Strut Your Stuff! See our legendary Fern Pleated Pants as made by three marvellous sewists

Our fabulous Fern Pleated Pants have fast become a favourite of those sewists looking for tailored-yet-comfy dream duds. And seriously? We’re not surprised. 

Bringing some big pleat energy, these wide-leg beauties are style personified. Slanted front pockets add interest and shape, with the double darts on the back ensuring a great fit across the hip. Cut to sit right on your waist, the separate waistband comes together with a centre-back invisible zip to ensure a smooth finish and tailored silhouette. With only four pattern pieces, the Fern Pleated Pants promises straightforward construction and is a great jumping-off point for advanced-beginner sewists to develop their skills, while still engaging intermediate and experienced sewists.

We’re so grateful to our sewing partners, Indy Bindy and SOHMO, for helping make this pattern happen! For our version, we chose the gorgeous ‘Giza Giza’ print in 85% cotton, 15% linen by Kata Kata Designs, supplied by Indy Bindy. This mid-weight natural fibre strikes a perfect balance between soft drape and good structure in the pleats department, making it an ideal choice for this pattern. Created by fabric and sewing lover, Aims Watts, Indy Bindy is the place to go for community and support via the Indy Bindy Sewciety, masterclass training for sewists and makers, and best of all, her incredible craft retreat tours of Japan. Go behind the scenes with hands-on experience with artisans, shop in Tokyo’s famous Fabric Town, find vintage kimono treasures, discover boutique craft stores and learn Japanese traditional crafts like sashiko, indigo dyeing, kintsugi and katazome.

Speaking of pleats, the SOHMO Butter Cookies Sewing Kit makes pleating a breeze with its snazzy metal mini clips and long, sharp, glasshead pins (perfect for pleating because they won’t melt under ironing!). SOHMO is the go-to destination for beautifully made tools for sewing, stitching, crafting and mending. Each piece in the SOHMO collection is designed to stand the test of time and bring lasting pleasure to the simple, grounding act of making with your hands.

We asked Aims from Indy Bindy and Sonya from SOHMO to share their thoughts about the Fern Pleated Pants, and rounded up the gorgeous makes of our three Fern aficionados (all using fabric sent to them courtesy of Indy Bindy and accessories courtesy of SOHMO). Take a peek below, get inspired, and grab the Fern Pleated Pants pattern here!

Aims Watts / Indy Bindy

Created by Japanese indie designer kata kata, this geometric print transforms crocodiles into stripes, with simple lines expressing a crowd gathered together. The cotton-linen blend has a tight weave and lovely texture with a weight that is perfect for pants, shackets, pinafores and more! Kata kata is made up of the husband and wife team, Chie and Takeshi. Their instantly recognisable design style emerges from the Katazome and Chuzen traditional Japanese methods of dyeing. Combined with their exploration of colour, the resulting fabrics are a stunning blend of old techniques with a fresh perspective. 

I love that when I’m wearing the Fern Pleated Pants, I feel like I’m not wearing anything! They hang effortlessly from the waist and are oh-so-comfy to wear. I’ve also made them in different fabrics and it changes the look from casual to dressy so easily. 

I’ve decided that I’m taking my memade style to a new level in 2026. At the moment my inspo boards are full of button-ups, but the very next thing on my cutting table is a vintage kimono that I’m going to remake into a two-piece set. 

Sonya Morris / SOHMO

Our tailoring shears are the one tool I’d never want to sew without. A great pair of shears genuinely changes how fabric cutting feels – there’s less fatigue, cleaner lines, and that satisfying snip as they glide through. Once you’ve used a well-balanced pair, going back just isn’t an option.

I love that it’s really well suited for bold, large-scale prints. I have a few pieces in my stash I’ve been eyeing off for my own pair of Fern Pleated Pants. 

My to-sew list is in a very practical era right now – heavy linen cushion covers, sheers that desperately need hemming, the usual. But the project I’m most excited about is a welcome-to-the-world quilt for my first niece or nephew, due very soon. That one gets to jump the queue!

I’ve really gotten into knitting lately – I’ve made a few PetiteKnit jumpers, and I’m currently working on the Maymade Tabi Ballerina Slippers. I also have an ongoing Sashiko project that I pick up whenever life allows.

TRIXIE / @WithLoveTrixie

I’m chuffed to have collaborated with @PeppermintMagazine to bring you my version of the #PeppermintFernPleatedPants ✨

Featuring a wide-leg fit with pleated front, slash pockets and a nifty centre-back invisible zip. I really enjoyed the way this pattern is drafted to fit, which means a lot coming from a mum navigating postpartum curves. It’s tailored yet comfortable and hugs me in all the right places without any additional fit adjustments.

I also want to give a massive shout to the Fern’s sewing partners @Sohmo_AU for sending me a cookie tin of quality sewing goodies that I used throughout the project and @IndyBindyFabrics fabrics who provided the most incredible black cotton Sashiko-ori fabric. This fabric was made on a custom loom that weaves in a traditional sashiko (decorative running stitch pattern) and it’s a texture unlike anything I’ve sewn before.


JENNY COOK / @RhubarbSundays

And they are done! My @PeppermintMagazine #PeppermintFernPleatedPants made using a gorgeous fabric from @IndyBindyFabrics! I absolutely love this fabric! It’s soft and drapes beautifully. And the best thing about it is that, from a distance, it looks like an abstract print and then you look closer and there’s a curious bull looking right at you. 🤣🤣 🐄 🐮 Really happy with the end product. They are very comfy! I didn’t make many changes to the pattern. Just a touch more room in the rise and a little bit off the waist. I’ll post some closeups of the details tomorrow when I actually take them off. 🤣 

CAZ / @CazSews

Absolutely thrilled with these #PeppermintFernPleatedPants! So many people to thank! @PeppermintMagazine for the pattern which is beautifully written; the instructions for the invisible zip are perfect! @IndyBindyFabrics for the absolutely stunning fabric. And @Sohmo_AU for the amazing tin of sewing goodies.

The top, I will talk about on another post, but the fabric is from @thefabricobsession (they will be restocking) and the pattern is @puff_and_pencil Drop Top.

Seriously, I’m so lucky!