Harem scare ‘em -OR- I am the 2% and other bad news...

There is this store I love. Let’s call it “USA Garments”. Although I approve of their labor practices, appreciate their quality and variety, and my heart flutters every time I get mistaken for an employee there…I cannot really afford to shop there.  One piece I do own, and have consequently worn to death (well to holes, discoloration, and bike grease) is a pair of drop-crotched, high waisted harem pants.

Now, I have never gotten a good review on these pants, even though I totally know how  to wear them casually and in a professional setting.  My brother calls them my “dork pants”, but he still wears hemp necklaces. Adding insult to injury, while browsing the internet, I came across a pole on Today’s style page.  Of the 30,000 plus people that responded, 98% thought the drop-crotch look was “horrible”. I have decided to take this as a good thing. Do I want to be a sheep that watches pointless, hegemony-reinforcing fluff-news until it’s practically lunch time? Hell no. I would much rather be the 2%, random cyberspace wanderer, flaunting my natural sense of style and reckless abandon at my corresponding 98%. That’s right, eat those cornflakes, America. How do they taste? Soggy? I thought so.

I find the popular disdain for my slacks to be wasteful.  Despite the numerous blogs warning readers not to wear such a garment unless you want to die alone, I have not found drop-crotch pants to be a deterrent to human libido.  In fact, recently when I wore them, a gentleman invited me to lick his gold necklace, and even though I did not take him up on his generous offer, I totally drafted a pattern for a second pair.

Materials and Equipment
For this project, you will need approximately 1.5-2 yards of a spandex/Lycra/elastane blended single knit fabric.

I used a 94%Cotton/6% spandex blend.  I suggest the use of cotton over artificial materials, but, for a slinkier drape, a rayon blend would work well. As a personal preference, I discourage the use of polyester.  Blend ratio used to construct the pant found in stores is 95%Cotton/5% elastane.  Make sure to check your material for 4-way stretch before buying it (think leggings or yoga pants). The higher the spandex content, the more the garment will hold its shape.  Also, coming from someone who regularly faceplants when running, high spandex content provides a fair about of durability.  The knees of my running tights are a testament to this; the spandex is often more durable than my actual knees.

Tip:
Wash spandex blends in cold water on a gentle cycle or by hand.  Avoid machine drying if possible as this will shorten the life of the garment (ie the structural integrity/garment shape retention)

In addition to the cloth, you will need strong, thin matching thread.  If you really want to be fancy and you’re up for a challenge you can use elasticized thread, but all the stitches used in this project are stretchable.

Special Equipment:
-Zig-zag presser foot
-2 Bobbins or or mini spools of thread (of the same variety as your primary spool)*
- Double needle*
-butcher or issue paper for pattern making
-yard stick

*For the cuffs I used a double needle.  All edges of this project can be serged or sewn conventionally with a zigzag, using a single needle. The double needle detail is only really used in the cuff and instructions on how to double stitch are included in the instructions.  For an edgier look, the ankle openings could be left unhemmed as knits roll but won’t unravel.

Pattern Layout

	S/M	M/L	XL
A	14”	15”	17”
B	20”	22”	24”
C	36”	36”	36”
D	24”	26”	26”
E	4”	5”	5”
F	14”	15”	17”

I.On butcher paper, use a yardstick and pencil to draw out appropriately sized pieces.  Once this is completed, fold fabric in half (right sides together) and pin the pant piece parallel with the grain of the fabric (the knit lines on the right side of the cloth run up and down, and so does the pattern piece).  Try to get the piece as straight as possible.  Pin the waistband piece so that the 15” side falls on the fold line.

Tip:
Knits tend to roll. Avoid tugging or stretching the fabric while constructing the garment to reduce this effect.  Additionally, you may find the pattern pieces easier to cut out if you tape, weigh, or pin down the edges of the material.

II. The first two seams to be pinned and sewn should be the open 15” side of the waistband and the inseam of the two pant pieces.  For these sections, I suggest a blanket stitch or some kind of seam finishing stitch that allows for some stretch.

Additionally, I folded over the waistband (now a tube), with wrong sides together, and tacked the raw edges together all the way around with a loose zigzag.  This will help keep all the layers in place when the band is attached to the top of the pant later on.

III. Fold the bottom of your cuffs over about an inch (wrong side together) and pin in place.

Load two spools or a bobbin and spool onto your machine. At this time, replace the single needle with the double.  Unless the manual specifies otherwise, the two strands can be threaded through the machine together as one.

To sew with a double needle, select a straight stitch (usually the first option on the machine), but make sure that both the length and width settings are set for the same measure (ie: the length and width were both set to “2” for this project).  Failure to do so will likely throw the tension off on the machine.

Other actions like, pulling the material away from the machine to cut threads or sewing too fast may also throw off the tension.  As you would listen for strange noises emitted from a bicycle or car, listen to your machine.  Specifically, listen for the clunky, grinding angry bobbin noise. If you hear this, slow down. Just to be safe, I re-threaded my machine for each cuff or pass I made with my machine.

Tip:
Test out different stitches on a doubled up scrap of cloth left over from the pattern cutting process.  This will allow you to play around with stitch length, machine tension, and the effectiveness of different stitches without making a mistake on final project.  I highly recommend this if you have not worked with knits or double needles before.

IV. Replace double needle set-up with the single needle setup, and use your stitch swatch mentioned above to make sure the tension checks out.

Turn pants so that the right sides of the material face one another (if they are not already facing this way).  Pin the sides of the pants, starting from the bottom up, being careful not to line-up the the bottom hem of the cuffs so that they are even.  This may also be a good time to check the width waistband with that of the top of the pants.  Make adjustments as needed.  From here sew up the side seams.

V. Now, you should have two pieces ready for assembly: a tubular, back seamed waistband which has been doubled over and the legs of the pants.  Turn pants right side out, and then find the center of the side you have chosen to be the back. Mark this point.

Slide the waistband around the exterior of the top of the pants so that the folded edge of the band is pointed toward the cuffs, the band’s seam is aligned with the center point of the pants, and the raw edges of both the top of the pants and the waistband meet.  Pin the band to the pants, working in a round starting at the center-back seam.

To attach the waistband, select a reinforcing, yet stretchable stitch.  A simple zig-zag might not cut it here.  Remember: this seam is going to get the most abuse and is most crucial to the functionality of the pant.

Finally, slowly sew the band to the pant. Avoid stretching the fabric while you sew. Let the feeder do its job, but if you experience a lot of pulling or slipping from your material, lightly hold the hem flat as it feeds through the machine (being careful, of course, to keep your fingers clear of the needle!).

VI. Look hot in your new totally haute pants.  Necklace licking optional.

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