After the jersey t-shirts, if there is one garment I loooove ❤️ wearing, it’s wide pants, also called “palazzo”! I find they lengthen the silhouette, slim the waist, and – which is essential in our busy lives – are super comfortable to wear.

Whether you wear sneakers or heels, you have two different outfits; they go with many types of tops, can be sewn in multiple fabrics… In short, they are one of the basics of my wardrobe.

So when Eugénie brought in the patterns from the “I am myself” collection by Marie-Emilienne from Iam Patterns, I immediately told her about my desire to sew Harmonie and then share it with you.

The model 

Harmonie is a high-waisted pant, designed to be worn from a shorts version up to extra-long pants, including culotte skirt lengths, 7/8 length, and classic.

The shorts version can be lengthened with a cuff.

Its increasing fullness from the waist is mainly created by 4 flat pleats on the front, sewn at a certain height. 

I appreciated that the direction of the pleats is oriented according to the widening of the hips; I find this very clever in the way the fabric unfolds.

Regarding pockets, Harmonie has four: two Italian-style on the front and two patch pockets on the back.

The straight waistband holds the pants well at the waist height, it has belt loops of a good height and opens and closes with a fly.

Practical information for sewing the model

Harmonie is a printed pattern available in the shop.  

It is graded from size 36 to 46 in printed pattern version.

The silhouette and pleats make it easy to refine the grading to fit our body shape, but be careful in this case to adjust the waistband to the same length.    

As with all I Am Patterns patterns, the seam allowances are included and are one centimeter.  

The pattern also offers, besides the anatomical size measurement chart, a chart of the finished garment dimensions including the waist circumference, hip circumference, and garment length. And that’s a real plus for choosing the size to cut. I’ll tell you more in the rest of the article.

In the seamstress’s basket 

The pattern is designed for medium-weight woven fabrics.

Depending on the fabrics chosen, the result can vary greatly.

The brand recommends rather fluid fabrics like viscose, crepe… or fabrics with a bit more structure, like denim or linen, all in toile or twill.  

You will also need:
- In 140 cm width: for the shorts version, between 1.40 m and 1.90 m of fabric depending on the size; for the extra-long version between 2.40 m and 2.70 m of fabric depending on the size or in 110 cm width: for the shorts version, between 1.10 m and 2 m of fabric depending on the size; for the extra-long version between 2.85 m and 3.25 m of fabric depending on the size
- fusible interfacing
- A 15 cm visible non-separable zipper
- A 2 cm diameter button
- Matching thread
 - serger cones

My supplies

I wanted to be able to wear my pants almost all year round.

So I chose a breathable fabric, but with good structure, in washed linen.

The blue color of this collection was very popular at the shop! It sold out quickly, but the beautiful apricot shade, which is very bright, is still available.

For the fusible interfacing, I chose the white woven A4 interfacing, which allows the waistband to keep a nice shape all day long while avoiding an uncomfortable "cardboard effect," and it’s perfect! For the thread, I hesitated between white and blue. I finally chose the Gutermann 75, the beautiful blue-gray. The button comes from my stock, a pretty vintage one that I inherited from my grandmother's stock.

My version 

In general, I always hesitate a lot when I have to choose the size(s) of a pattern. Like everyone, I’m not standard. I almost always have to juggle between different sizes for the bust, waist, and hips… In this logic, for Harmonie, I was supposed to start with a 40 for the waist and grade between 42 and 44 for my hips. But here, with the finished garment measurement chart and thanks to the palazzo silhouette, I didn’t need to: my hips easily fit the hip measurement of the 40. Thanks I Am Patterns! 

For the length, I wanted to visually lengthen my silhouette as much as possible, so I went with version A, the extra-long trousers. And since for me, trousers are never wide enough at the ankle, I widened each leg by 14 centimeters. 

Indicated difficulty level and technical points 

The pattern is rated by the brand as "intermediate" in terms of difficulty.

I agree because, like any fly, the assembly and precision it requires is not easy.

That said, the instruction booklet is extremely clear and a linen or cotton will make a first experience easier. I would even say it’s a very good model to build skills and try sewing classic trousers.  

For the technical points, we can list:

 - Assembling the fly
 - Managing thicknesses, especially for the belt loops
 - Assembling the Italian pockets
 - Crisp ironing to create the patch pockets
 - Assembling the waistband
 - Making the buttonhole

My sewing experience 

I really enjoyed sewing Harmonie. Even though it requires precision, it’s a project that progresses quickly and is very rewarding: it’s a garment with a lot of style while being technically accessible.

The fabric I chose was super pleasant to sew, it shapes very well in the hands when handled, for a really beautiful result. I’ve already planned to make more in other materials for different looks, all in one single size! Isn’t life beautiful!?  

A little PS: you obviously know the sewing workshops at the shop, but do you know my favorite? It’s the course in two chapters "I discover fabrics" and "I match patterns and fabrics." I was thinking about it while making this because Harmonie is a great example of the need to know your fabrics and to anticipate combinations.

I hope to see you there at the next session.