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This
pattern is based upon extant Turkish garments in the Topkapi museum, along with
patterns for similar pants shown in Tilke. It is appropriate for Persian
costumes from about 1300 to 1620. I have used a loom-width economy method of
cutting since it is so easily adapted for this style of pants and gives the
correct fullness.
Both men and women
wore this garment. Aside from scenes showing bathing, hard labour, the
pitifully destitute or some type of undress, these pants are part of every
personÕs clothing shown in the paintings.
Based on paintings
of the period, a very drapey, softer fabric was most common. I have seen no
evidence in paintings that the super-starched Turkish look was ever used in
Persia. Based on paintings, appropriate fabrics would be: brocades with small,
over-all geometric patterns, brocades with small over-all patterns of Chinese
motifs (most typically cloud-scroll patterns), brocades with arabesque
patterns, brocades with foliate or acanthus in either over-all or serpentine
runners, solids with gold embroidery or stamping randomly applied or applied to
hem and wrist, Turkish style brocades, Venetian style brocades, plain solid
fabrics. Even though everybody thinks stripes are typical of Middle Eastern
design, stripes are never shown for use in most garments in Persian art, except
for peasant/labourer class clothing. Sometimes the salwar will have stripes,
but they are not plain stripes, but very intricate paisley/Indian border
patterns arranged as stripes. On women's pants the stripes generally stopped at
mid thigh, leaving the plain white fabric showing. Based on extant garments of
a later period, there is some evidence that these are actually embroidered motifs.
Typically the fabric of the pants matches one of the under-layers rather than
the outer caftan.
Fitting tips:
Unlike western patterns, for these pants, the large your behind, the longer you
need to make them. Otherwise, when you sit down they turn into Capri pants that
will strangle you calves. The fit on these should be very wide and full. I have
a pair that made from 56" fabric, so that comes out to about 110" at
the waist, and I have a 34" waist. The crotch on these pants rides a little
low, because the crotch will also ride up and be unkind to you when you sit
down. I have one pair of a stiffer fabric for a Turkish outfit and the extra
crotch fabric will kind of waggle like a duck's tail behind me if I let it get
away from me. This problem does not occur in a softer fabric.
To determine how wide to make the ankle,
point you bare foot like you are a ballet dancer. Measure around the heel and
over the ankle. (This is the widest circumference you can find on your pointed
foot). Add * inch plus whatever you wish to use for seam allowances. If using a
heavy or stiff fabric, add 1 inch plus seam allowances. This is the minimum
measurement to use. You can use a wider measurement, but will then need to fold
it over and button it to fit. You can also use a narrower measurement and leave
a seam open to get your foot through and buttons to close it. Remember that
loops or tabs were used rather than buttonholes in this period. If you do use
buttons, put them at the back or outside. On the inside of your ankles they
will constantly catch on the other leg until they rip off.
You can make
these extremely long by extending the narrow tapered ankle part, or you can
just lengthen them by cutting them longer and evenly grading the taper from
crotch to ankle. If you extend the taper from the narrow part, rather than the
crotch, this is similar to Indian pants. If you lengthen them by grading evenly
from the crotch, you need to be careful not to make them so long you trip.
This pattern only shows
half the garment (one leg's worth). You need to cut two leg pieces and four
crotch gussets. Sew the crotch gussets on each side of the leg pieces and then
sew each leg up the inseam. Then sew the two legs together at the crotch seam.
Then sew the drawstring casing at the waist and finish the ankles with a narrow
hem.
When you sew
the crotch gussets on, you have a choice of sewing that seam as bias-to-bias or
bias-to-straight. Whatever you decide, it needs to be the same for all four
gussets. I usually decide by looking at it both ways and seeing which direction
makes a natural looking crotch curve. (You need to know how mundane pants
patterns look for this to make sense to you) Depending on how wide your fabric
is it could go either way. Depending on the weight of you fabric, this will
also alter the drape of the pants (sometimes you get a sort of
"swage" draping in a light fabric). I have never decided if I like
that look or not, but it would probably look good for dancing.
When I sew the crotch
seam, I will usually curve it slightly rather than following the straight line
of the fabric. Depending on the angles involved based on your width of fabric,
sometime you will find the fabric forms a sort of upside down "V"
right at the bottom center of crotch seam. When it does this, I just sew
straight across or in a gentle downward curve and trim of the excess fabric.
pattern is based upon extant Turkish garments in the Topkapi museum, along with
patterns for similar pants shown in Tilke. It is appropriate for Persian
costumes from about 1300 to 1620. I have used a loom-width economy method of
cutting since it is so easily adapted for this style of pants and gives the
correct fullness.
