~Patterning and Sewing Bloomers~

Basic Bloomer Tutorial By Rajendora @ Sewing Box Designs

First of all, my apologies for the delay in the series. Continuing with the Victorian Underpinnings theme, this tutorial is for bloomers.

Previous tutorials:

Chemise

Petticoat

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This tutorial is made with an MSD sized doll, but the pattern will fit any doll, male or female, just plug in the numbers. You can play around with the fit once you’re comfortable with the patterning process, and make them shorter, longer, fuller, narrower, however you want.

You’ll need enough fabric after you’ve made the pattern to be able to cut out your pieces; a piece of 3/8 inch wide elastic an inch longer than your doll’s waist measure; 2 pieces of 1/8 inch wide elastic, or cord elastic long enough to fit across the leg pattern where you want the hem to be; enough of what ever trim you want to use according to the size of your pattern; and of course, paper to draft your pattern on.

You’ll need the following measurements from your doll:

Waist: Hip: Around the Thigh: Around the Ankle (or where you want the hem to be): From true waist to desired hem: Crotch: from back waist, under and up to front waist:
Draft your pattern to this design:

Add a half inch seam across the top waist and hem bottom for turning and 1/4 inch for side seams and so forth. When you’re done, your finished pattern should look like this.

Cut out your pieces and pin the crotch together as shown.

Sew and overlock the edges however you like. You can also French seam all the seams.
Overlock the edge of the waist band and fold and pin as shown.

Sew your elastic casing and leave an opening to insert the elastic later.
Hem the legs as shown, either by overlocking and sewing on trim and flipping, or just a fine rolled hem.

For the hem elastic, pin the elastic in place as shown:

and zig-zag stitch over it without the needle going through the elastic. You will have elastic hanging out,
don’t cut it, leave it for later. Next, pin and sew the inseam. Skip over the hem elastic for now, just leave a break in your stitching.

Run the waist elastic in with a safety pin or bodkin.

Now try the bloomers on your doll inside out.

Pull the hem elastic to a close fit, but not so tight it won’t go over the foot, and pin it in place or mark it.

Remove the bloomers and sew over the elastic with a tight stitch to lock it in place and now trim off the excess to 1⁄4 of an inch. Any less and it might work its way out later.
Sew the waist band elastic closed and close the seam, and you’re done!