A Review of the Winslow Culottes Pdf Pattern by Helen's Closet.
A freak few days of hot sun here in Northumberland, UK made me want to make a pair of shorts. I have plenty that I made while living in Cyprus but they are mostly slouchy jersey style and I wanted something more structured in woven.
After a search I came across the Winslow Culottes by Helen's Closet and luckily for me the Pdf Pattern is 20% off throughout June!
The Winslow Culottes are wide-legged pants which can be made in any length from shorts to palazzo pants. I felt that the box pleats and invisible zip fastening would be a more flattering fit compared to an elasticated waistband and of course there are nice big pockets!
Make midi-length culottes in Tencel twill for a chic, modern look, shorts in cotton lawn for summer adventures, or pants in rayon challis for luxurious weekend wear.
I already had some pre-washed fabric which I thought would be appropriate - a Striped Cotton Linen Mix - from Pound Fabrics. It has some structure so the box pleats will hold their shape and remain defined.
The Winslow Culottes Pdf Pattern comes in sizes 0-34 which is a waist range of 24"- 52". They are recommended for an Advanced Beginner (probably because of the invisible zip insertion). The Pdf comes in A4, US Letter, A0 versions with Layers enabled.
Light to medium-weight woven fabrics with plenty of drape such as rayon challis, viscose poplin, crepe dé chine, light-weight linen, and tencel twill. View A and B work well with both fluid and slightly structured fabrics. For the longer lengths (View C and D), a lighter weight fabric with plenty of drape is strongly recommended.
The Winslow Culottes Pdf Pattern comes in four lengths: View A = 18”, View B = 22”, View C = 32” and View D = 41”. The pattern runs straight down from the hip, so it's easy to make them any length you want. In fact, I just printed out View A to save paper.
A detailed instruction booklet is included with The Winslow Culottes Pdf Pattern which is very clear and easy to follow. It includes tips on grading, adjusting the rise and shortening/lengthening. I particularly like the fact that the instructions tell you where/when to finish your raw edges so you are left with a really neat finish on the inside as well as the outside. The Culottes are quite easy to construct - insertion of the invisible zipper might be a challenge if you're new to it but following the instructions carefully and watching a few YouTube tutorials help. I particularly like the tutorials presented by The Stitch Sisters.
The finished fit of The Winslow Culottes is true to size and they are very comfortable. I really like the placing of the box pleats, I think the look is quite flattering and levels up the look of what could be a plain pair of shorts. I like the versatility of this design - I would like to try the same View in a drape woven fabric such as Rayon Challis for a different feel.
