Plaid Wool Eastbourne Trousers (by Scroop Patterns)

I'd decided no pattern testing this year, or very little. I did a ton of pattern testing last year, over the summer especially. (Not every pattern I tested has been blogged yet, there were too many!) While it was fun, and I wound up with some garments I love and wear often, it definitely took time away from other sewing projects I wanted to do.
That said, I've already participated in three pattern tests this month. Yep, apparently I'm not too great at sticking to my resolutions, but I've had a very specific reason for testing each pattern. And I have a clear favorite of the three.

They have big pockets! Really nice big pockets! Like, the pattern already has big pockets so I didn't have to make them bigger myself like I usually do! Awesome, can hold whatever I need, big pockets!

These are the Eastbourne Trousers by Scroop Patterns. Scroop Patterns are made and owned by Leimomi Oakes, also known online as The Dreamstress. This is one pattern company I'll always be up for testing for. The patterns are very professional and well drafted. The instructions are awesome. And the designs are just a bit different, in a good way, than everything else out there. Eye catching and fun to wear. Plus, I've read and enjoyed the Dreamstress blog for several years now, so it's really fun to get to make her patterns. 

All that aside, even if I hadn't been already excited about the pattern company/designer, this design would have interested me. Last year I made myself a pair of wide-legged wool trousers. Despite initial reservations, I love them and still wear them all the time. The year before I made a split skirt to take on the World Race. It's also still getting worn. For the past 6 months or so, I've been wanting to make myself another pair of wide-legged pants. They're just so fun and swishy to wear! (Plus you can hide much larger pockets in loose, flowy, pants than you can in form-fitting jeans!) However, these pants I've been wanting to make for over half a year have never made it to the top of my "to make" list.

Thus, when I saw the tester call for these trousers, I applied immediately. Get something made off my never ending list, and test a pattern for a favorite designer? Yes please!

As I've loved my wool trousers from last year so much, I opted to make this pattern up in wool as well. Once I was selected for pattern testing, I looked through my wool stash and found this plaid wool/polyester blend suiting. It would work well, I decided.

There was only one problem, I had just over a yard and a half of the fabric, and the pattern called for about two and a half yards of 60" wide fabric for my size. Well, it would be close, but I thought I'd be able to make it work.

I did, barely. Both front and back leg pieces got squeezed onto the fabric!

After the challenge of pattern tetris, sewing the trousers together was a breeze. Scroop pattern instructions are always very clear with excellent diagrams!

The finished trousers are just as fun and swishy to wear as I'd hoped they would be! And the pockets are huge! Have I mentioned how great the pockets are?!?!

Personally, I really like the look of the front pleats - they're what makes this pair of wide legged pants stand apart from the other two pairs in my wardrobe.

And the pleats lay even nicer with the finished version of the pattern than they did with the tester version of the pattern I used!

So, there's another garment off that never ending list of mine! 

The Eastbourne Trousers pattern includes two different lengths and both a high rise and a mid rise yoke. I made the long pants with the high yoke. This pair of pants was made using the tester version of the pattern, which was pretty good, but the final version of the pattern has been adjusted for an even better fit. (I hope to find the time to make up the final version of the pattern soon, because I still want a couple more pairs of wide-legged pants!)

*I received this pattern for free in exchange for testing, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was not required to write this blog post in any way, shape, or form.

**Paired with the Eastbourne Trousers in these pictures is the Miramar top, also by Scroop Patterns.

I bought this pattern and made it a few months ago, and eventually I'll get around to blogging it.