The Floral Trousers Revamp
On my to-do list for some…years? has been to refashion a pair of floral trousers, because I just haven’t been able to work them into my wardrobe.
The trousers are the wrap trousers from Zero Waste Sewing, but these were an early prototype when I was making the pattern.
The fabric is a 1990s era floral cotton, very lightweight. It’s not Liberty, but similar.
Here’s what they look like in the book – the fabric is a very lightweight cotton/silk blend. I confess I don’t wear these much either, as they require skin-coloured undies and the correct shoe (the shoes in the photo were borrowed from my sister). Also, that jacket is too small for me now.
The inspiration for this pattern was women friends who only ever wear trousers, not skirts. I thought this would be something a bit different to wear to dinners etc.
The trousers are an example of a tessellating pattern; the curve of the legs fit into each other.
The trousers had a waistband and zip, so I took those off, leaving a crazy flat-lay shape:
I had forgotten the waistband was a double fold waistband. A what? A double fold waistband – I’m probably not the inventor of this but certainly a user of.
With the zip and waistband gone, I cut off the wings and re-sewed the side seams and centre back.
As if it were foretold, in the elastic box there happened to be the perfect length of non-roll elastic.
And here we are! From wrap floral trousers to very useful and sure-to-be-worn-often pajama bottoms.
This project reminded me how much I like this trouser pattern!
Cheers!
Great reuse, and thanks for the shape-idea of tessalated pants: I fell in love with a lady’s pant’s but couldn’t relly see how they were made and I think I just understood: they’re like your pattern, but without the buttons to hold the flaps in!
Thanks also for the idea of a double fold waistband, I’ll try them as soon as possible (aka within three years, probably 🙂
Thanks Liseli – maybe the lady got my book? 🙂
I hope you enjoy the double fold waistband. It’s very easy to get a good finish inside and out.
She was talking to another lady in a shop about her pants and I overheard the conversation. For what I remember, she hadn’t sewn the pants herself and it was around 20 years ago, so probably not from your book, sorry 😉
Highly unlikely then! Haha!
Your office assistants would never peck at your toes:))) Seriously though, my goal for this fall is to make trousers. I have shied away from trousers for years now and it’s time to confront my fears. Your wrap trousers and Holly McQuillens’s spiral trousers are on my to-do list. We’ll see how far I get.
I didn’t think they’d go for toes, but I don’t think they’ve ever seen any – we normally wear closed shoes outside.
This trouser pattern is very easy as trousers go, because the fit is loose. I’d say easier than the spiral trousers. Will 2025 be The Year of The Trousers?
Those trousers are still on my list. I love them!
However post-menopause shape shifting, increased skin sensitivity, and random body temperature adjustments in the SEQ climate have left me in a kind of fun-free space where I focus on basic clothing solutions and body positivity. With layers that can be decently thrown off or pulled on at a moment’s notice :-). I’m a slow sewer/ist and there is some experimentation involved in figuring out what I feel comfortable in.
Thanks Adele. I too am going through shape shifting with thoughts on clothing comfort, and after doing this remake I think these could be made with an elastic waist and still look like the original. Something on my list 🙂
An elastic waistband would be terrific!