Both men and women
wore this garment. Aside from scenes showing bathing, hard labour, the
pitifully destitute or some type of undress, these pants are part of every
personÕs clothing shown in the paintings.
Based on paintings
of the period, a very drapey, softer fabric was most common. I have seen no
evidence in paintings that the super-starched Turkish look was ever used in
Persia. Based on paintings, appropriate fabrics would be: brocades with small,
over-all geometric patterns, brocades with small over-all patterns of Chinese
motifs (most typically cloud-scroll patterns), brocades with arabesque
patterns, brocades with foliate or acanthus in either over-all or serpentine
runners, solids with gold embroidery or stamping randomly applied or applied to
hem and wrist, Turkish style brocades, Venetian style brocades, plain solid
fabrics. Even though everybody thinks stripes are typical of Middle Eastern
design, stripes are never shown for use in most garments in Persian art, except
for peasant/labourer class clothing. Sometimes the salwar will have stripes,
but they are not plain stripes, but very intricate paisley/Indian border
patterns arranged as stripes. On women's pants the stripes generally stopped at
mid thigh, leaving the plain white fabric showing. Based on extant garments of
a later period, there is some evidence that these are actually embroidered motifs.
Typically the fabric of the pants matches one of the under-layers rather than
the outer caftan.
Fitting tips:
Unlike western patterns, for these pants, the large your behind, the longer you
need to make them. Otherwise, when you sit down they turn into Capri pants that
will strangle you calves. The fit on these should be very wide and full. I have
a pair that made from 56" fabric, so that comes out to about 110" at
the waist, and I have a 34" waist. The crotch on these pants rides a little
low, because the crotch will also ride up and be unkind to you when you sit
down. I have one pair of a stiffer fabric for a Turkish outfit and the extra
crotch fabric will kind of waggle like a duck's tail behind me if I let it get
away from me. This problem does not occur in a softer fabric.
To determine how wide to make the ankle,
point you bare foot like you are a ballet dancer. Measure around the heel and
over the ankle. (This is the widest circumference you can find on your pointed
foot). Add * inch plus whatever you wish to use for seam allowances. If using a
heavy or stiff fabric, add 1 inch plus seam allowances. This is the minimum
measurement to use. You can use a wider measurement, but will then need to fold
it over and button it to fit. You can also use a narrower measurement and leave
a seam open to get your foot through and buttons to close it. Remember that
loops or tabs were used rather than buttonholes in this period. If you do use
buttons, put them at the back or outside. On the inside of your ankles they
will constantly catch on the other leg until they rip off.
You can make
these extremely long by extending the narrow tapered ankle part, or you can
just lengthen them by cutting them longer and evenly grading the taper from
crotch to ankle. If you extend the taper from the narrow part, rather than the
crotch, this is similar to Indian pants. If you lengthen them by grading evenly
from the crotch, you need to be careful not to make them so long you trip.
This pattern only shows
half the garment (one leg's worth). You need to cut two leg pieces and four
crotch gussets. Sew the crotch gussets on each side of the leg pieces and then
sew each leg up the inseam. Then sew the two legs together at the crotch seam.
Then sew the drawstring casing at the waist and finish the ankles with a narrow
hem.
When you sew
the crotch gussets on, you have a choice of sewing that seam as bias-to-bias or
bias-to-straight. Whatever you decide, it needs to be the same for all four
gussets. I usually decide by looking at it both ways and seeing which direction
makes a natural looking crotch curve. (You need to know how mundane pants
patterns look for this to make sense to you) Depending on how wide your fabric
is it could go either way. Depending on the weight of you fabric, this will
also alter the drape of the pants (sometimes you get a sort of
"swage" draping in a light fabric). I have never decided if I like
that look or not, but it would probably look good for dancing.
When I sew the crotch
seam, I will usually curve it slightly rather than following the straight line
of the fabric. Depending on the angles involved based on your width of fabric,
sometime you will find the fabric forms a sort of upside down "V"
right at the bottom center of crotch seam. When it does this, I just sew
straight across or in a gentle downward curve and trim of the excess fabric.