It’s no secret that I have a large vintage pattern collection. I’ve been trying for ages now to shrink it, largely unsuccessfully! I had a good clearout last month and got ruthless – I’m only keeping the patterns I love (no matter what size they are) and those that will fit the girls. Everything else must go! In that clearout, I re-found a Burda pattern for wide legged pleated trousers. They sit on the waist, have a decent sized box pleat in the front and a fly zip. They look good!
I decided I’d have to make them and promptly bought 2m of birds-eye navy wool flannel from Fabworks for the job. I toiled the 44 and made some adjustments to the pattern. The legs were very wide! So I graded down to the 40, from the 44 at the hip down. As they were to sit on my non-existant waist, I had to grade up to the 46 for the waistband, plus a little bit. They also needed to be shortened. A lot!! But the rest was great, the crotch depth and curve worked with the style of the pants, and I love the way the pleat covers the top part of the pocket.
And while we’re talking pockets – these babies are huge!!! I can fit my entire handbag of stuff in there! When did pockets become so unuseable, if they could make them so usefully sized back in the 90s? I decided that as I was using such a lovely wool that I’l line the trousers – fully! Fabworks were offering 3m of matching lining free when you bought a certain amount of wool from them at the time of shopping, so I used what they sent. It’s a really good quality viscose twill, in lucious navy blue.
I cut the lining by pinning the hip yoke pocket piece to the trouser front and treating them as one piece. The lining was made up the same as the trouser, and attached to the waistband at the top. I handstitched it to the fly area. The lining hangs free down to the hem, I like to have it free for ironing after washing, makes it easier.
I bloody love these pants!!! Wool flannel is just so fabulous to wear, it’s warm and cosy and has such a wonderful drape! Wearing these pants feels like swooshing around in a long skirt, but much more practical. I was initially worried that lining the wool would make the trouser legs feel wider, because of the extra layer of fabric. But I don’t feel funny in these at all. I’ve bought another length of wool flannel, this time from Rosenberg & Son when they came to Knowle at the beginning of October – there might be another pair of these in the wardrobe soon, in grey herringbone! Or I might try another vintage pattern, so many to choose from!
ps, If you’re after anything (vintage pattern-wise), drop me an email and I’ll see if I have something suitable. At the moment I’m updating my Etsy shop, it will be open again on the 1st November!
THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS 
Those look amazing, and thanks for the link to Fabworks…bookmarked for future reference!
Thanks for posting this review. I too have had this pattern for a long time and never made it up. Really like the information on fitting this.