Skirted Lace Up Palazzo Pants

Summer Draped Pants with Folded Front Panels and Elastic Waistband

Introducing a women’s sewing pattern for lightweight summer pants featuring wide palazzo legs, sculptural front panels folded over from the outer edges, and a waistband with an elasticated back and a decorative lace-up front — Fluid Summer Drapery with Architectural Panel Construction.

When To Wear

These pants are designed as a relaxed yet visually distinctive warm-weather garment, suitable for:

• Summer & Resort Wear: Lightweight trousers ideal for hot climates, travel, and comfortable everyday wear.
• Contemporary Casual Styling: a relaxed silhouette that pairs well with simple tops, shirts, or lightweight jackets.
• Conceptual Relaxed Tailoring: Suitable for designers exploring unconventional seam placement and sculptural drape created by folding the legs toward the front.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Relaxed wide-leg (palazzo) summer pants with fluid movement and a skirt-like front created by the folded-over leg panels.

Waistband: Back waistband with an elastic casing, joined to an interfaced front waistband with a center Front Inset.

Front Construction: There are no side seams: the front and back halves are joined at the inseams, the outer leg edges are finished with a narrow hem, and the legs are folded toward the front, creating sculptural overlapping panels with softly curved edges.

Closure: Pull-on style with elastic in the back waistband; a decorative cord is laced through six fabric loops on the Front Inset.

Leg Shape: Wide pant legs that drape naturally when sewn in lightweight fabrics.

Back: Clean back construction with elastic gathering at the waistband for comfort and flexibility.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. Careful construction is required for finishing the outer leg edges, forming the folded front panels, making the rouleau loops for the lace-up detail, and assembling the elasticated waistband.

Fabric Recommendations

Choose thin fabrics with good drape, made from natural or blended fibers:

• Fine cotton fabrics
• Linen or linen blends
• Lightweight blended woven fabrics

These materials allow the folded front panels to fall naturally while maintaining comfort in warm weather.

Additional Supplies

• Thin fusible interfacing
• Elastic band 1 cm wide
• Decorative drawstring cord

Cutter’s Must

From Main Fabric:

1. Back Half – 2 pieces
2. Front Half – 2 pieces
3. Back Waistband – 1 piece
4. Front Waistband – 2 pieces
5. Front Inset – 2 pieces
6. Loops – 1 bias strip, 2.5 cm wide (cut by measurement)

From Fusible Interfacing:

All interfacing pieces are cut using the corresponding main pattern pieces:

1. Back Waistband – 1 piece
2. Front Waistband – 2 pieces
3. Front Inset – 1 piece

Important Information

Before cutting your fabric:

• Print and lay out pattern pieces to determine yardage.
• Check mirrored pieces, notches, and grainlines.
• For patterned fabrics, align carefully for symmetry.

Assembly Instructions

1. Interfacing Preparation

Apply fusible interfacing to the Back Waistband, the Front Waistbands, and one Front Inset piece.

2. Inseams

Stitch the inseams of the Front Halves to the corresponding Back Halves.
Press the seam allowances toward the Back Half, then overlock the raw edges.

3. Outer Leg Edges

Overlock the outer edges of the pant legs, turn the edges to the wrong side, and topstitch.

Alternatively, the edges may be finished with a narrow rolled hem, a narrow double-turned ("Moscow") hem, decorative braid, or lace.

4. Center Seams & Leg Positioning

Stitch the center front seam of the Front Halves and the center back seam of the Back Halves.
Press the seam allowances toward the left side and overlock the raw edges.

Place the front and back wrong sides together, aligning the upper edges and the side seam markings,
so that the pant legs fold over toward the front.

5. Bias Loop Preparation

Cut a bias strip 2.5 cm wide from the main fabric for the fabric loops.

Fold the strip lengthwise along the center, right sides together, and stitch 3 mm from the fold.
Trim the seam allowances close to the stitching, then turn the tube right side out and shape it into a narrow cord.

Cut the cord into six loops.

6. Front Inset Assembly

Place the Front Inset pieces right sides together and stitch along the upper edge.
Clip the seam allowances, turn the piece right side out, shape the edge, and press.

On the right side of the outer Front Inset, position and secure the six fabric loops.

Unfold the Front Inset and stitch the Front Waistbands to its sides.
Press the seam allowances toward the Front Waistbands.

7. Waistband Assembly

Fold the Back Waistband lengthwise along the center with the right side facing outward and press.
Mark and topstitch the casing lines for the elastic.

Insert the elastic tape into the Back Waistband and secure it at the side edges.

Fold the Front Waistbands lengthwise along the center right sides together.
Insert the Back Waistband between them and stitch the side edges.

Turn the waistband right side out, shape the edges, and press.

Attach the Waistband to the upper edge of the pants and overlock the seam allowances.

8. Decorative Cord

Lace the decorative cord through the fabric loops.