An Easy-to Sew Tutorial on How to Make Pants With or Without Patterns

Pants! A word that rules every woman’s heart. Learn how to make pants at home. 

Films, literature, and photography—all these molders have fed us with countless images of women in frocks, gowns, and dresses. No doubt, these attires make a lady feel and look elegant, but they lose out on comfort.

Traditional ladylike dresses were good in the past days, and women were expected to look good.

With women being up and about the day, the comfort and look should come to a respectable compromise for attire to have women’s needs. That is why pants or trousers have secured a place in women’s wardrobes. 

From a formal look to a casual party look, you can experiment with pants/trousers and achieve everything from them.

Are you spending a lot of money to buy pants from the store? Ditch that approach and learn how to make pants at home.

In this comprehensive guide, you will be able to learn different pants sewing patterns, how to make pants, and how you can make the waist smaller and bigger for the right fit. 

So, let’s start learning! 

How to Make Pants Pattern: 16 Easy Pant Sewing Ideas

A good outfit can be created when you have good-fitting pants/trousers. Pants are the most versatile types of clothes that go with almost everything. The pattern can be utilized for crafting various types of trousers, including pajama pants, lounge pants, or dress pants.

With the dress-reform movements in the mid-19th century, pants became a popular item of clothing for women. 

During that period, women wore pants when they were engaged in household work or physical exercise. By the 19th century, pants became an acceptable part of women’s wardrobe.

Since then, many designers have introduced different types of pants to give utmost comfort to women and help them look stylish at work, at parties, or at casual get-togethers.

Image Source: Rothy’s

Keeping how to make pants pattern handy is a plus point. The different pant sewing patterns will help you choose the right style.

Wondering for popular yet easy pants sewing patterns? Here we have prepared a run-down so that you don’t have to browse the internet. Check it out. 

Straight Pants

These classic straight pants are the winners. Be it for work or outside office parties; you can wear them everywhere. 

Image Source: Thuc Le Huu On Pexels

This pant sewing pattern has an A-line style which looks great on slim women. They can be styled with a tee and a short jacket for a casual get-together. For work, you can style straight pants with a long-sleeve white shirt. 

Pull-on Pants with Elastic Waist

Have you heard about Elizabeth Suzann? A million-dollar clothing brand introduced pull-on pants with elastic waist. 

This is the perfect pant sewing pattern if you are a beginner. You can learn how to make pants pattern in three different sizes such as short, regular, and tall. 

With just two inches of elastic band and medium-weight fabric, you can make pull-on pants at home. 

Cotton-fit Wide Legs Pants

Wondering how to make cotton pants with wide legs? Choose Creative Bug’s cotton-fit wide legs pants sewing pattern. 

Image Source: Jesika Nicole

This is a beginner-level pattern with no zips or buttons, so it becomes easy to sew them. This pants sewing pattern also features an elastic waistband, two unique pockets, and French seams. 

Pants With a Waist Tie And Side Panels

The Simplicity brand offers this stylish pants sewing pattern. It comes in 6 to 24 US sizes, and the finished garment measurement for the hip is 36″ to 53″. 

It features a trendy wide legs design with waist tie, side pockets, and side panels. This is also a beginner-level how to make clothes paper patterns. 

Simple Cotton Pants With Pockets

If you don’t have any sewing knowledge and still want to know how to sew pants, then you should go for this pattern. 

Image Source: POPSUGAR

This free pants sewing pattern features wide legs, a high waist, a culotte length with a two-inch wide elastic waistband, and three lines of topstitching. It comes in US 2-to-30 sizes. 

Pajama Pants

Want to know how to make pants for the whole family? Then, this pajama pants sewing pattern is for you. It features a loose fit, elastic waistband, and drawstring. 

You can choose different types of fabric, such as cotton, poplin, broadcloth, etc., to make pajama pants. 

Yoga Pants

Want to make pants that make heads turn? Choose this amazing yoga pants sewing pattern. 

They are the perfect mixture of comfort and elasticity you need while exercising. These pants can also absorb sweat and make a fashion statement. 

Image Source: Clovia

Choose black or gray colored fabric as they are popular in yoga pants. 

Sweatpants with Drawstring & Elastic Waist

A Peek-a-Boo sweatpants sewing pattern is all you need to polish your sewing skills. They are simple and easy to sew, but you can experiment with the fabric. 

These sweatshirts are semi-fitted, come in full length, and have two different waistband styles. You can learn to make some pockets or bands on sweatpants. 

