I ran into these cute “pumpkin rump” pettipants at Gloomth several months ago, but they’re a seasonal item so are unavailable until next October. If you simply can’t wait until then, something similar–albeit not quite as fancy–can be knocked together in a couple of hours.

Loose elastic-waist pants are a snap to sew, pretty much consisting of three seams: Sew each leg and then sew the legs together. You can find suitable patterns in pajamas or sportswear, or you can skip the pattern entirely and just look for tutorials on how to make your own tap pants, bloomers, or pettipants. I used the pants from a pirate costume because I happened to have the pattern lying around. (I suppose you could also get fancy and use a historically accurate pattern, but that seems entirely too much like work.)

I used an inexpensive cotton fabric for a rather lightweight, airy result. You can use silk, satin, or whatever other fabric appeals to you (I wouldn’t use anything too heavy, such as denim, but you could probably get away with velvet or brocade if you really wanted to). I also decided to make the bloomers a bit longer than knee length and add elastic to the legs so they could be hiked up to whatever length was desired.

I flat-felled all of the seams, but you can finish them using whatever your favorite method is; for lightweight cotton you could probably also get away with just pinking the raw edges and leaving them otherwise unfinished, but leaving anything heavier unfinished is going to give you odd-looking seam lines and possibly poke-y interior bits.

Instead of adding elastic to the very bottom of the legs, I instead made a casing with bias tape about 2″ from the bottom (here’s how to do that if you aren’t sure), where the stitching would be hidden under the lace trim. The tape was sewn so that the short ends met at the inner leg seam. (Sew the casing before adding the lace, but don’t insert the elastic until afterwards.)

I added two rows of 2″ black lace to the legs; 2 yards gave me exactly enough for this pair of bloomers, although you may need to adjust for your own measurements. The ends of the lace were turned under and laid against the inner leg seam. One row was added right to the bottom of the legs, and the other was sewn so that it overlapped the bottom by about 1/2″.

After adding the lace, I inserted 1/4″ elastic in the casing (cut lengths 1″ longer than the leg measures around), overlapping the ends by 1/2″ and stitching in place, then tacking the ends of the casing closed with a couple of stitches.

The top of the bloomers was turned under 1-1/2″, then the raw edge was turned under 1/4″ and sewn in place, with a small opening left to insert the elastic later.

The pumpkin face was black cotton, cut out freehand. If you plan to applique them, make sure to add a small seam allowance (I was lazy and just used a thin zigzag stitch right over the raw edge). Move the pieces around until you like their placement, then pin down. Applique, zigzag, or blanket stitch as desired.

Finally, insert 1″ elastic (cut 1″ longer than the waist measurement) into the waist casing, overlap the ends of the elastic 1/2″, and sew together. Stuff that bit into the casing, then sew the opening shut.

And…done! Total time: About 2 hours. Total cost: About $12.

Here’s the finished product (click for larger):

Full-length		Hiked up

You can, of course, embellish further as desired: Black-and-orange ribbon bows on the legs, a more elaborate pumpkin face, embroidered pumpkin leaves or other details. It’s a fun weekend project, and a light, airy pair of bloomers are perfect for hot weather.