FS Riva Pants Made With FS MIX NATURAL Heavyweight Softened Linen

I’ve been avoiding making fitted pants for a while but decided to face my fears head-on with the RIVA Pants pattern. It’s a wide leg trouser with great details like front pleats, double welt pockets, double-belt loops and a relatively generous waistband fit. As daunting as it first seemed, a toile and some adjustments later I am super proud of my first trousers and the chic fit of the wide leg pants. It’s also part of a pattern set that comes with trousers, shorts, and two button-up shirts. 

FS Riva Pants Made With FS MIX NATURAL Heavyweight Softened Linen

I measured at a size 6 waist and size 4 hip. Checking the finished garment measurements (a lifesaver!) I decided to make a straight size 4 which would still have enough ease in the waist for me to fit. It turned out to be a great compromise since the heavyweight linen was thin enough to give me that ease as well as a bit of room if I want to tuck in any chunky knits in the fall. If it’s your first time making fitted pants, I highly recommend making a toile first. I am usually the paragon of a lazy sewer but making sure you like the fit is key for actually wanting to wear it once it’s finished! 

FS Riva Pants Made With FS MIX NATURAL Heavyweight Softened Linen

My Instagram account is called small.sews because…I am small. I was a bit surprised seeing that the total pants length was almost 43 inches when I am 60 inches tall, head-to-toe! However this is a regular occurrence for me with any pattern, so I went with the trusty shortening adjustment where I shortened the pant leg by 8 inches where the shorts hem would be (later I cut off a bit more when hemming so the total was probably 9 inches). Additionally, I narrowed the pant leg below the hip by 2 inches–still enough to be a wide leg on me and to avoid looking even shorter. 

FS Riva Pants Made With FS MIX NATURAL Heavyweight Softened Linen

Other modifications included no buttons on the back double-welt pockets and at the outer waistband where I opted for a clasp closure instead. I loved the pleats and tried to emphasize them further by ironing the inner pleat down to the hem for that elongated look!

FS Riva Pants Made With FS MIX NATURAL Heavyweight Softened Linen

I chose to use FS MIX NATURAL Heavyweight Softened Linen–I love the breathability and texture that the linen has and is structured enough to emphasize the details of the pants while soft/opaque enough to wear without any lining. As soon as I finish a project, my immediate reaction is to style it and I like that I can dress these up or down depending on my mood for the day, whether it’s a graphic tee and vans or with a blazer.

Despite my initial fears, the pattern was designed and instructions written in a way that was both exact and easy to follow. A zipper fly, double-welt pockets, and waistband were all new skills for me, but the instruction booklet was enough for me to be successful on the first try. Of course, no project for me is without small mistakes, but it was a great learning process for me and I am no longer afraid of tackling pants!