With all this commotion regarding trousers I thought I’d share my most commonly used patterns. These are all Burda patterns, traced from the monthly magazines, and all made for me, not the daughters! They don’t often require the same pattern made up 4 or 5 times, they prefer different stuff each time! 🙂
Mostly I like a trouser pattern that has some width in the leg. Not to say I have never made cigarette pants, but I do like “swooshy” trousers. Another hang-up (albeit unknowing) of the 70s I guess! I live in trousers, all year round. Linen trousers with a wide leg are so cool & comfortable in the summer & for me, far better than shorts & definitely better than skirts!
The first pattern is the oldest & most probably the most used. I cannot show you a photograph from the magazine, it’s in storage in the loft! Trousers 112 (a-d) from April 2000 have been made in linens, cottons & wool, those being lined for the winter. I’ve made both lengths too. I love the fit at the low waist, the side zip & the inseam pockets just below the shaped yoke/waistband. The hem measures 62cm on the full length pair, so you can see what I mean about them being “swooshy”!
I don’t have a wool pair in my wardrobe this season, & the linen trousers are in the loft with all the old Burda magazines, so you’ll have to settle for the working drawing & my assurance that it is a good pattern!
Next up is a pattern I’ve used mostly for summer trousers. It’s 102 from Burdastyle 2/2002. It has a straight waistband that sits on the waist, a fly front & hip yoke pockets. I like the optional cuffs at the hem. They’re a straight leg pattern, with a hem width of 50cm. Again, swooshy, but not as wide all the way down as the previous trousers. Unfortunately because of the season, I don’t have them to hand, & until I started this blog, was notoriously absent from photographs, preferring to be at the other end of the camera.
I do, however, have a blurry photocopy of the image from the magazine & the working drawings to show you. As you can see, the trousers are not so baggy on the thigh, but get nice & wide from the knee down.
Next on my pile is style 104 & 5 from BurdaStyle 09/2003. I’ve put them together because they use the same pattern pieces, the only difference is 104 has a side zip & 105 a front fly. Again, a pattern that’s been made in both linen & wool with a shaped leg, falling straight from the knee & having a 50cm hem width.
Now this next pattern is one of my absolute favourites, 116 from BurdaStyle 03/2004. I have absolutely no idea how many times I have used this pattern – quite possibly at least once a year I find the need to make another version of these trousers. I adore the fit. They sit snugly at the waist & hip, have decent sized pockets and fall from the hip straight to the floor. I have them in wool, linen, cotton & linen & one in each of the colours I love so much! The shaped yoke on the back means you get a really nice shape, perfect for those who need a bit of a sway-back adjustment.
I have a copy of a copy of the picture from the magazine for you this time.
I know it’s not the greatest image, but it does show that the pants are more fitting in the hip area & just how nice & wide they are at the hem! 55cm of linen swoosh! 🙂
Only a couple more, I promise! Now I have style 105 from Burda 08/2008. They’re lovely & long & wide & they have turn ups!! Swoon… The shaped waistband with double buttons is fab & there is a neat welt pocket with button closing at the back. I made these twice for myself when a friend ( a very good friend) asked if I could possibly make her a pair. I used a fabulous black wool with faint white pinstripe. That was the first pair. Since then she’s had a pair in printed linen & another plain wool pair!
Here is the welt pocket on the back.
And the working drawings..
And the second last of my tried & tested BurdaStyle trouser patterns is this one.
I have this pattern made up in cream wool (lined), white linen, brown linen, khaki linen, black linen, lightweight denim…. I don’t really need to go on, do I?? The pattern is 102 from BurdaStyle 07/2009. I’m pretty sure what first influenced me to trace the pattern was the picture in the magazine. The model is standing in front of a Cape Dutch farmhouse. Homesick much??
They have a shaped waistband that sits just below the natural waist, hip yoke pockets, but not angled ones, a fly zip & a great fit. I’d like to say these are my favourite, but I think I’ve already said that about each & every pattern I’ve featured so far! Needless to say, there are at least 2 of each of these in my current wardrobe.
And now – last, but by absolute no means least – these fabulous bootcut trousers. I. Love. These! They are 118 from BurdaStyle 04/2009. At the moment I have two pairs in my wardrobe, a caramel colour you have seen in some of my more recent photographs without the cuffs, & a pair of dark blue & grey plaid with the cuffs I made last year.
Now I certainly don’t have the tall willowy figure of this model on the balcony of her Cape holiday home, but I can dream… I love the fit of these at the waist & hip, the narrow thigh & the wide swoosh to the floor! The little patch pockets are big enough for my iPod or a spot of cash if I need to pop to the shops without hauling my bag along. They have become a firm favourite of mine. Although I love them to death, I to have to turn up 6cm in the mid-leg. They are waaay too long for me otherwise – but look at that hem circumference! 🙂
And that, as they say, is all – folks! Hope I haven’t bored you to death with my preference for wide legged trousers – all from older BurdaStyle magazines… Hmm, I wonder if that’s telling me something. The trousers I have traced from the newer magazines have all been for the girls. I have finally decided on my choice of pattern for my own Smarty Pants entry, 102 from 07/09 in a stretch caramel linen. 🙂
ps: All BurdaStyle images remain copyright of their original owners, their use here is for purely illustrative use.
THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS 
Now I wonder if I might get those back issues of burda style magazine just for these trouser patterns!
If they’re the sort of styles you like, it’s worth a try!
What a great collection of trouser patterns! I love all the variations in trousers that Burda puts out, and am starting to sew up more of them as they seem to be the easiest to fit right off the pattern.
I have very few adjustments to do, the biggest is always length – my short Scottish legs cannot cope with those German ladies! Then there’s a little in the back waist & that’s about it.
Yes!! Thanks for the list! I have bookmarked the page. Not sure how to get back issues, but there are a few trouser patterns there that I really rather like!
Me too! I think I’m settling on a just below natural waist, curved/pieced waistband style with at least straight, maybe wide legs! Now to source it! Burda 04 or 07/2009 perhaps?
Aaah, two very good choices! I did try to see if these were available from the Burdastyle website as downloads, but had no luck. That could just be because I had the wrong search parameters, so maybe start there.
Haha, I thought you’d approve! Which were your favourites?
Oh, Marlene style ALL THE WAY baby! Burda 105. They are fabulous with the welt pocket and little pleats on the front and wide waistband and wide leg. AND, Burda made them in stretch twill! I think that is so awesome. Now, it seems that if you make something from stretch, they have to be ‘fitted’ so much that they essentially become leggings/tights. I don’t want leggings/tights. I want trousers! I also like 118, but not sure if that super wide bottom would look good on my super not wide body.
Those Marlene are FAB-U-LOUS! But I think the bell-bottommed 118 would look cool on you, you’re nice & tall!
A great review. Really appreciate these pattern details and references. You wear swooshy well!
Thank you Cherry! 🙂
Top trouser pattern tips, I just need to stop feeling so much fear and make a pair or three!
Making them is the easy part, getting the fit right can be tricky! But if you don’t start a pair, you’ll never know if there’ll be any issues. So go for it!
Thank you for your review. I tried sewing up a Collette pant pattern and I had to do a little too much messing around. I love Burda pants!
I’ve never tried a Collette pattern, Burda have been my go-to for a very long time! 🙂
As a German I am of course used to BURDA – this very excellent magazine (but I cannot use the pattern, dont have a clue :)), and for what it is worth to you I personall like you in your plaited trousers (with cuffs) best – very nice. Congratulations. I follow you now. Carina
Welcome Carina, & thank you for your kind comment! 🙂
Many of my favorite pants patterns are from Burda magazine, so it was interesting to see which one you liked and the fabrics you used when you made them. The swoosy pant styles looks great on you!
Thank you! I’d love to hear if anyone has used the same patterns as I have.
Thanks for reminding me I want to make pants! Love burda 07/2009! I am a boot-cut woman;)
Great selection thankyou, give me wide legs over any other! I have good, solid Dutch thighs, but no bottom to speak of and I’m a bit straight up and down in the hip area, so wide legs tick all the boxes. I too am short and was told to avoid wide legs, but I love them and refuse to bow down to the fashion police 🙂
I feel shorter if I wear trousers with too much tapering, unless I go back to BC weight & shape, which, lets face it, is never going to happen!! 🙂 Gimme wide trousers anyday!
Thanks for sharing these. I’m always looking for good slack patterns. You’ve given me inspiration.
Ramona
Glad to hear! Let me know if you decide to use any of the patterns I’ve mentioned. I’d love to see them on someone else! 🙂
I know I’ve told you this before but i am uber jealous of your TNT trouser patterns! 🙂 They fit you SO WELL and are so flattering, and so versatile in a variety of fabrics! 🙂 Lucky lucky you! 🙂 (that said, I know a lot of work went into fitting them and making them TNT – I look forward to getting there someday myself!) I tend to be a boot cut gal myself, so that last pattern would be one I’d try for sure! 🙂
lol!! I have to admit that for me there really isn’t too much “hard work” to get the Burdas to fit. The length is the biggest issue, I mean, how many people do you know who have a waist to floor measurement of 112cm??
I recon you should try 118, it’s quick & easy!
I may have to do that measurement and get back to you on that… I swear every RTW pair of pants I’ve ever owned has a hem closer to my knees than my ankle! Haha!!! I’m totally gonna go download that 118 now – I checked and it’s available on their website – hurray!!! ^___^
Cool!!! I’d love to see them on someone else, especially if you’re taller than me! 🙂
Burda do a much shorter crotch curve than Vogue and their trousers are very flattering as a result. I love all your choices. Interestingly I’ve just gone through an exercise of drafting a trouser block. The end result is not far off the Burda lines.
Having just made my first pair of Burdastyle trousers, this post is a feast – I like the swooshy ones!
Very interesting. I have an extension Burda magazine stash so will see which of those I have thank you.
I just dug out magazine with my first pair of Burda trousers I made, because I liked how they looked, & wanted to make again: q#112, 9/1983. What was old is new again lol
Absolutely! I started buying Burda magazines in ’93 and still go through older ones now and then to find what I’m after, if I don’t feel like pattern cutting.
I stopped buying them when I went to states in mid 80s, then got them intermittently when I returned to Australia in early 90s, until newsagents stopped stocking them & I got subscription in 2010.