DIY Tearaway Pants

©NOLAPUS Photography 2013

Beloved Emcee and costume goddess Cora Vette, owner of Denver’s one stop burlesque shop VaVa Vette, gives us the lowdown on how to create your own custom fashions.

There’s a Party in My Pants!

This fall I am moving my shows to a new home base at the VooDoo Comedy Playhouse in Downtown Denver. With this new opportunity, I have the chance to fire up my Hot Rods Boylesque group again! The Hot Rods are joining forces with the VaVaVettes in a new weekly show called “Hussies and Hot Rods” opening in October. So, my DIY this month is tear away pants! A few other boylesque articles may be coming in the upcoming months. I tend to write about what I am currently working on. OOH! Rhinestone studded banana hammocks! Yes, yes this will happen. Sorry, I got distracted…back to the pants.

Step 1.

Assemble your supplies. For making tear away pants all you need is, a sewing machine, pants 2 sizes too big for you, SEW on Velcro (do not try and use self stick, this never works) and Extra Wide Double Fold Bias Tape.

Step 2.

Cut along the side seam the entire length of the OUTER seam of each leg. Cut through the hem and the waistband completely separating the front from the back. Do NOT cut the inside seams.

Step 3.

On the underside of the seams will be a serged tab of fabric on most pants. Depending on how you cut it, it might be on one or part of both sides. Cut this remaining bit of fabric off so you have clean edges to work with.

Step 4.

Turn under a small seam to the wrong side of the back of the pant to create a finished edge. If you skip this step, your cut seam will fray over time and start to look messy.

Step 5.

Encase the front cut side of the pant in Extra Wide Double Fold Bias Tape. You can use something the same color or use something contrasting. This creates a nice finished detail pinstripe effect down the side of the pants when they are closed and makes a nice sturdy place to grab and pull. Open up the bias tape in the center putting the smaller edge on the top so the longer side is sure to catch underneath. Stitch close to the edge.

Step 6.

Place the hook side of the Velcro along the WRONGSIDE (underside) of the bias tape encased edge and sew all the way around it, squaring your stitching at both ends. This gives a very strong sewn attachment for all the abuse you intend to give your pants.

Step 7.

Place the fuzzy side along the RIGHTSIDE (topside) of the turned under back seam. Stitch all the way around in the same way as step 6.

Step 8.

Lap the top seam over the bottom, connect the Velcro and you are done!

Of course, I had to add some rhinestones along the bias tape for a little sparkle. It’s for boylesque after all…

Pants Party in action! (Photo: Becca Jones Photography)

Another note: Snap tape is another great choice and is applied the same way as the Velcro. Snap tape is a better option, but, more costly. Snap tape will last longer and doesn’t make that Velcro sound when it is pulled. However, it is expensive and I am making 5 pairs of tear away pants so I used Velcro.

Also, IMPORTANT, remember when making clothing tear away, that it gets smaller because of the overlap on the seams. These pants started out a 34 waist and ended up a 32 waist, which is what I needed for the show. So buy your pants a couple of sizes too big at the start.

There you go! Have fun at the pants party! Happy Sewing!

Xoxo Cora Vette

Want more DIY with Cora? Check out her work here: DIY Rockabilly HeadwrapCora Vette & the VaVaVettes: The Biggest DIY Ever!,  DIY ZippersDIY Dye, DIY Gauntlet GlovesDIY ShrugDIY Shimmy BeltDIY G-StringBuying Vintage PatternsDIY Pencil Skirt

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