the pauper’s pantalettes

SUPPLIES:

1/2 to 1 yard eyelet border embroidered cotton

3/4-inch elastic, to fit waist

matching thread

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prewash your fabric to take care of any shrinkage. You should probably iron it before you start, too. As you can see, I didn’t. I’m lazy that way.

2. Open out the fabric and refold it lengthwise, with the borders aligned.

3. Now, I’ve made these bloomers using patterns for pajama bottoms and girls capri-length pants, but for the purpose of this tutorial I’m just using a pair of my daughter’s jeans for tracing. It really doesn’t matter what you use; just be sure to add some width to the pant leg, and be generous in your seam allowances when you trace. The upper photo illustrates placement for a full-length pair of pantalettes. If you’re looking for more of a capri-length, slide the pants down a bit, as shown on the lower photo above.

*Please note: If you are using jeans or other snug-fitting pants as a template, I would advise adding at least a full inch to the long, straight edge of the pants, extending the point of the crotch by 1 1/2-2 inches, and generously adding to the width of the pants on the crotch side, including the buttocks/waist. I put together this tutorial during naptime with the pair of pants I had on hand… but they came out more snug than I prefer and will be passed on to my daughter’s petite cousin!

4. Trace along the flat length of the pants, adding a half-inch or so seam allowance– more if the pants you’re tracing are particularly snug-fitting.

5. Add about 1 1/2 inches to the top of the pants; this will become your waistband. If the pants you are tracing are elasticized like these, be sure to just continue a straight line up from the widest part of the waist.

6. Add some width to the legs as you trace the crotch side of the pants. Extend the point of the crotch by an extra inch or so, then draw your line straight down from that widest point.

7. Flip the pants over and repeat the process, then cut out your pieces.

8. With right sides together, stitch the inner leg seam. Repeat for the remaining pair of pieces. I like to clip the corner of the seam allowance at the bottom so the scalloped edges don’t show through later on.

9. Press seam allowance to one side. With right sides together, stitch crotch seam.

10. Flip the bloomers around until they look like inside-out pants, right sides together, then stitch the outer leg seams on both sides. Again, you’ll probably want to clip the corner off the seam allowance at the bottom.

11. Iron down 1/4 inch along the upper edge of the waistband. Then turn it down another inch and press again.

12. Edge-stitch along the bottom edge of the waistband, leaving an opening for inserting the elastic. Edge-stitch all along the top edge of the waistband.

13. Using a safety pin attached to one end, feed the elastic through the waistband. Adjust the length of the elastic to fit, then sew ends together using a zig-zag stitch.

14. Edge-stitch the waistband closed.

15. You’re done!