Almost as soon as I finished my first pair of Pattern Emporium Ladies Harem Pants (for which I happened to use a rayon crepe from Cali Fabrics), I knew that I needed a second pair, this time in camo. Camo fabric, combined with this pattern, would make my ultimate pair of army-inspired casual comfy pants.
And sure enough, Cali Fabrics had just what I needed! For these pants, I passed by the traditional bottomweights and went to shirtings, a section that I often frequent for non-shirt projects. This camo stretch poplin was ideal for these pants. It’s light enough that the extra fabric around the hip and waist aren’t bulky, but has enough structure for the army-inspired look I was going for.
I often turn to shirtings when I want a lightweight woven with more structure than rayon, more movement than quilting cotton, and more adult prints. In most stores, including Cali Fabrics, the shirting section is large and varied, with lots of stripes, plaids, florals, and even camo to choose from.
The fabric was really easy to work with. Stretch poplin doesn’t fray much at all, and sews up like quilting cotton — easy peasy. It’s completely opaque, so there was no issue with lining it or worrying that my unmentionables might show through. Always a plus!
For this pair, I made a few minor adjustments. I went with slash pockets, which I loooove! I added a drawstring to the waist for a more casual look. And finally, I shortened the legs by almost 2 inches, and narrowed the legs below the knee by quite a bit. Ultimately, I took about 4 inches out of the hemline, tapered up to nothing at the knee. As drafted, these pants are very baggy at the ankle, which wasn’t what I was going for.
This pattern is so incredibly comfy that I might need to raid Cali Fabrics’ shirting section for a few more pairs! I think I could totally rock these large-scale tulips as harem pants. Or maybe go for a more subdued British golfer look with this black and green plaid.
So what do you think? Would you wear shirting on the bottom?