How to Sew Culottes

Culottes resemble A-line skirts like the one depicted.

Culottes are three-quarter length pants with flared legs and close-fitting hemlines. Originally, wealthy, landowning French men during the late 1500s wore culottes. However, designers later modified the pants for unisex use, removing the fitted hem and allowing the pants to flare openly. Since this style of culotte resembled a skirt, it became popular as an activity garment for women and girls.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Paper
• Fabric, cotton or knit
• Chalk
• Scissors
• Elastic
• Sewing Machine
• Straight pins

Instructions

Measurements

1. Measure the circumference of your waist from the side of your hip to the center of your torso inline with your bellybutton. Add 2 inches to the measurement and label it A. Multiply A by 3 to reach measurement B the horizontal length of each panel.

2. Determine the desired length of the garment; usually culottes fall to the mid-calf. Take two measurements: from waist to mid-calf, C and crotch to mid-calf, D.

3. Measure the crotch of a pair of dress pants that fit. Fold the pants in half and lay them flat so that the front of the pants is visible. Draw a straight vertical line downward from the front of the pants where the zipper is, down the leg. Measure the horizontal distance from the tip of the crotch to this line, measurement E. Measure along the folded edge of the material from the waist to the point of the crotch, where the crotch and inseams meet. Label this figure measurement F.

Pattern Piece

1. Draw a straight horizontal line the length of A. Continue the line to the right the length of E; use a small mark to indicate the end of A and start of E. Mark the horizontal center of the combined line and draw a straight vertical line downward the length of C.

2. Center a horizontal line at the base of line segment C. Label this line B.

3. Connect the left ends of line AE and B with a straight line. Repeat with the right ends of AE and B.

4. Measure along the right side from the right end of AE the length of F. Place a mark on the line and label it F.

5. Draw a backwards J-shaped line from the start of segment E to point F.

6. Add a 1-inch border to all sides for the seam allowance and the give.

7. Cut out the pattern.

8. Draw a rectangle the length of D and 5 inches wide. Mark the horizontal center of one 5-inch side. Draw two straight lines from this mark to the corners on the opposite 5-inch side forming an isosceles triangle. Add a 1-inch border on all sides, and then cut out the pattern.

Cutting Pieces

1. Fold a length of fabric in half right-side out.

2. Line up the side of the pattern labeled C with the folded fabric edge.

3. Trace the remaining sides of the pattern onto the fabric with chalk.

4. Cut out the pattern. Do not cut along the folded edge.

5. Repeats Steps 1 through 4 to make a second pattern piece.

6. Wrap a 1/2-inch elastic band around your waist so that it is snug but not tight. Mark the point where the elastic overlaps with your finger. Cut the elastic at the length indicated by your fingers.

7. Cut two triangular pieces of material with the triangle pattern.

Assembly

1. Lay one of the leg pieces on a flat surface right-side up. Align one of the triangular pieces on top of the left side of the leg, right-side down, so that the long side of the triangle lines up with the side labeled D and the point of the triangle is at the tip of the J-shaped cut.

2. Sew along this straight line.

3. Pull the right edge of the triangle to the right so that the long side of the shape meets the side of the leg labeled D.

4. Sew along this line to bind the triangle to the leg and form one leg tube.

5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 for the other triangle and leg pattern piece.

6. Turn the legs inside out. Pin the legs together so that the J-shaped cuts are aligned.

7. Sew along these lines to form the pants.

8. Stitch the elastic to the top of the waistband with a running stitch. Overlap the ends of the elastic 1/2-inch to hold them in place and form a complete loop.

9. Fold the top of the pants down 1/2-inch twice to form an enclosure for the elastic. Sew along the folded edge of this tube to seal the elastic inside.

10. Hem the bottom of the pants by folding the material up 1/4-inches twice and sewing along the innermost folded edge.

Tips & Warnings

• Sew all seams 1/4- to 1/2-inch from all raw edges.

References

• "Easy Guide to Sewing Pants"; Lynn MacIntyre; 1998
• "Sew On"; Elissa K. Meyrich; 2008

Resources

• "Sewing 101"; Editors of Creative Publishing; 2011