Cocoon trousers: Burda 106 02/2020

A woman wearing black cocoon trousers and a black t shirt stands in a garden

This is the last of the trouser patterns from my vague wardrobe sewing plan. It’s the one I was least confident about because I’ve never worn cocoon-shaped trousers before and part of me suspected they might be rather unflattering. However the pattern’s attractive model photos won me over.

The pattern is Burda 106 02/2020 and it comes in two versions, both made in very lightweight and summery looking fabric, which is odd for a February issue. However on the Russian Burda site there are some versions made by fans in denim which looked much more practical.

Here’s the line art:

Burda 106 02/2020 line art, burdastyle.ru

Now I look closely at the technical drawing I realise I didn’t make the waistband closure on mine the way Burda did: my overlap finishes at centre front like a pair of jeans would. I wasn’t really following the instructions while sewing though. I prefer a different order of construction for trousers than Burda’s standard method because I find it easiest to sew the fly closure as early as possible in the process. Burda tends to leave it almost to the last.

I made them up in a black mediumweight 100% cotton denim from Empress Mills. I was a bit concerned about how the pleats would look in denim, but they seem fine. I did the top-stitching in a light grey shade: Gutermann 40, mainly because I had a couple of spools of it around and wanted something contrasting to highlight the section seams. In another case of not reading the instructions carefully I’d got the impression these were meant to have a self fabric belt, and made one up despite the puzzling lack of any pattern piece for it. In fact it turns out the ‘belt’ in the magazine version is just a length of purchased ribbon.

The welt pockets have come out well. I normally make a sample out of scraps before tackling welt pockets to remind me how they work and to figure out any issues with the fabric. But I’d managed to cut these out so efficiently I didn’t have any decent sized scraps left to use, and I didn’t want to cut into the leftover yardage for a throwaway sample. So full speed ahead without a test run it was, and luckily it worked out.

Closeup of black denim trousers with welt pockets, self belt, and pleats

One thing I’m not very keen on with these is the back view. They have a real case of coffin back. Maybe patch pockets would improve things. The original Burda version doesn’t even have a top-stiched hem to relieve the montony, but I had plenty of thread left and thought it might add some interest to top-stitch mine. I’m wishing I’d top-stitched the back ankle darts now too.

On the subject of the hem, these are unusually short for Burda trousers. When tracing the pattern I added more length to the leg than I normally do, and still ended up sewing the hem facings with the tiniest seam allowance I could in order to squeeze out extra length.

They’re very comfortable, being so baggy. I can see these being a go-to for days when I have to go into the office and do something physical. Thanks to my husband for the photos!

18 thoughts on “Cocoon trousers: Burda 106 02/2020”

  1. I really like the line drawing for this pattern, and they look great on you. Your height emphasizes the vertical rather than horizontal dimensions. I’m afraid with the couple of inches I have to remove from Burda pants I’d look like a little balloon, or is the drawing misleading?
    I made both trouser and shorts version of Burda 03/2013 #126 & #127, a style which looks quite baggy in drawings, but is actually quite slim on body.
    https://burdastyle.ru/vikroyki/bryuki/bryuki-burda-2013-3-127/

    1. Thanks! They’re certainly rounded, and they used a lot of fabric. I think the high waist compensates a bit though.

      That one from 2013 has some very interesting details. Are those really long pockets on the sides?

      1. Yes. I love them. I made shorts in woven, and pants in stretch woven, and stretch woven is a lot more comfortable. Great as cycling pants.

  2. The pants look great. I’m curious to see the back view line art as I can’t make out the dart. Is space too tight to top stitch it after the fact?
    I’m with you on finishing the fly zips before doing any other major seams – it’s so much easier.

    1. Thanks! Yeah, the ankle is quite narrow and the dart is really long so I think it would be a bit of a wrestling match. I think another time I’d be tempted to split the back leg completely in two, like a princess seam.

  3. Ha, I had a pair very much like this, denim and pleats and all, in around 1993! They were quite comfy. I do like how yours turned out. I made Vogue 8499 a few years ago (a Marcy Tilton pattern) and got a lot of wear out of them, a somewhat similar cut. The nice thing about the Marcy Tilton ones is there is no zipper at all, they have a back elastic. Hmm, maybe it’s time to make another pair! (side note: I always get a chuckle out of the pants/trousers discrepancy between American and British English… it must be a bit jarring on the other side of the ocean to hear people commenting on one’s “pants” all the time.)

      1. Ha! In the US, “pants” cannot refer to undergarments–those would be undies, underpants, boxers/briefs, etc. Trousers sounds very formal in American English; I think the word is used by garment/fashion people but otherwise people just say “pants”. Then there’s “slacks”, which might be generationally marked now. I cannot imagine a Zoomer using that word. Fashion people also say things like “a nice striped pant”, too, which I can’t wrap my head around.

  4. I like how these turned out. Your finishing is impeccable, those welt pockets in particular. I also lean towards making the fly front first as it is the focal point and in my case an easily muffed part of the construction.

  5. I made a pair of denim pants with a similar silhouette this fall – they are fun to wear but as you note a great look from the back. I think they’re meant to be ankle length so that the side seam arcs as its’ meant to. I think these look really cool and are obviously well made. Enjoy!

    1. Yeah, I think you’re right about the intended length but I always think on me it just looks like the trousers are too short. Anyway if I wear these out of the house in the next few weeks it will be with Wellington boots for walking around the park so the whole effect will be somewhat different!

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