As soon as it was released last year, Astau by Atelier Brizane joined my wish list of patterns to sew! I have to say that its volume and beautiful pleats reminded me of traditional Japanese trousers... but not only those! It also makes me think of beautiful palazzo trousers. Absolute comfort with a feminine touch... everything I love!
After sharing my top 10 easy-to-sew trousers and the more challenging ones, I’m getting to work on the patterns that have caught my eye, and this week we’re discovering Astau!
The pattern
ASTAU is a sewing pattern for high-waisted wide-leg trousers, with beautiful leg volume created by a subtle combination of knife pleats and inverted pleats for a chic finish and a flattering cut! The bottom of the trousers is slightly flared, giving them a culotte-like look for an ultra-feminine style.
The Astau wide-leg trouser pattern can be adjusted in length for a maxi or culotte effect. And finally, the pockets are invisible but definitely there, which is essential on a pair of trousers!
Depending on the fabric you choose, it can be adapted to every season and will accompany you all year round!
Practical information for sewing this pattern
Astau is available as a PDF in sizes 32 to 56. You can very easily print it at home in A4 or in A0 format.
I printed it at home in A4 and it took me about thirty minutes to tape the sheets together. The alignment marks are spot-on, so there was no difficulty reconstructing the pattern.
Astau is intended for sewists from intermediate level onwards. Advanced sewists will also enjoy making this pattern with all its interesting technical details.
It is worth noting that the instruction booklet by Clémentine, the pattern designer behind Atelier Brizane, is very comprehensive and detailed. The diagrams are very useful.
She has also made a complete video tutorial on YouTube.
In the sewist’s basket
Astau should be sewn in woven fabric. Recommended fabrics include lightweight wool fabrics, gabardine or cotton/wool/viscose twill, fine-wale corduroy, washed linen or linen-viscose, Tencel...
The fabric requirement for these wide-leg trousers is 2.70 m x 1.40 m for all sizes (32 to 56).
For my version, sewn in 110 cm-wide Japanese fabric, I used 2.5 m of fabric for my size 34.
Note that even in the smallest size, it is not possible to place both legs across the width of the fabric, which explains the substantial fabric requirement.
The other supplies needed to sew Astau are:
- 1 button approximately 2.5 cm in diameter for the outside
- 1 flat button approximately 0.8 cm in diameter
- 20 cm of fusible interfacing suited to your fabric for interfacing the waistbands and fly pieces
- bias binding (optional) if you want a bias finish at the bottom of the waistband and/or for the fly
- 1 15 cm zip
- matching thread
- matching cones if you decide to finish the seams with an overlocker
My supplies
I helped myself in the shop 😅 Ever since they arrived, I’d had my eye on them 😂 and had already claimed a piece for myself...
This magnificent floral Japanese cotton twill from the shop is finally mine!
I chose an interfacing with some structure because I really wanted the waistband to hold its shape well.
I searched through my personal stash of bias binding and buttons to complete my supplies.
I selected black thread and cones.
Difficulty level and technical points
This wide-leg trouser sewing pattern is perfectly suited to intermediate-level sewists.
Advanced sewists will also have plenty of fun sewing these trousers.
Here are the techniques covered:
- Making a fly
- Making inverted pleats
- Sewing darts
- Assembling a waistband
- Adding belt loops
- Making a buttonhole and sewing on a button
- Hems
- Finishing the waistband with bias binding: optional
Assembling the fly
Sewing the fly and waistband
Attaching bias binding
My sewing experience
If you want to follow the entire sewing experience, I made a YouTube video here 😉
I chose to sew Astau in size 34, which corresponds to my size in the Atelier Brizane size chart.
There is a big difference between my waist and hip measurements, and I absolutely wanted my trousers to fit well at the waist. I really don’t find it elegant when the waistband gapes.
I could have graded out and used size 36 at the hips because, although I fit into them, I really don’t have much ease 😅, so for the next version I’ll widen the hips from the outset; I think 2 cm distributed around the hip circumference will be enough.
I also immediately removed 5 cm from the leg length because they were far too long for me at 1.53 m tall; that’s standard for me.
I’m delighted with Clémentine’s instruction booklet, which is comprehensive and enhanced with technical drawings. There is also a video tutorial for those who enjoy that format.
I think I sewed it in around 5 hours (not counting video breaks 😅)
- 30 minutes: assembling the pattern
- 20 minutes: cutting
- 20 minutes: interfacing
- 15 minutes: overcasting
- 30 minutes: marking, sewing and pressing the pleats and darts
- 30 minutes: assembling the crotch seams and constructing the fly
- 90 minutes: assembling the pockets, sewing the side seams and attaching the waistband
- 30 minutes: buttonhole and sewing on buttons, hem
Total: 4h45/5h
There’s no denying it: this is a really lovely pattern. I think it looks beautiful with its high, enveloping waist. It feels great to wear!
Will I make another one? I think so; in Tencel it would be fantastic for a spring version.
Find Astau and all the lovely Atelier Brizane PDF patterns on our website.
And if you like pretty blouses, I recommend Roséa, which I also loved sewing!
Fancy sewing trousers or jeans with us? Or perhaps simply learning how to sew a fly? You can, thanks to our range of classes. See the full range here.
If you’d like more inspiration for sewing beautiful trousers, the YouTube videos are here:
my top 10 trousers for beginner and intermediate levels
my top 10 trousers for intermediate and advanced levels
Don’t hesitate to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss anything!
Until then... To your needles!
