Super Easy Belly Dance Pants – free pattern & tutorial

Method 1. Elastic waist belly dance pants

You need to cut two yoke pieces (plus one lining for front yoke), two leg pieces and two ankle bands for making this belly dance pants.

Cut out the leg pieces on the fold as per the pattern given below

Cut out two fabric pieces which are 3 inches wide and of length equalling your ankle round plus 1 inch seam allowance cut on the crosswise grain (for some stretch)

Gather the leg bottom edges to match the length of the fabric ankle bands

Stitch the band to the edge, ensuring that the gathers are somewhat more at the center.Do this for both the leg hems

Stitch the leg inseams, keeping the pieces right sides together, individually – this will give you two finished leg pieces

You have to now join them together at the crotch seams

Cut out a piece of elastic equalling 1/2 of your waist round minus 1 inches.

Take the back yoke piece – turn the top edge twice to make a casing for the elastic. 

Insert the elastic with the help of a pin through the casing. Secure both the ends of the elastic  

You can make a stitch to secure the elastic edges.

Prepare the front yoke piece by keeping the lining and the main piece right sides together and sewing the top edge with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Turn right side out. This will give you a clean edge to your front yoke top edge

Keep the front yoke and the back yoke right sides together and stitch the side seams. Turn right side out.

The back will look like this

Now you should join the leg piece and the yoke piece. You will have to align the center of the leg piece and yoke piece and pin in place – so that any gathers/pleats you will make will be equally distributed. Pinning or making basting stitches work.

Method 2. Shirred waist belly dance pants

This is a pattern to make the belly dance pants in a free size. The loose and comfortable belly dance pants in this tutorial has a shirred waist and an elasticized ankle and can be easily be made in half an  hour or so. All you need are some elastic pieces and elastic thread and the fabric ( suitably dazzling, drapey and or glittery). When made in a cotton fabric you can use it as a very comfortable lounge wear

This is part of the dance costume used for the enchanting belly dance, though it can be used for any dance. There are many different ways of making this pants. Checkout the tutorial to make Harem pants for other versions.

If you do not know shirring just make a casing on the top edge and  insert elastic . If you would like to know more about shirring checkout this tutorial for shirring , which is sewing with elastic thread

Step1

To make this pattern first cut out two leg patterns as per the pattern given below .Take two fabric pieces of width 36 inch and length about 45 inches; fold by the center and mark the pattern. Cut it  out. The pants are made about 40 inch long – increase or decrease height as you need.

You will get two pieces like this

Other than this You need to cut one 7 inch wide fabric piece 62 inch long. Then 2 fabric strips 1.5 inch wide and 22 inch long . you also need elastic thread ( thin elastic thread for shirring) as well as 10 inch long 1/4 inch wide ordinary elastic ( 2 pieces) for ankle casing for the leg pieces

Step 2

First take the two leg pieces. Make the elastic  casing at the bottom edge

To make the casing stitch the 1.5 inch fabric pieces and the leg bottom edge right sides together along the edge. Turn the fabric  to the back of the leg pattern pieces. Turn under and stitch in place, making a nice casing for the elastic at the bottom edge of the pants.

Step 3

After you have done this for the two legs you can insert   the 1/4 inch elastic pieces (2 10 inch pieces, one for each leg ) into the casing with a safety pain.

Hold the both ends of the elastic in place and pin. Now fold each of the leg pieces right sides together and stitch the side edges together. 

You have the leg bottom edge prepared . Do this for the other leg as well. Turn both legs right side out

Step 4

Now join the crotch  of the leg pieces – thus joining the two leg pieces together . Keep the pieces right sides together at the crotch seam. Align the center joint of the legs and pin in place. Start stitching from one side to the other. Make two stitching lines to ensure stability at the crotch line.

Step 5

Take the large strip of fabric you have cut out for making the facing for the waist edge .

Turn under the long edge of this piece once and stitch in place ( turn to the wrong side of the fabric ). Measure the top edge of the pant piece . Add 1/2 inch seam allowance and cut the fabric piece accordingly. Join the short edges to make a tube. This is the facing for your pant’s waistline.

The edges should be the same for the facing piece and the pant piece, as they will be stitched together, then the facing turned inside. 

Step 6

Keep the pants inside the tube you have made (facing tube) top edges together( right sides together) Stitch along the cut edges.

In the picture below it is attached and ready to be turned inside for a neat finish to your waist edge.

Turn the facing to the back . Press in place. You donot have to stitch this in place though you may as well. Anyways the shirring you do later will keep the facing in place

Step 7

Now you should start shirring the pant waist. Start 1/2 inch from the top edge.

 Make 5-6 rows of shirring. Steam slightly to make the shirring look better. 

You can decorate the dance pants with big sequins or chains with dangling charms and other trims. Small frills/ruffles can be added to the pants made in soft flowy chiffon