I am currently at work on my Fearless February Project. This sew-along was started by Victoria, and her blog, Ten Thousand Hours of Sewing, is based on the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. 
In the book, Gladwell expounds the value of the “10,000 Hour Rule”, where success and mastery of something can be achieved but requires 10,000 hours of practice. It makes me feel really motivated and positive about my sewing since as a beginner, I sometimes feel overwhelmed with all there is to learn. But, with this idea in mind, I believe that I can achieve success in sewing!
I’m a fan of Gladwell’s writing and if you have not checked him out, he has published several books and they all infuse a fresh twist into the subjects of modern psychology and philosophy.
Okay, with that in mind, here is the Fearless February Project: Burda Style Pants 7441.
I began this project last year before ever having sewn a thing, and it was far too overwhelming. And, in retrospect, it was not a good choice for an absolute beginner for several reasons: 1) The pattern is a Burda and I have been told they can be notorious for not providing the most detailed or complete instructions. 2) It is rated as a 3 out of 4 on a difficulty level. 3) Tailored pants are more difficult to sew than a simple skirt or top. And, 4) These pants have a lot going on including, two different styles of pockets, darts, pleats, zipper.
However, with some experience under my belt, a slew of practice hours logged and a variety of projects completed, I felt ready to tackle these pants again.
All pattern pieces have been cut out, including lining and interfacing. 
The very first task (after sewing the back darts) was to construct the back welt pockets. Wow, these were difficult to understand, the directions and pictures were not very explanatory and there seemed to be a few placement marks missing on the pattern pieces (i.e., sew lines for piping and pocket attachment). But, with the help of my sewing teacher, and a few tears, I have now completed the back welt pockets!! 
There was a definite learning curve, and, one pocket looks better from the outside while the other pocket worked out nicely from the inside. So, for the next pants, I should be able to construct a pocket that looks good from both the outside and inside. I am now on to the front of the pants. Wish me luck!
Gjeometry 
Well done you for being so fearless! Your pocket looks very professional to me. Good luck with the rest of the pants 🙂
The 10,000 hours thing both inspires me and scares me, but I am off to see if they have any Malcolm Gladwell books in my library service.
Thank you Viv! I’m very pleased with the pockets, although I know they are not perfect and neatly, couture finished, but they certainly function and fit the bill.
I find the 10,000 hours idea inspires me to believe that it’s not a magical talent that only some people have, but that success can be achieved by the average shmoe as well, lol. I also think you’ll enjoy the Malcolm Gladwell books, let me know :).
Good luck! I think it’s smart to know when you need to hold back and wait for more experience before taking on a project that’s too advanced for you. But you’ve made some great stuff lately and I’m certain you’re going to kill these pants!
Thanks for your encouragement Gingermakes! 🙂 I’m feeling confident that I can conquer these pants now. Six months ago, no way. Onwards and upwards!
OOh! I love these pants already – I really like the fabric color! The welt pockets look really great so far and I think you’re past one of the biggest hurdles. I can’t wait to see it when it’s done!
Thank you very much Eleyna! Yes, I was hoping those welt pockets were the more difficult ones, as I still have to insert the side pockets! The fabric is a wool with a very faint and tiny, grey check pattern. I love it too.
You can do it! Can’t wait to see what they look like!
Thank you!! I will be sure to post, and wear, them when I have finished sewing :).
This is great! I admire your fearlessness. Welt pockets are something that I haven’t tackled yet, and I’m terrified of them. I might be asking for tips when my time comes!
Thank you so much! Well, ‘lucky’ for me, I bought this pattern before I had any idea that I should be terrified of welt pockets. And I should! However, because I am supposed to be fearless this month, I just went for it.
Please feel free to come back and ask any questions you like. I will try my best to answer them with what I am learning :).
Wow! this is so awesome of you. I have been sewing for years and have yet to attempt a pair of pants like this! You have inspired me once again to try something out of my comfort zone! Good luck with the rest of the pants (and it is true Burda has the worse sewing direction!) ~Kerrielee
Thank you Kerrielee! And I’m glad that it’s not just me that is having trouble with these Burda directions.
