Every wardrobe needs background pieces to pair with the exciting stuff. These high waisted black straight legged trousers are one of those. I made them as part of my current wardrobe sewing plan. The current version of the plan has a couple of interesting tops that need some plainer bottoms.
I was originally planning to use Burda 119 3/2020 for the trousers, but other people who’ve made those found they aren’t as high waisted as the magazine photos suggest. So I turned to Burda 112 3/2012, which I’d made once already so I know they have exactly the waistline and fit I wanted. All I needed to do was lengthen the leg. They’re very simple with the only real design detail being the back pocket shape.
I made these out of pieces of 7oz 100% cotton denim from Empress Mills I had left over from a couple of other projects. The fabric was purchased in two separate lots so I was very careful to check the scraps from each project matched before I risked combining them. But once I’d finished I noticed there’s a really subtle shade difference between the front and back legs. It’s only visible in some lights and photos do not show it, but I know it is there. It hasn’t stopped me wearing them. And I’m glad to have used up the scraps.
Annoyingly the waist came up a tiny bit too big so they tend to slide down at the back and produce a little wrinkle just below the waistband. The last time I made these I used a much more tightly woven fabric than the denim so I think that’s what made the difference. I don’t feel particularly motivated to take this pair in though.
The top stitching is just about visible on the back pockets. I used a very dark grey thread. The denim is nominally black, but black top stitching thread looks too harsh against it because it’s really more charcoal.
I haven’t made any of the tops from my wardrobe plan yet so here I’m wearing them with a draped T shirt I made last year. It’s yet another Burda pattern: 121 4/2020.
I ranted last week about how the belt loops hadn’t come out very well, but they look OK here. I did have to use a pair one each side of the centre back seam instead of a single centred one. My machine would not have coped with that many layers. I doubt I’ll wear these with a belt so I should have left them off.
I’ll definitely be using this pattern again as it’s a great shape and it’s a quick make too. Thanks to my husband for the photos.
Catherine Daze's Blog 
Those fit you pretty well! Burda do love their roomy trouser patterns; there’s always something to choose from. I’ve made the “high waisted jeans” that you decided against. They do not come up to the natural waist, it’s true. I also don’t really love the overall fit. They make the hips look very square and there is too much room for the stomach. They’d fit someone who needs room there, but they are not drafted for the average figure. You can even see the weird stomach bulge on the rather thin woman in the model photo. I would definitely at least baste it all together to test the fit, before stitching everything together.
One word of caution on the 101-2-2021 dress: I made that, too, and it was a flop for me. I wrote a whole essay on it here so I won’t repeat myself: https://cantankera.blogspot.com/2021/06/failure-roundup.html
Ooh thanks for the warning! Afraid your blog isn’t letting me in though – I’d love to know more if you’d like to expand?
Oops! Try now. I had some clever setting on so the whole thing was only visible to me. In a nutshell, the bias-cut bodice gave me a lot of trouble; it sags so the straight seams either pucker or drop (if sewn with a zigzag or a stretchy seam). The pattern is quite oversized, as well. If you use a very lightweight fabric, as Burda recommends, you might find that your waist seam is somewhere around your knees. I think there are ways to fix it, and fabric choice might be a big part of it. But some of the Russians who sewed this up also had problems with the design.
Oh thank you so much! Yes, I see exactly what you mean about the bias. Some thought required here…maybe I need to go for a more stable fabric than my tencel twill, which is way too nice to risk. And the tip about adding elastic to the waist makes a lot of sense. I’m off to catch up on your blog archives now 🙂
The trousers are an ideal wardrobe component and they look great on you. It’s always good to have some basic items to rely on. I am very intrigued by the garment in the set of drawings — top row, second from the left. Don’t know if it’s a top or a dress but I’d like to know more about it. Can you give me a reference number.
Thanks! The one you’re asking about is Burda 111 6/2021 which the magazine variously describes as a top and a cardigan. I don’t think I’d wear it without a layer underneath personally so cardigan is probably more accurate. In fact I’ve just realised that one wasn’t on the plan I originally posted – I changed a couple of the patterns – so I’ll have to do an update post some time
I’ve made the kimono sleeve, cross-tie dress in a floral cotton and I’ll be doing it up soon on my blog. I’m pretty surprised it came out well enough, with stiffness to make the butt-bow rather fetching.
Ooh I’m looking forward to reading about it! I’m going for drapey, but I bet it looks good in something more architectural too
Really lovely!
The trousers look great! I feel like I always under-appreciate these sort of wardrobe basics when I’m picking out a sewing project, but then I always wear them a lot after I complete them. And this looks like a great pattern that could look good if it was repeated with a lot of good trouser-weight fabrics.
Really awesome trousers! I tried for this look in RTW pre-pandemic, and it didn’t work out. (The fabric kept stretching…and stretching.) Yours fit beautifully and look lovely, so I might try some denim trousers after all!