Thread: Handy with Harem pants?

Evening ladies :) I made harem pants myself a while ago and I must say they came out ok. I found this video on youtube (below) and was wondering if any of you sewing experts had any ideas on how to replicate these harem pants? I'm very aware its the ballet "Scheherazade" but you have to admit those pants are awesome! My idea was to make the pants "too big" and then make the tiers down the leg? Let me know what you think, thanks!

I'm not the greatest sewer in the universe, but I reckon they are probably more complicated than that, even though *theoretically* we could just make gigantically long pants and hook them in to a couple of bands down the leg.

I think there is probably a normal slim-legged pant as a liner inside those pants, and then the pants themselves are like a tiered skirt, gathered onto bands which would be attached to the liner at appropriate points along the leg. Or if there is not a lining, at least a couple of firm bands along the inner and outer seams onto which the tiers are firmly attached. I say this because they are ballet pants made by proper costumiers that absolutely MUST not slip and trip the dancer up, and that must last and last through many performances.

I agree, they are awesome and I have always loved this pant style. If I were leaner in the waist I'd totally get some.

<sigh> I do love that ballet. Can't help you with the pants construction, but they do look wonderful on her, don't they. Maybe some of our talented seamstresses will chime in on how they might be made. I think they look tapered, like they are fuller and wider cut at the hip, and narrower at the ankle.

These ones are definitely tapered, but I've seen Scheherezade pants that are more evenly tiered than these, fuller all the way through. These have sneaky splits in the front thigh too! They are beautiful...

Definitely tapered, but would it work to make elastic casings at the two strategic places where they tier? I've used bias tape to make a casing (sewn onto the wrong side of garment, then threaded with elastic). I can visualize it but am having a hard time explaining. OTOH, depending on the sheerness of the fabric, that might not work...

Ed.: Actually, yes it might. After all, she's got some kind of glittery band on the front of the fabric covering where the elastic is, so the casing wouldn't show through. I think you *could* make a casing on the inside -- with bias tape of appropriate width, say, because that's what I would try first -- feed the elastic through, and cover it on the outside with a stretchy glittery trim.

Those slits might make it easier to handle putting the casing and elastic in if you were doing it to a pair of already-constructed pants, and the slits end a little bit above the tiers, if I'm making it out correctly.

This is just what I would consider trying; this may not be the right way to construct 'em.

P.S. If you were to do this, make sure when sewing on the decorative outside trim that you do not attach it on over where the elastic needs to run through the casing (IOW, you'd want to sew it on over the stitching that creates the casing). I'd probably handstitch it.

Love them too. One of our talented Bhuz costumers made a pair of these for one of her clients. They were gorgeous. I wish I could remember who it was. She posted a pic on this forum somewhere. Maybe xodinahxo? Hopefully whoever it was will see this and chime in.

When the slit opens, it doesn't look like there is extra fabric inside, so I'm not sure they are lined, unless they have built-in, flesh-colored leggings or something. When making bishop's sleeve draperies, you usually just leave the fabric long and puddle it up through the tiebacks, but that wouldn't work for a costume that had to maintain its shape while moving, and the gather points don't appear to shift on her legs as she dances. Does that mean they are very tight "belts" held in place with "belt loops" or ditch stitching, or are they gathers sewn to something else to stabilize their vertical positioning? I wish this shirt Jeanetta Plaid Shirt,Green/Burgundy,Style #11924388 had more information about the construction. It doesn't say the sleeves are lined, but something is keeping the shape.

Lots of fantastic brainstorming! I'm inclined to try the casing (thanks tiziri!) I'm hoping to find some close up pics.

Once again I have nothing useful to say except that I love those pants. I am not much of a sewer but I may have to try to make something similar.

The famous Sharazad from the Netherlands (now living in Cologne, Germany) has an adorable costume with pants like those. Here is a picture of her in them on the cover of her CD:

Shahrazad's Homepage: Frameset

Maybe, you could ask her or her seamstress, how they are made.

Love, Sahira.

If I was making these, I would have the outer draped fabric sewn to an inner lining, so that the fabric wouldn't shift on the leg while dancing, which would be my main worry with just using gathered elastic bands.
If you didn't waant the inner lining showing through the splits, i would use something like a flesh-coloured mesh (thing fishnet stockings) for the inner lining. Or you could just sew them to a sturdy pair of skin-coloured dance tights.
The advantage to this is that, instead of making them like a really long pair of harems, gathered into tiers, you could make each tier seperately, to adjust the amount of fabric gathered in each tier, if you wanted a very dramatic "taper" look.

Originally Posted by MirahmarArati

If I was making these, I would have the outer draped fabric sewn to an inner lining, so that the fabric wouldn't shift on the leg while dancing, which would be my main worry with just using gathered elastic bands.
If you didn't waant the inner lining showing through the splits, i would use something like a flesh-coloured mesh (thing fishnet stockings) for the inner lining. Or you could just sew them to a sturdy pair of skin-coloured dance tights.
The advantage to this is that, instead of making them like a really long pair of harems, gathered into tiers, you could make each tier seperately, to adjust the amount of fabric gathered in each tier, if you wanted a very dramatic "taper" look.

This is the best way to make them. ^ ^ ^ Elastic won't work, it would shift down the leg while dancing. An inner lining is the way they are made, and make sure that it's wide enough for full movement. You can make the slit in the lining too. (from a former Corps de Ballet member)

Originally Posted by la_soraya

Evening ladies :) I made harem pants myself a while ago and I must say they came out ok. I found this video on youtube (below) and was wondering if any of you sewing experts had any ideas on how to replicate these harem pants? I'm very aware its the ballet "Scheherazade" but you have to admit those pants are awesome! My idea was to make the pants "too big" and then make the tiers down the leg? Let me know what you think, thanks!

I've worn similar ones. Check out my answer to MirahmarArati,she really has the right idea!

Originally Posted by mayaraschad

An inner lining is the way they are made, and make sure that it's wide enough for full movement. You can make the slit in the lining too. (from a former Corps de Ballet member)

Wouldn't they have to be self-lined if you have a slit? Otherwise, a lining in a different fabric might be visible when the slit opened. It could be a design choice to use a contrast lining, but if you want to give the illusion that the lining isn't there (e.g., chiffon), I think you're going to want to stick with something flesh-colored that conforms to the leg for your base, like tights or leggings.

You ladies are great! I do agree with the flesh colored leggings idea. Il post pics and trial/ error so other lovely bhuzzers can make their own. Keep the suggestions coming!