No time like the present to try out a pants pattern. If I can attempt it and, so far, have success with it, you will surely have no trouble.
I LOVE Malcolm Gladwell’s books! I’m reading “What the Dog Saw” now and I’ve read all of his other books. And, I love sewing, too, so I was delighted to come upon your blog.
I think I have 10,000 hours of sewing under my belt but my learning curve continues to ascend. And I’m very glad of that; it keeps sewing, and life, interesting.
I just finished up a Burda pattern but one that was out of the magazine. And to add complexity upon complexity the magazine was in Turkish. Determined to improve my Turkish and to challenge my sewing knowledge I plowed along without attempting to get an English translation. I’m happy to say I only made one miscalculation and that was a minor one. The shirt turned out very well and I’m going to use that pattern as a base for future designs.
Good for you on the challenge you set for yourself. You’ll learn so much that it may be irrelevant how they turn out. But so much the better if they turn out well!
Thank you so much SheSew for your kind words and for stopping by my blog. How cool that you also like Malcolm Gladwell books and sewing!! I sense a kinship here :).
That’s so awesome that you made a Burda pattern in Turkish, improving your sewing and your language skills. Two for the price of one! I’m so happy your shirt turned out well and I’d love to see it.
And, I’m definitely learning a lot, from this project and from many of the items I’ve sewn as well as the books / articles and wonderful blog posts by others, that I’ve read.
I havn’t read “What the Dog Saw” yet, would love it if you drop by again and give your opinion on it.
I wonder if Malcolm Gladwell realizes that he has a cult following in the sewing world? 🙂 I’ve been on his website, gladwell.com, but notice that there isn’t anything very recent. He does have more “New Yorker” articles which is what “What the Dog Saw” is a compilation of. And, of course, I love that book, too. I’m hoping that the lack of recent blog activity, as least that I can find, means that he’s at work on a new book!
I posted a picture of my shirt on my site SheSew so come on over and check it out! I’m a newbie blogger and it’s really getting fun now that I’m getting over my shyness.
One resource that I couldn’t live without is “Threads” magazine. I love, love, love it! I’ve been reading it since the late ’80’s and I cannot tell you how much I have learned from the “Threads” team. Priceless.
So happy you’ve started a blog in the sewing world. Welcome! And looking forward to sharing more with you in the future! I will have to look up that What the Dog Saw book, as I love articles and short story compilations. 🙂
I like the effect so far! Finger crossed! My trousers are witing for me as well… I have 2 nice patterns, I hve fabrics, but trousers are difficult… not so to sew but to fit propersly. Success!
Thank you! I’m plugging away at my trousers. Would love to see yours when they are finished, as well!
Wonderful post! I’ll get “Outliers” because you reminded me that I wanted to read it. Your FF project looks great so far. Congrats on being fearless, feirce and fearsome. BTW, the Sewalong I mentioned is at scruffybadgertime.co.uk. She calls it the Polka Dot Frock Fest.
Thanks for your support!! And, happy to share knowledge of not only sewing, but books and anything else that comes up and looks interesting. I will check out that Sew-Along as well, it sounds fun!
pockets look good to me. Looking forward to seeing a finished project. As everyone says it’s good to keep on learning new stuff. There is certainly a lot of things to learn as you keep sewing. Great start! The books sound interesting too. I will have to see if I can find them at the library & will let you know what I think of them.
Thanks! Yes, I think it’s likely a lifelong process of learning new stuff, as once you know all the sewing techniques, you can learn to design different things. Check out the books, and let us know what you think.
Well done for having a go, they are coming together nicely, looking forward to seeing them when they are finished
Thank you!! I shall post, for sure, when they are completed. Don’t want to rush them and have to seam rip as the fabric is a thin wool and doesn’t take kindly to seam ripping and re-stitching.
Those pants look quite difficult! Good for you that you’re fearlessly conquering them 🙂 It already looks very promising.
Thank You Elise! They were rated a 3 out of 4 on a difficulty level, so that should have been a giveaway for me when I bought them as an absolute beginner. But, no time like the present to be fearless!!
