Matching Moji

How to Cut Seamwork Magazine's Moji Pant Pattern from Plaid Fabric

What have you been sewing lately?  If you are like me, you have a total pattern crush on the Moji Pant from the September Issue of Seamwork Magazine.  You can view that issue here:
https://www.seamworkmag.com/issues

After reading this issue, which was undeniably the best issue of Seamwork yet, (llamas!) I wanted a pair of plaid Moji pants.  I assembled the PDF and sewed some up as soon as I possibly could.

Et voila!

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I am loving the urban chic vibe of this pattern! I made it up in some flannel shirting from my stash. I think the cuff and pockets save them from being pajama pants. When the weather cools down I will wear them oversized sweaters for casual weekend wear. Another pair in denim has been added to my sewing queue.

You may have noticed that a fabulously experienced sewist (ahem) also wrote an article for how to match large prints, stripes and plaids in this same issue.  The advice given was rather general, so a few people have asked me it I could do a how-to for matching the plaid on Moji.  The key to getting the perfect plaid match on your Mojis is all about how you cut them out.

So, here is a how-to on cutting the Moji from plaid fabric in order to get a lovely pattern match.

Matching Moji

1) Once you have assembled the PDF, trace it off on tissue paper or pattern paper.  You will need to be able to see the pattern of the fabric through the pattern.  This is a great time to make any adjustments to the pattern.  (I added two inches in length around mid leg.)

2) Lay out the fabric, right side up, in a single layer (no folds.)
I know.  You may have to banish children and pets and spread it out on the floor, unless you have a ginormous cutting table.

3) Lay out one front pant piece.  I recommend anchoring the bottom of the leg on a horizontal stripe in the plaid.

Be sure to get the grainline on the pattern running as close as possible to parallel with the vertical stripe.  Before pinning, play around a bit with the placement.  Traditionally, a dominant stripe should run down the center of the leg, here the center of the pattern piece.  Also pay attention to where the straight line above the curve of the crotch lies.  This will be center front of your pants.  Remember that wherever you place that line, you will get a mirror image of the pattern on both sides of that center front seamline.  Look at the center front picture above to see what I mean. If you can, cut a square of plaid in half or place a background color here.

Also keep in mind that you want to place this first pant front piece toward the edge of the material, so that there is room to cut another pant front out right next to it.  When you are happy with the placement, pin and cut one pant front piece.

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4) Unpin the pant front piece you cut from the paper pattern, and use the cut piece of fabric as the pattern to cut the second pant front piece.  Remember to put the cut piece face down so that you are laying right side to right side. Match the plaid of the cut piece identically to the uncut fabric.  The cut piece will almost seem to disappear. Pin carefully and generously, then cut.

5) Repeat this process for the back pant pieces.  Anchor the bottom of the leg on the same horizontal stripe of the plaid that you used for the pant front, so that your side seams will match horizontally.

Are you still with me?  You can move up to the table now. I had to go feed the dogs at this point.

6) Cut the waistband.  Do not attempt to match to the pant.  Keep the horizontal stripe perfectly straight along the edges of the pattern piece.

7) Next you will cut the pocket pieces.  To get them to match the plaid on the center front, you will need to lay the pattern piece onto the cut center front piece, and then draw the lines of the plaid onto the paper pocket pattern using a pencil.  Next place the pocket pattern onto the right side of a remaining uncut piece of fabric and match the lines drawn on the pattern piece to the plaid lines on the fabric. Pin generously and cut.

My pocket pattern looks a little strange here, because I have lengthened the pocket, but you can see the pencil lines where I have drawn the thin, white lines of the plaid onto the pattern paper,

 If cut correctly, the pocket piece should lay on the center front with the pattern matching.

 8) To cut the second pocket, turn the paper pocket pattern over, lay it on the other center front piece, and once again draw the plaid lines onto the paper pattern piece, this time on the back.  Then match, pin, and cut as described above.

9) Next, if you are adding cuffs, cut the cuff pieces in the same manner you cut the pocket pieces, one piece at a time, this time matching to the front and back legs at the bottom.

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10) Finally, cut a second set of pockets to form the pocket linings from whatever scraps are left.  You don't have to worry about pattern matching since they won't show.  In fact, if you have run short of fabric, you can cut them from another fabric altogether.

C'est tout!  Now you are ready to sew.  Remember to pin carefully, checking your plaid match as you sew the side seams and the inside leg seam.  Because the leg of Moji tapers, your vertical stripe won't match on the side seams, but the horizontal stripe will.

Matching the plaid on Moji will definitely add some time onto the project, but if you are like me, you will enjoy the challenge. After reading the article on the history of plaid in this issue of Seamwork, I am wanting plaid everything! (And a llama.)

Xx Piper

 

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