Bloomers, the Old-Fashioned Way
As a follow-up to the Jumpin’ Bloomers review, I wanted to share my favorite pattern for making bloomers yourself.
It is, in fact, pretty easy to sew up the bloomers. The part that makes me hesitate to wade in is adding casings, gathers, lace trim, etc.
The easiest pattern in the world, if you want to go the sewing route, is the Almost One Size Truly Scrumptious Pants Pattern from Artistry (on Etsy).
The designer, Christine, is a member of a diaper sewing forum that I belong to, and I had the privilege of being one of the testers for this pattern (in 2009, I think?). Yes, even I really did whip up a pair… With only ONE pattern piece, it’s pretty non-intimidating.
Although if memory serves, now that writing this post has reminded me of it, they may still be sitting in the UFO (UnFinished Objects) box without cuffs.
Jewel has two pairs of bloomers from this pattern (that my friend Katie made me in a trade). They are elastic in the back of the waist, drawstrings in the front. Originally there was one pair with ties at the cuffs (didn’t work out well), and one pair with elastic (works great, but not easily adjustable). As she’s grown, I simply removed both varieties of cuff tighteners, and the legs are just loose (but not huge and floppy).
Jewel typically wears them as her “pajama bloomers” now – active little girls who want to wear a nightgown instead of footie pj’s are no more modest in them than they are in their dresses! How amazing is it that she is still wearing anything that fit her two years ago, though? Maybe there’s more to this “one size” angle than I realized…
You could also use the pattern to make lounge pants, if you were into such a thing, pants for a little boy, etc. Christine even shows them on her listing with ruffles on the booty for babies:
Katie made them as part of her beautiful daughter Hazel’s baptismal outfit – that’s her at the top of the page. (Hazel is exactly three months younger than R.T. Weird!)
So, if you’re sewing inclined, give it a try! And please come back and share your results…
These are super cute.
These are so precious. I am in the middle of a sewing marathon for spring and summer and I might just add these to my little girl dresses. Thanks for sharing.