weight and held the gathers in the waistband absolutely beautifully. I was on the lookout for a nice creamy/beige fabric and love the weight and quality of this fabric.

Construction

So I sewed a size 10 because I feel like I’ve definitely grown in the hips department, but on second thought I could have sewn a size 8 or even a 6 because they are roomy. I know the paperbag style waist is meant to be looser fitting, but I did have to end up taking 1/2″ off the leg side seams and even then it’s still quite loose so I will sew a size 6/8 next time. The instructions are written and illustrated and are super easy to follow along to.

If you follow me on Instagram, you would have known I had an absolute meltdown as I accidentally made two of the same legs, but my seam ripper came to the rescue and I had to unpick one whole leg and redo it for the other side. Not to self, always mark the right and wrong sides of the fabric. This canvas had no obvious side so I think that’s how I messed up.

I ended up also taking 4 1/2″ off the hem as I cut out the ‘tall’ version and I’m only 5 ft 6 so that was completely unnecessary, but we learn! Overall, I love these trousers and for my first pair, they are much better than I anticipated. I am going to try a more fluid fabric next time and hack these trousers. If you want to use the fabric I used for these trousers you can find them here on Minerva’s site.