Making Bloomers?

[Badra]

Along the pajama bottom lines, The Drunken Damsels cannibalized some scrubs to make bloomers.  We made pouches out of the parts we cut off.

[Taffy Saltwater]

My faves are black w/a wild tea pots/cups print.

[wyckdblyss]

I have been (actually, my mom is using it...since  my sewing skills are limited) using a pattern from Simplicity that has 3 different lengths...shorts, capri, and pants, this way I can have any length I want...and I agree, the wilder the colors and patterns the better!

[Randal]

I use a simple pajama pants pattern for making bloomers for my wife. Use the cheapest material you can find to make a test pair with, then once you're happy with the fit, make the nice ones. Wild colors and patterns are great, but stay away from the man-made materials. Go with linen, cotton, silk, etc.

To finish seams that don't show you can always try a pair of pinking shears. My machine will do an overcast stitch, but you can get similar results by first sewing a straight stitch, then going back alaong that seam with a zigzag that reachs from the straight stitch, to almost the raw edge. Practice on some scrap first.

At the waistband and the cuffs, simply make sure that the raw edge is folded under before hemming. Pressing it with an iron first will make it much easier to manage.

Randal

[bellevivre]

Ok, really, no need to waste money on pattens.

Lay out a pair of PJ bottoms so that the rise (the scooped part of the body) is shown (like this:

|         \
|          \
|           \
|            ----
|                 |
|                 |
|                 |
|                 |
|                 |
|                 |
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Ok, trace that out- there's your pattern. Now, Make 4 of those, allowing at least an inch of seam allowance (more if you want baggier)

Then, you can just drawstring or elastic at waist and hem- tadaaaa!

I will say, if you are wearing bloomers to avoid chafage, too roomy can be bad if you dont have some sort of closure at the leg...

[Rubiee]

I will say, if you are wearing bloomers to avoid chafage, too roomy can be bad if you dont have some sort of closure at the leg...

I will agree with this 100%. Chafing = bad.
I don't use a pattern for my bloomers either. I'll usually mock one with muslin, if it works then I have a secondary pair of bloomers.

....I really should make an outrageous colored pair for this year. That sounds like a ton of fun!!!

[Tink]

I haven't tried making bloomers, yet, but with all of these suggestions, I can't wait to make some!  I've been using wrap pants to cut out the chafing.  I like them because they're nice and airy, but they're a pain to untie and retie every time I visit the privy.  Has anyone tried making wrap pants with an elastic waistband?

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

I had a Hancock's fabric coupon in my purse with the intention of buying lightweight material to make another pair of bloomers.  On the way I stopped at Goodwill.  Found a pair of cotton pajamas for $2.99.  With an elastic waist and drawstring.  Hot pink and yellow paisley.  So I bought them with the intention of cutting the legs up to capri length, and I have new bloomers.  I couldn't buy the material, thread, and elastic for that, not to mention the time to make them.