Klick here for a free sewing pattern

 

Days are becoming shorter, and 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 a 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.

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Prepare button stays: Fold straps for the button stay lengthwise, right sides together. Sew along one of the short edges. Trim seam allowance, turn inside out, and press. Open the strap again and pin it to the back trouser, just with one layer, and sew. Clip seam allowance of back trousers at the end of the seam.
Fold inside the loose SM, fold the button stay over the seam, and pin it to the trouser so that the edge will overlap the seam a little bit. Sew from the right side exactly along the seam.

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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 the seam allowance of the buttonhole facing, fold over the edge and stitch down.
Perform the side seam as a flat felled seam. Trim back the 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.
Sew the inner seams of the bloomers. Sew seam either as a flat felled seam or as a French seam.