The Duvet Pants That
Started It All
A thrift store find
turned go-to garment
A Fabric Meant for More
It was around December of last year, a few months into teaching myself how to sew, when I found this golden brown floral duvet hanging on a coat hanger rack at the Hospice Thrift Store in Prince George for $12. I didn’t know what it was going to be yet, but it wasn’t staying on a bed.
I’ve never felt at home in jeans, or in those spandex sweats I used to love once upon a time. Give me high-waisted pants with room to move, something soft with a bit of weight to it. This fabric? It felt like me.
Lessons in Making Things Work
I used the Aster Pants pattern from Mood Fabrics, and though he pattern was easy, remember this was my first garment after the “failed” shorts I made. So let’s just say the duvet pants have imperfections but I still love them enough to not redo them.
It took me three tries to get the waistband right. Seams left unfinished. A recycled zipper from the duvet itself. But damn, I felt so proud slipping them on for the first time.
Comfortable. Confident. A little rough around the edges, but mine.
The fabric had so much leftover, I made a matching heirloom headband. I wore both to a campfire gathering with friends I hadn’t seen in years. With the duvet pants and headband as the stars of the show, and I paired them with a soft pink blazer.
More Than Just Pants
These duvet pants were a turning point. The first garment that actually fit, that carried a story, that made me feel good in my skin. A reminder that making things, even imperfectly, matters. And that sometimes, the things you create end up carrying you right back to yourself.
