Harem Pants How to
I recently made a pair of harem pants and posted them to Instagram with a short video of me making a mini version to show how cool the pattern is. This led to many people asking for the pattern and measurements. Here's the video:
There are different ways to read patterns
So here's the thing. I am trained as an engineer, and I can work with blueprints. Give me detailed drawings with all the measurements and I can make a thing. Technically, sewing patterns are like blueprints, so it's the same process, right? Except that it really isn't. Sure, give me a full paper pattern and I can make a garment, but drafting my own patterns is a much more intuitive (and therefore somewhat chaotic) process, and sometimes I just can't follow a pattern, I have to make it my own way. And I know it's the same for you guys, some of you will need a very detailed full pattern, and others will need to get a feel for how it's made, and will figure the rest out along the way.
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When I set out to describe how I made my harem pants, I realized I cannot make a pattern that suits every type of person. Especially not when making a 'made to measure' pattern for these harem pants, since it is easy to make it exactly to your measurements. I don't know much about psychology and types of brains, so I won't pretend by putting labels on any of this according to your neurodiversity, it is only based on my experience.
How to use these instructions
So if you are here, and you want to make my harem pants, I would like to offer 2 types of instructions, trying to adapt to these different ways of understanding and using patterns. I feel like both would be useful to me in different ways, and I hope you find one that suits your creativity and logic. If not, let me know! Feedback is welcome.
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Category 1: if you like to sew as you go, measurements and proportions come naturally without thinking too much then this is your section.
Category 2: if you are geometry-oriented, 'full pattern'-minded and comfortable with basic math, then move on to the second part below.
If you have no idea, look at the pictures and choose the ones that speak to your inner logic. And have fun!
What You Will Need
- Fabric: Around 2 meters (2 yards) of fabric, at least 150 cm (60 inches) wide for large sizes. It works best with thin, soft and lightweight fabric, ideally crease-proof. Printed fabric works beautifully for these, and stripes in particular give a really cool asymmetrical look.
- Elastic: You will want ribbon elastic, enough to go around your waist, and once around each calf. This should work out to about 2 m (2 yards) or 3 if you want multiple strips of elastic at the waist.
- Sewing thread: that matches your fabric
Measurements
You will need the following measurements:
1. Your hip circumference (Hips). Wrap the tape measure around the widest part of your body at the hips, and hold it loosely but don't worry about it too much because there will be some extra length added later, ensuring that you will be able to fit the pants over the hips and up to your waist.
2. The pants' length. Measure the length from wherever you want the waist of the pants to sit, down to your ankle, again, being generous with this measurement (you can add up to 6 cm or 2 inches to be sure that it will be long enough).
3. Leg circumference just under the knee. This is so that you can set elastics in the bottom of the pants to be able to pull them up over your calves. You can also take this measurement with the elastic directly, pulling it snug around the calf.
4. Waistband height. Also work out how tall of a waistband you would like. This should be between 5 cm (2 inches) and 10 cm (4 inches) or more if you plan to gather it vertically.
Instructions version 1
Take your hip circumference and divide it by 3. The result should be around 30 cm (12 in.)
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The first part you will need is a square of fabric. The square's side measurement is :
(Hips / 3) + pant length + (Hips / 3) + (seam allowance x2)
starting from the corner of your fabric, mark this distance along one side, then along the other side. I find it easier to cut the square by cutting the bottom first along the selvedge, then folding the fabric diagonally, bringing the top and left sides of the square together.
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Keep it folded this was for the next step. We will now cut 3 pizza slices on each tip of the triangle. The radius of the triangle is Hips/3 and when you cut the blue one, you should get two separate pieces. To draw a circle on fabric, I use a piece of string attached to my pencil, tape one edge down onto the table and make sure the length of the string is the circle radius.
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At this point, you should have a square with all corners cut out. Use your tape measure to measure the length of one of these curves, along the blue line. Multiply this length by 2 (you will get a value that is a bit bigger than your hips).
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The rectangle should have the following measurements:
Height: (Waistband height x2) + (seam allowance x2)
Length: (Blue line cut x2) + (seam allowance x2)
Almost done! On to sewing. Fold the square diagonally, right sides together, and sew along the straight sides. Flip it right side out and you should have a triangle shape with 3 holes, two small ones and one big one on the top.
Fold the waistband to match the short edges together and sew it into a circle. Then fold it lengthwise along the green dotted line, wrong sides together. Then you can sew the waistband to the waist of the pants, right sides together. Leave a bit open for the elastic, which you can string into the waistband using a safety pin or a large blunt needle. I usually do a fitting to make sure my elastic length is just right. Finish the edge with a serger or a zig zag stitch.
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Optionally, what I like to do is that the elastic is only on the back half of my waistband, keeping the front nice and smooth. For this, I put one end of the elastic in the stitch that closes the band into a circle, and the other end on the mid point lengthwise, being sure to put the elastic against the wrong side of the fabric, so that it ends up inside the waistband once it is folded lengthwise. Then when you go to sew the waistband to the pants, the ends of the elastic line up with the side seams of the pants.
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Finally, cut 2 pieces of elastic that are just the right length that they fit snugly above your calf and sew a hem on the bottom edge of each pant leg to hold it. This is a bit finicky as the seam is curved, so the best is to keep the hem narrow. Or you can sew it directly to the elastic with a zig-zag, stretching the elastic to meet the length of the fabric as you go. Then fold the elastic in and top stitch, again pulling it flat under your presser foot.
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And you're done! Enjoy your new garment!
Instructions version 2
Using the measurements you took above, calculate and trace out this pattern on your fabric. You will need the square with corners cut out, and a rectangle shape for the waistband. If you are making a big size, the square might be bigger than the width of your fabric, in which case you will need to assemble 2 pieces of fabric to make the big square. I suggest you do this by cutting the pattern down the middle. If working with a patterned fabric, you might want to turn the waistband rectangle 90 degrees to orient the pattern.
Additionally, you can make pockets following this printable pattern, just make sure you cut out 4 pieces total, 2 on one side of the pattern, and 2 on the other. Once you've out your fabric, you might be able to fit 2 pockets in the waist cutouts, as shown.
Assembly
If you have pockets, add these first. Sew the dashed red lines of each pocket piece to a side of the square, just below the waist line, right sides together, and with the droopy curve of the pocket pointing toward the ankle.
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Then fold your entire project in half along the dotted line and both layers should match up exactly. Sew the 2 seams going around the pockets and finish them however you would like. I like to then topstitch a reinforcement at the bottom of the pocket opening, because that point gets a lot of pressure. Also, i put a line of stitching at the top of the pocket to hold it closed in order to make it easier to sew in the waistband.
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Next, sew your waistband into a circle, mark the middle and set the elastic in the back half. I like to set 2 or 3 elastics side by side with a wider waistband. Finally, fold the waistband in half and stitch again over the ends of the elastic. Optionally sew channels that the elastic will sit in. Finally, attach the waistband to the pants, right sides together and finish the raw edges.
If you make these, please send me a picture, I would love to see them!
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