I have more pairs of pajama pants than I really need. I only really need a pair of cotton ones for summer, jersey ones for travel/mildly cold and fluffy ones for cold nights. I have like seven pairs though. So in an effort to make space in my closet I'm turning some of them into bloomers. It is actually super simple, though there are three major ways to do it.
I'm doing the third to last one since I like my ruffles backed in the same fabric as the front.
First you'll need to cut off some of the leg. About halfway is about standard bloomer length on me but you can vary it easily. Just remember to add 3" to where you want it to fall so they don't end up too short!
Either iron or baste the rough edge down. Doing this will keep them from fraying. If you were doing the 4th illustration's style then this would be a french seam but since this will be sewn down we don't have to worry about that.
Next fold up the bottom of the leg, You can measure this out or eyeball it. These are bloomers so I just eyeballed it. You'll pin where you want the top row of stitching for the elastic's channel to be.
And remember to check that you've left enough fabric that it will cover the elastic and give you something to stitch down for the bottom row of stitching for the channel.
Once that is sewn start pinning for the bottom stitches of the channel, you'll want to be putting the elastic in as you do this, making sure not to pin the elastic (it needs to be able to move).
Sew the covered end of the elastic down first then sew the row of stitching which is the bottom of the channel. About an inch before you finish the row, pull the elastic to the desired taughtness and hold in place while you trim it then pin it down at the end of the channel. Sew the end of the elastic down, then coax the last but of the channel in place over it and finish stitching it up.
Repeat on the other leg and you have ruffly bloomers! I added some organza ribbon to mine to jazz them up a tad.
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