Shirred Waist Wide Leg Pants for Casual & Chic Elegance

Shirred waist wide leg pants for a casual-chic elegant look that will take you throughout the year in a comfortable nature-loving style. Take it from me, I have been wearing this design for years and have made these pants in black, beige, and pinstripe fabrics.

At first look these pants look like a long skirt but when you move people will realise you are wearing pants.

The best part about these pants is the shirred waistband which adds a level of comfort and elegance that is worth buying the extra fabric that you will need to make these wide-leg pants.

Materials

• 1 1/2 yards of 54″(minimum) dark linen, silk, or rayon fabric
• black elastic thread to match
• 1 to 1 1/2 yards of 1/2″ wide black elastic (your waist size minus 2″)
• thread to match

Tools

• sewing machine (optional)
• scissors
• serger

Fabric Recommendations from Fabric.com

Sewing Level: Intermediate

Experience in shirring fabric is essential. I do not recommend this project for people who can not follow written instructions nor have sewn a pair of pants before.

If you are allergic to elastic please use the double layer fabric method to shirr the waistband.

Shirring Without Elastic Thread

Sizing Information

Size	Hip Measurements
XS/S	34-36″
M/L	38-42″
XL/2XL	43-47″
3XL	47-54″

Pattern Download

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Pattern Layout

How to Sew Your Shirred Waist Wide Leg Pants

The pattern has NO seam allowance, I suggest a 5/8″ since you have to attach the shirred waistband to the pants and this is easier done when you have a larger seam allowance.

The waistband is NOT included in the pattern.

There are two ways of shirring on one layer of fabric with elastic thread and one with a double layer of fabric using 1/8″ to 1/4″ elastic. I prefer the double-layer technique because it last longer and if you are allergic to the latex in the elastic this is a great way to hide it.

Sew one leg at a time. Sewing the sides first. Serge all the seam allowance.

Insert one leg inside the other to sew the croth in one continues stitching line.  Make sure that you have the wrong sides of the legs facing each other.

 

How to make the shirred waist band

Cut TWO rectangles of fabric one for the front and one for the back of the pants with the following measurements shown below. The 1 1/4″ represents the sea, allowance. Serge the top and bottom edges.

Note: I do not have enough linen fabric so I am using a 1/2″ of 54″ wide black rayon. I would not recommend using a contrasting colour since a colour block would make you look even shorter and wider.

The first two inches of the rectangle are for the 1″ elastic placement.

Add 5 lines at 1/2 distance from one another using an erasable fabric marker or tailor's chalk.

Attach the 1″ elastic, to the band.

Shirr the five lines leaving the distances at the top for the elastic and the bottom to attach to the pants.

Sew the sides of the waist to make a band and sew to the pants matching the side seams.

As I am finishing this pair of pants I realize that the waistband might be a bit challenging for a beginner. Please wait for a separate tutorial where I will be adding a step by step tutorial using a light colour fabric and black thread so it is clear. I will also be sharing some tips for the ladies who have a very large bottom and small waist.

Until Next time, hope you are well and let's keep sewing keeping the world together one stitch at a time.

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