Days are becoming shorter, the high summer temperatures of this year passed. Yes, it became October. Nevertheless a little ride with my old bicycle was planned. The costume is nearly complete with skirt, blouse, jacket, gaiters and hat, just fitting bloomers are missing.
Here comes a little tutorial for bloomers, loosely based on an original from the Metropolitan Museum: http://images.metmuseum.org/CRDImages/ci/web-large/CI55.41.5b_F.jpg
The bloomers have a closed crotch seam, they will be closed with buttons at the waistband. The knee straps are closed with buttons too.
Prepare button stays: Fold straps for the button stays lengthwise, right sides together. Sew along one of the short edges. Trim seam allowance, turn inside out, press. Open the strap again and pin to the back trouser, just with one layer, sew. Clip seam allowance of back trouser at the end of the seam.
Fold inside the loose SM, fold button stay over the seam and pin to the trouser so that the edge will overlap the seam a little bit. Sew from the right side exactly along the seam.



Prepare straps for buttonhole facing: fold up seam allowance of the lower edge and sew to front trouser.
Close side seams respecting marks. Fold in seam allowance of buttonhole facing, fold over the edge and stitch down.
Perform the side seam as a flat felled seam. Trim back seam allowance of the front trouser, fold over the seam allowance of the back trouser and stitch down. Line up button stays and buttonhole facing and stitch together at the end of the fly.
Close inner seams of the bloomers. Sew seam either as a flat felled seam or as a French seam.


