Trousers that give the belly room

Hi all

Well, I've perfected my new trousers pattern that doesn't compress my belly. Christine, I know you prefer to make trousers with a low waistband at the front but I can't make that work for my body shape. They just don't stay up properly.

I have just made a pair of woven cotton elastic-waisted trousers with long, placket-style pockets set into each of the two side seams, with the top edge of the pockets caught into the front waist band, so they are kind of like big pleats in the front waist sewn at the bottom to make a pocket as well. I guess you have lost me at this point. Sigh...

I am the same measurement 5cm below the waist as I am at the hips, so my trousers are just a straight tube with elastic waist band. I once had a pair of elastic-waisted trousers that fitted properly, but of course I wore them threadbare, so I cut them up and traced this pattern off them. I can't see why you couldn't set the same style of pocket into trousers that are more fitted if that's what your shape dictates, though I do prefer a bit of elastic in the waist as my waist measurement increases by 4cm when I sit down and I like to allow my waist to expand as it wants to.

The bottom of the slit for the pocket is at the same height as my pubic bone and the top of the slit is at the line of stitching of the waist's elastic casing. When I sit or squat the pockets just gape open (revealing more pocket fabric) to allow my belly to assume its natural shape. When I stand up again the pocket just closes up neatly to a slit again. There are four simple pieces for this garment. The self-fabric pockets are just side extensions of the back and front pieces with no seams joining the pocket to the body of the garment. That way, when it is gaping open it is just straight fabric so it doesn't look like it is gaping.

The secret is to have the bottom of the slit low enough to allow expansion just above the pubic bone and to allow a bit of give in the groin, the top of the slit at waist level, and of course enough free pocket below the bottom of the slit so you can put your bits in there safely.

I can't believe it was so easy to do. Why can't you buy trousers like this?

Seamstresses among you, I hope you have fun trying this out! If you want more detailed instructions email me and I'll attempt to explain it further in an email, and attach some some labelled pictures in Paint so you can see what I am talking about. The pictures will probably be harder to do than the trousers! ;-)

Cheers

Louise