Hey, I've just...

[Tigerhair]

turned a pair of trousers up with my new sewing machine!!!

How cool is that!!!!???

I know, not very, but I am pleased.

[Shirley]

Good for you matey!!

[the.fee.fairy]

Its a start! Everyone has to start somewhere.

The first thing i made were my jammie trousers - they're purple and massively baggy. Can't possibly wear them in public!

[Tigerhair]

Thanks.... those trousers sound brilliant, are they comfy?

[the.fee.fairy]

They are - they're a shiny stretchy purple material with wavy stripes. They're really wide-legged, and really long, cos i've got long legs.

They've been sewn up a good few times though - they always go on the body seams.

I'd recommend:

Always zigzag down the sides of your material - this should stop it fraying too much.
If you're using stretchy material, use a ballpoint needle - it rolls through the fabric rather than punching through.
Always make things slightly too big, then you can put it on inside out and dart where you need it taking in.

One of the best things to do is to buy some cheap trousers from a charity shop and take them apart so you can use them as a pattern. If you find a pair that are too small, get some matching/opposing fabric and put a strip down each side - take apart the seam from waist to ankle, and insert the fabric there - it looks really really nice!

You can also add flares to trousers and skirts - undo a bit of the side seam at the bottom and add a triangular panel of opposing fabric. with skirts, this looks better if its a pannelled skirt rather than a two piece skirt (ie: it has more than one seam on the front and back, rather than a seam on each side).

It sounds a bit complicated, but it is really easy once you've got something in front of you and you can see how it works.

Save the little bits of fabric for either stuffing soft toys, or, for larger bits, making patchwork. If you cut teeshirts up, cue next to the seam, so you end up with strips of seam. Then, get some burlap material (looks a bit like hessian sack) and using a rug hook, pull through 2-4" pieces and knot or leave them to make a rag rug.