Omgosh, those look so complicated. My sewing machine is so old and basic, I couldn’t imagine, it makes my head spin all the details. Bravo for taking it on
Ha ha, thanks for your cheers! Well, these pants don’t require a special machine of any kind. Just essentially straight stitch (of varying lengths) and zig-zag stitch. It’s in the way you attach and arrange things that make it complicated. So, your machine would be just fine to take these on, should you chose to :).
I’m NOT worthy, believe you me. I do have a very simple dress cut out since last Sept….that’s just terrible…first there was Halloween, then a vacation, then Xmas, now Valentine’s….I really must stop making excuses, I have a million of them.
I know, it’s funny how we can always come up with an excuse even if we sometimes have to make one up :).
Good for you for tackling tailored pants, and from a Burda pattern no less! I’m also a fan of Malcom Gladwell but have not yet read Outliers… maybe this should be the next book on my list. Looking forward to reading about your progress with the pants.
Thank you Andrea! I know, I had no idea that Burda was so vague in their directions when I purchased it, and also did not note the 3 out of 4 difficulty level. I just focused in on the fact that I liked the pants and wanted to sew them. But, had to wait a few months to get some experience under my belt before I could attempt them, I realized after trying to sew them a few months ago.
Happy to hear you are also a Malcolm Gladwell fan. Think you will also enjoy Outliers.
Oh! you are so brave! You really tried to sew pants as your first project? Again, you are brave!
I’ve to get brave too! In March I’ll sew something to wear! Something with a pattern!
Good luck!
Lol, thanks Marisa! I feel brave :). And, yes, I had no idea that these pants would be so hard when I bought them, nor the issue with Burda not being for the absolute beginner. So, that’s why I had to leave them as my first project, and, instead complete a bunch of others to get some experience and some idea of how to sew! So, I figured now, since I have some experience and I’m all Fearless and everything, is the best time to tackle them.
I will love to see what you sew to wear in March!
If you find any sew along or some March Fearless Project let me know. Maybe I’ll join!
Good luck!
Keep going. Trousers are a trial but totally worth the troubles. I hope those tears you shed, were tears of joy because those pockets look terrific.
Thank you Lisa! Well, actually the tears were shed over my inability to decipher the instructions for how to create the welt pocket. But, they then turned into squeals of joy when the effort finally turned into actual pockets!!
I hope the tears you shed turned into tears of joy,because those pockets look terrific.
Keep going. You are doing great.
Hi Lisa, think you posted twice, but, hey that just makes me two times happier to get your words of encouragement and compliments! 🙂
Isn’t it AMAZING how just having a few projects under your belt makes things SOOOO much clearer when you go to tackle those more complex projects? A year ago, a Burda pattern would have made me cry, but I tackled my first one (a tailored shirt for my man!!) just before Christmas and only had a few head scratching moments, but worked them out no problem. I just know you’ll do great on the pants; they’re actually a lot less complicated than most people think, once you get the hang of them! ^__^
Thanks Amanda! Yes, they are coming along, but I definitely had to wait till I had some sewing knowledge in the ol’ brain before I attempted them. I’m going to have to pop over and check out that Burda shirt you made!
You’ll get to see my man in all his scruffy unshaved, pajama-clad glory on Christmas morning! LOL ^__^
Lol. I feel like a peeping tom 😮 !
Those pockets look great!!!!! I’m a newbie too and I must agree I don’t think its a magical talent, it just takes practice. We will get there. I am excited to see your finished piece.
Thank you so much!! I am excited to see another newbie involved in sewing! And, yes, I agree, it takes practice and a genuine interest and love for what you are doing. And we will get there for sure! I am excited to see my finished piece as well, lol.
You’ve done a fantastic job so far with these pants and should be so proud of what you’ve accomplished… Shame about the tears but in sure you’ve also enjoyed a few smiles along the way as well!
Thank you Chris! You are very kind. Yes, the tears were only shed while reading the directions for the first welt pocket. Then, as I began to assemble, they gave way to determination!