Dax Trousers by Gracious Threads

I am so excited to share this pattern with all of you! It was a huge accomplishment for me and the wait for it to be released has been KILLING.ME!

Now… look out!!

Here comes another pattern I just finished testing!

(Can you tell that this has become a new hobby of mine?)

If anyone is wondering HOW to become a pattern tester, this is what I did: join every sewing group on Facebook that you can possibly think of (this is also a massive ENABLER cause it makes you want to buy ALL.THE.PATTERNS)! Over time, I started seeing designers putting out testing calls. One by one, I started applying, and over the short span of a few months I have already tested for: Thread Riding Hood, Blank Slate Patterns, Twig & Tale, Goober Pea Pattern Designs and now Gracious Threads!

The compensation for testing is always slightly different but at the very least you get a free pattern out of the deal! So if you are looking for a way unique way to build your pattern collection this could be it!

You also get to meet some awesome, helpful designers along the way!

Testing patterns has really started to stretch my abilities.

Prior to this pattern I would have considered myself an adventurous intermediate, but while I tackled this pattern I sure felt like a beginner!

This pattern is not for the faint of heart, beginner seamstress (unless you are like me who likes to pick a pattern and dive in head first – throw caution to the wind!). It is actually labeled as an intermediate/advanced pattern which I would agree with!

Front fly

Front of pants

Back of pants – welt pockets

New skills that I had to attempt for this pattern:

Sewing pockets
Sewing welt pockets
Adding a zipper fly

If you have never added a zipper fly before, there is a great tutorial here at Liana Jeans Sew Along. (I only messed mine up once, I was very proud!)

The welt pockets on the other hand… lets just say I should have practiced them a few times before sewing them on my pants. Please don’t look at them too closely! (Everyone has to start somewhere, right?!)

Oh but my pockets turned out great! I think next time it would be fun to make the back piece of the pocket in a contrasting color for a nice little POP!

Hey, you!

Yes, I’m cute!

Over all I am extremely happy with how my pants turned out and OH.SO.PROUD that I was able to pull them off!

I will definitely be making more in the future and add the cuff option to make them easily folded up! The good news is Little Mister A just fits into the smallest size of this patterns (size 2) so I can continue to make it for years to come (up to size 12!).

And I always love have a couple good WOVEN patterns to use!

Thinking about the next pair in a cute quilting cotton cause…. why not?!?!

Fun fact about these pants: after the testing period was over we found out the pattern was being showcased in the One Thimble Magazine! (affiliate link) Head on over to get your copy of the magazine or just the individual pattern!! Available starting on May 12!

Done pictures, let me out now!

Bum shot!

Playing with tractors, approved!

Side note: they DO fit over Little Mister A’s cloth diapers, but the rise it a little low because of all the junk in his trunk (a very common problem for him and pants). They would fit better over disposables (which we rarely use) but as long as I put him in a onesie the low rise at the back isn’t an issue!

(The first original round of pictures was taken way back when it was snowy out. Now that it is finally spring we were able to get a couple action shots outside too!)