Fabrics and Patterns for Autumn/Winter Trousers

It’s a popular time of year to be making trousers and if you are looking to expand your handmade wardrobe to include these handy separates, that are great for pairing with your favorite tops and blouses, then you're in the right place!

There are lots of different fabric options, along with a wide range of indie patterns in a variety of styles now available. So whether you are looking for a casual alternative to jeans, something smart for the office or a dressed up look for a night out with friends, in this post I will share with you the different styles and options to help inspire your next make!

You can see the fabrics up close, how they drape and move and what their texture is like in my latest video. Read on to find links to the patterns and fabrics I mention. Some are available in the online shop and others are available as PDFs directly from the pattern companies website. In those cases you can make use of our A0 pattern printing service to have them printed out full scale!

Update September 2023 - I have now added more current fabric collections to this post there there will be some inconsistencies between exactly what is show in the video and what is linked in the blog post. The video will still give you a good understanding of different types of fabrics and what they look like made into trousers.

I’ve grouped the fabrics together by type, because with trouser patterns, you can make the same sewing pattern in two different fabrics and get a very different outcome. So really, when planning a project, I would suggest picking your type of fabric based on its properties, how it hangs, drapes and moves and then picking a pattern that is compatible with that.

Try thinking of your end vision of a trouser, do you want them structured and fitted? Do you want them to be loose and to have movement? Once you have that in mind then it will be easier to pick a fabric and pattern combination that is what you are aiming for.

From the patterns that I have specifically suggested, this list is not exhaustive and please see it as a starting point of ideas. There are so many different patterns available now, but the styles and suggestions here should give you a wide range of style options to start from.

Woollen Fabrics for trousers

Making trousers in a fabric made from wool or a wool mix is the best way to get a ‘warm pair’ of trousers due to the thermal properties of wool. Fabric made from wool come in lots of different weights and thicknesses so if you are making trousers it’s important to make sure you have the right type i.e. not too thick and not too scratchy (unless you plan to line them too).

We have a lovely selection of woollen type fabrics suitable for trousers available. Most of them are lighter in weight and do have some drape, so they won’t feel stiff or rigid when made up. They will work well with wider leg styles that aren’t too fitted.

Can you wash woollen fabrics for trousers?

This super common question doesn’t have a totally straight answer, it depends really! It’s very common and normal for fabrics to come from suppliers without any officially tested washing instructions. In this situation, it’s a case of using your own judgment and testing it out yourself. Dry cleaning is typically recommended but this isn’t always necessary and I wouldn’t really suggest getting fabric dry cleaned as a form of pre washing or pre treating the fabric before you sew with it.

Ideally wool should be washed as little as possible. Aim to spot clean it if there is a persistent stain and air it out. You can even pop it in the freezer to kill any bacteria on the garment that might be causing smells.

The science behind wool fabrics is actually pretty interesting in that it naturally repels our skin oils, so instead of the oils getting into the wool fabric and becoming smelly after a while, they just break down, fall off or stay on our skin. So actually unless its visibility dirty, there shouldn’t be a real need to regularly wash your woollen clothes in soapy water.

There are also mild detergents like Soak, that you can use to wash wool clothes by simply soaking them in water with the solution and then gently squeezing out the water and letting them dry with no need to rinse. It’s the friction of washing in water that can change the properties of wool and make them felt and bind together - that’s when you get shrinkage and a change to the structure of the fabric.

In summary, I would suggest washing a test bit of fabric, if you really feel you need to wash your garment in the washing machine.

Patterns for woollen trouser fabrics

The fabrics I have featured above are all more of a light-medium weight so will mean that trousers you make with them hang and move/drape. They won’t be rigid or hold their structure.

Closet Core Mitchell Trousers, Merchant and Mills Eve, Nina Lee Portabello trousers, Cashmerette Meriam trousers, The Assemble Line High Waisted Trousers, Helens Closet Winslow Culottes, Jennifer Lauren Handmade Bastion Culottes, Named Aina Trousers.

Corduroy fabrics for trousers

Corduroy fabrics come in many different thickness and what is referred to as a ‘wale count’. This references how thick the cords are in the fabric within a specific measurement. So for example a low wale count would mean a chunkier thicker width of cord, whereas a high wale count would mean a finer thinner cord.

Some cords have elastane in them and are therefore a bit stretchy (while still classed as a woven fabric) and some are 100% Cotton so are a bit stiffer. So when choosing to make trousers with cord, the main thing to notice is whether is has stretch or not and then combining it with a pattern that is designed for stretch or non-stretch woven fabric.

We have a lovely range of stretch needle cords that are suitable for making trousers. I have used them before to make the Closet Core Ginger Jeans and I think you could also use them to make the Closet Core Sasha Trousers. They aren’t really thick or stiff but then do hold their structure and shape somewhat.

You could use these fabrics to make non-stretch trousers patterns but getting the fit right will be more trial and error is it’s likely you would have to size down to take account of the stretch.

We have a lovely range of stretch needle cords that are suitable for making trousers. I have used them before to make the Closet Core Ginger Jeans and I think you could also use them to make the Closet Core Sasha Trousers. They aren’t really thick or stiff but then do hold their structure and shape somewhat.

You could use these fabrics to make non-stretch trousers patterns but getting the fit right will be more trial and error is it’s likely you would have to size down to take account of the stretch.

Update September 2023

We also now stock a range of non-stretch chunky corduroy fabrics which are great for trousers and jeans patterns designed for non-stretch fabrics. I've linked a few examples below.

Cotton and stretch cotton twills for trousers

Cotton twill fabrics can be quite an umbrella term for many different fabrics that will have different thicknesses and properties. Really it is referring to the way the fabric has been woven, in the twill weave, which gives it that classic diagonal line texture to it and therefore a bit more structure or stiffness.

Sometimes this fabric can be made of 100% cotton or it might be mixed with elastane to give it some stretch. The amount of stretch can vary a lot and some might have more of a ‘give’ than a stretch, meaning that those fabrics can more easily cross over between stretch and non stretch patterns.

Sometimes the diagonal twill weave texture can be more pronounced or defined than others.

So, just like with the cord fabrics, working out if this type of fabric has stretch or not is important, and then working out what pattern matches that fabric.

We have a selection of stretch cotton twills that would be suitable for The Closet Core Sasha Trousers, The Cashmerette Miram Trousers, The Closet Core Mitchell Trousers, Named Ania Trousers.

These non stretch cottons have more structure and are 100% cotton so are better suited to patterns such as the Anna Allen Philippa Pants, Anna Allen Persephone Pants, Megan Nielsen Dawn Jeans, True Bias Landers.

Tencel Twill, Bamboo and Blended Fabrics

These fabrics have that classic diagonal weave texture but as they are made from either Tencel or bamboo or viscose fibers blended with polyester, they have a lot of drape and fluidity and movement when made up into a garment.

This makes them perfect for looser style trousers that will have a bit of swish to them. They can look really smart and fancy when paired with a party style top and made in a really wide leg style pattern that would almost give the illusion of that you were wearing a skirt.

All of these patterns would work well for these type of fabrics:

The Closet Core Mitchell Trousers, The Merchant and Mills Eve, Nina Lee Portabello Trousers, The Assemble Line High Waisted Trousers, Helens Closet Winslow Culottes, Jennifer Lauren Handmade Bastion Culottes, Cashemrette Calder Pants, Closet Core Pietra Pants, Megan Nielsen Opal Trousers, Avid Seamstress ThebCulottes.