Sunday 16 May 2010

How To Make Genie Trousers

Not my usual Sunday afternoon activity, but I think this comes under the category of "Ox Fallen Into A Pit And Other Crises" [see Luke 14:5]

A young friend at church unexpectedly needed a costume [genie pants] so on getting home from church, I went up into the loft with a purple trug and collected some bits from the Great Stash

DSCF0062

The pattern, from 1970, cost 6/- [that's 30p to you young 'uns!]

DSCF0066

I ironed my fabric, and carefully made a 1½" pleat down the middle, [ie folding 3" out of the way] and pinned it, before I put the pattern piece on top.

DSCF0065 Two comments at this point 1 - yes it is the same as the fabric used for the Edwardian dresses!

2 - the picture below is from the Internet, as I only discovered when I had finished that my picture of the pattern piece had not come out!

Lay your pattern on the doubled fabric, and cut trouser pattern round the top of the body. BUT when you get to the legs, cut along for an inch then cut straight down this will give you plenty of bagginess in the legs. Allow an extra 1" along the top and bottom for casings. Remove all pins, flatten out the pleat you put in earlier.

Sew the front and back seams, then the inner leg seam. Sew A casing along the waist and others round the ankles. Thread with elastic. I used a piece 24" long and two pieces 8" long. Sew a couple of bits of tape or ribbon at the waist for hanging purposes.

I also wrote "front" and "back" inside the waistband - with pants this baggy it isn't always obvious.

DSCF0067

DSCF0069

That's it! Because they are baggy, fit isn't too crucial, and extra length will be accommodated by the elasticated ankle. If they prove extremely too long at the fitting, I shall just shorten them with a quick pleat all round at ankle level.

One hour from stash to blog - that's not bad going!! and Bob is still watching the Grand Prix [Jensen Button's car has overheated!]

7 comments:

  1. See what you can do if you rub a lamp?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Not sure which is 'worse' knowing what 30p is in real money or the fact that my mum had that pattern!! (Of course, I'm sure you inherited it from your mum too) Memories of churhc pantos and general maternal thrift.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are too kind Catriona - I am older than you and by 1970 I am afraid I'd already started accumulating the great Stash of fabric and patterns!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm thinking of fighting my way to the attic in search of an embroidery hoop.... Maybe I need a purple trug first?

    ReplyDelete
  5. I always smile when you say "so I went up to the loft...." as a tardis of answers for any situation comes to mind - lol!! You are one clever and resourceful woman!

    ReplyDelete
  6. To all you blog readers out there. Just letting you know how wonderful Angela is. Not only did she make the genie pants for our grandson, she also supplied my husband with brilliant question ideas for an interview panel. God bless her!
    Incidentally J's phone took 4 days to dry out when dunked in a similar way!

    ReplyDelete

Always glad to hear from you - thanks for stopping by!
I am blocking anonymous comments now, due to excessive spam!