Homemade running trousers
This week some of the fabrics that I had ordered for work arrived. When I was scrolling through the web-shop of Extrem Textil. I saw some windstopper four-way stretch DWR fabric that would make for a fantastic running trouser. On Saturday I started working on the fabric. I used some of my favorite running tights to create a pattern for the new winter trousers. The fabric was easy to work with and I didn’t take long before I had the new pair of running tights. On Sunday i had a urge to get out on a run so i could test my new creation. I drove up to Blefjell and had a amazing day in the mountains.
Just some tips if you ever think about sewing your own garments:
Stage one idea board:
Collect images of- or your favorite garments and have a good lookout they might have been made. Think about what you like about this garment and if you could create the same features in your own design. Look at what type of fabric that would suit your needs.
Stage two Patterns:
Making a pattern can be the hardest work. It is easy to copy panels from garments you have at hand, however adapting these to a different size, or creating completely new panels from scratch can be a head-scratcher. I like to use a slightly robust transparent plastic to create my pattern as this makes it easy to see the fabric below and it does not stretch. Sometimes I use scrap fabric at hand if I have some laying around. When creating a completely new pattern I always cut it with a large allowance around the edges so that I can adjust it later. It becomes a sew a bit, fit it, adjust, sew some more, until it’s perfect. Make a copy of all the panels in plastic or on scrap fabric as soon as you’re done so that you always have the Pattern if you would like to make one more.
Stage three Cutting:
When you’re cutting the fabrics it’s good to pay attention that is lying freely, not stretching anyway. I sometimes use heavy books to weighted down the fabric so it doesn’t run off the table. Some fabrics are two way stretch so that they only stretch in One Direction. Make sure your panels has their stretch in the direction you would like them to have when you’re cutting two-way stretch fabric. I’ve used rotary knives or conventional scissors to cut fabric. Rotary knife are so very easy to use and I would definitely recommend investing in one if you are going to sew more in the future.
Stage four sewing:
Alright there are a lot of different techniques when it comes to sewing. I’m not going to cover this thoroughly as it’s just too much, just Youtube away! A lot of sewing machines have different stitch patterns, special ones for stretch fabrics and so on.. Is important to remember that a normal straight stitch does not stretch. Always use a zigzag stitch on anything that you would like to have some stretch properties. Choosing the right size of needles can also be quite important. Use fine thin needles on fabrics that are on constant tension or that you would like to have as waterproof as possible. This because of the whole site the needle tears in the fabric. Heavier fabrics like Condura or kvelar require thicker needles two puncture through.
Blefjell
I wanted to test my new creation so badly. The report said that the sun would be out but cold sub-zero temperatures. Blefjell has always been on my list on places i wanted to visit for some running. it’s about 1,5 hours by car from my house. By the use of a toll -road you can drive quite far up and park your car at about 630m above sea level. the highest top on Blefjell (‘Store-Ble’ or ‘Bletoppen’) is about 1345m so it still leave some hundreds of meters uphill ready to be ran.
The trial was well marked, i choose to sort of run in a 8 figure with the slackest trails up & the steepest down. This also gave me a slightly longer flat trail to start with so i could warm up my body & prepare it for the hills to come. There was more ice on the trails then i thought, shame i left my spike studded running shoes at home! sometimes i had to run up or down a bid to get past a large slab of ice. its strange how big small streams freeze!
I was amazed how easy i ran. i was a bid i doubt if i was motivated to run, i even brought some earphones to play some music to keep me going. But they have been in my pack troughout, somehow i just hit the flow zone as soon as i got going. It’s mindbogglingly how much i can think of while on these runs when everything just works by itself. ha ha i probably make like three life plans in my head. When i got back at the car my head was cleared and i was satisfied. I’ll be back next year Blefjell. The route can be found here.
