Eating Elephants - the first bite

How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.

I'm about to apply the same principle to a sewing project that I've been putting off.

My ex-husband is 6 ft 6, with long legs.  He has always had problems getting trousers to fit, so I used to make his formal trousers, and even on one occasion ventured into men's tailoring with  a full suit.

When we separated we divided everything up in a very grown up and amicable way, and resolved to remain friends.  What I didn't realise was that remaining friends meant that I still had to sew his trousers, until he arrived on my doorstep with a bolt of fabric, a zip and thread.I don't find men's trousers especially easy, and I struggle to work up much enthusiasm for sewing for other people.  Instead of putting it off until the last possible moment then doing a rush job, I'm taking the elephant approach: Cutting it up and tackling it one bite at a time.

1. Cut out pieces and lining pieces
2. Overlock all pieces
3. Stitch and press darts
4. Sew bound pocket on the right back piece
5. Attach and top stitch front pockets and lining
6. Install fly zip and facing
7. Sew side and inside leg seams
8. Make belt carriers and tack on to trousers
9. Attach waist band
10. Sew loose end on the belt carriers
11. Sew button hole, button and trouser bar
12. Hem

That's come out at 12 bites.  It doesn't seem very many for a task that I have always considered a "major" sewing project.  I can't help feel that I've missed something.

Anyway, If I'm right I should be able to finish these in under two weeks just be eating one bite a day.  None of the individual "bites" are going to take long, so I can still have other projects going on that I am actually inspired by, and by overlocking all the pieces at the beginning I only need my ordinary sewing machine out (which it usually is anyway).

Fired with enthusiasm I've alreading crossed number one off the list, I've cut out the pieces.  I'm using a pattern that I have used several times before (I got custody of all the patterns which was probably a strategic mistake) so I've already made the required adjustments to the pattern Burda 8186 , but today's bite and tomorrow's bite (overlocking) are probably the most time consuming.