leopard pants, oh yeah

I've never worn animal prints; they're just not me. But when Andy's sister Sharon, who lives in Uganda, kindly sent me some leopard print in a sturdy natural fabric (I'm guessing linen/cotton blend) I began to rethink the animal print. I mean, if leopard fabric has a right to exist anywhere, it's in Africa.

And while I may not be game (game, geddit?) to wear the leopard myself, I'm certainly not beyond turning it into amusing pants to inflict upon my four-year-old son.

As soon as I began cutting, I felt I was onto something.

I'm feeling it

 And the leopard pants were born. I mean, they're kind of awful. But kind of awesome too, if I do say so myself.

hey, I reckon I can see a leopard face on the left (photo left) knee

I used my usual Japanese Pochee (2009 Vol 8) pants pattern. I underestimated how long this boy's legs are becoming, so had to lengthen with cuffs. But I'm quite happy with the detail they add.

 And I popped on a couple of back pockets. Jeans topstitching thread would have looked great but I was too lazy to walk around the corner and get some.

And after all that... would he wear them?

Clem hadn't been consulted at all on these, apart from reluctantly trying them on a couple of times during the construction. He didn't want to put these on. "They're cold," he said. He's been known to flatly reject some items of clothing. Please, not these.

Think think think... he likes the warmth of freshly ironed clothes. "What if I iron them and make them all warm?"

"Yes!"   (Phew.)

rock'n'roll baybeh

And he's worn them for a day-and-a-half without complaint so I'd say leopard pants get the Clement tick of approval. Leopard pants. Oh yeah.

- Jane x