Use a medium-weight knit fabric when learning how to make elasticated trousers, or you can go for upcycling clothes and transform them into amazing sweatpants. 

Slim-fit Knit Pants with Pocket

Vogue offers this amazing pants sewing pattern. This is a kind of pull-on pants with an elastic waistband and large pockets. Use knit fabric with 35% stretch across the cross-grain. It comes in XS to XXL sizes. 

Image Source: Magicpin

Formal Wide-leg Pants with Fly Front Zip

These pants make perfect smart work outfits. If you are a working woman, you should learn to make these wide-leg pants with a front zip. 

Use medium to heavy weight fabric like denim, twill weave, or wool for making these pants. You should have intermediate to expert level sewing skills for creating these formal pants. 

Wide Leg Pants with Elastic Back

Want to learn how to make basic elastic waist pants? True Bias offers an amazing, print-at-home PDF wide leg pant sewing pattern. 

It features side pockets, wide legs, front pleats, a flat waistband at the front, and elastic at the back. Light to medium weight fabric like linen, cotton, and chambray can be used for making these pants. For a drapery look, you should use rayon challis. 

Drapey Wide Leg Pants with Side Zip and Pleats

Make some more classy pants by choosing this Simplicity pants sewing pattern. It features side pockets, back darts, wide legs, and front pleats. 

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Image Source: Dellon Thomas On Pexels

You can choose the pattern in slim, curvy, and average as per your fit. Use light to medium weight fabrics like georgette, crepe, gabardine, silk, etc. 

A beginner with little to some sewing experience can choose this pant sewing pattern. 

Panoma Pants

Panoma pants are one of the easiest and simplest pants sewing patterns. 

These pants have an elastic waist, patch pockets on the front and back, and have no side seams. It includes three views, so you have an option to play with the pattern. 

Arden Pants

Helen’s Closet offers this pants sewing pattern. These are the high-waist trousers with an elastic waist and pockets on the front and back. 

Image Source: Crafty Clyde

You can topstitch the elastic waistband with a drawstring for a casual look. 

Baby Woven Pant

If you want to make some modern, new-age pants, then go for a baby woven pant pattern. 

Another amazing balloon-shaped pant sewing pattern by Style Arc features in-seam pockets and an elastic waistband. Don’t forget to use washed linen fabric for this pattern. 

Peggy Trouser

How can we forget these amazing trouser-like patterns in our countdown? This is the next-level pattern that helps you polish your sewing skills and demand extra sewing knowledge. 

This timeless paper-bag style trouser is perfect if you are wondering how to make a men’s trousers pattern. 

Image Source: The Inspiring Chick

They are perfect for men and women and help you make a unique style statement when paired with a t-shirt or blouse. 

How to Make Your Own Pants: 9 Simple Instructions

Now that you know some amazing pants sewing patterns, it’s time to learn how to make your own pants at home. Making pants or trousers is not difficult.

As far as you know how to measure pants and work with fabrics, you can follow these instructions and make amazing pants at home.

Image Source: Sustainable Fashion and Beauty Tips for Women

In this section, we will learn how to make pants by drafting a pattern and finishing sewing the pieces together. 

Once you make your pants, you can head to Superlabel Store to place your order for

• • Customized woven labels
  • Care labels
  • Hang Tags

Superlabel Store encourages sewing enthusiasts, small clothing business owners, and fashion designers to transform their handmade clothes into professional ones. 

What You’ll Need

The following are a couple of things you will need to begin your journey: how to make your own pants or how to make pants waist smaller, or how to make pants looser. 

• • 3 yards of woven fabric
  • Matching thread
  • Measuring tape
  • Sewing chalk
  • Pins
  • Scissors
  • Iron
  • Safety pins
  • 1 inch wide elastic 

Prepare Your Fabric

The next step is to choose your fabric for making pants. When you are working with ready-made patterns, the envelope comes with some fabric recommendations. 

For making pants, you can choose linen, cotton, flannel, etc. Make sure you purchase at least three yards of the fabric. 

Image Source: Pavel Danilyuk On Pexels

Along with the fabric, buy the matching thread ¾-inch elastic for the waistband, which will be used to learn how to make the waistline of pants bigger or how to make pants smaller in the waist.

Once you have purchased the fabric, you need to wash it to minimize shrinkage. If you are working with cotton and flannel fabric, you should machine wash them using regular detergent. 

Trace Around Your Old Pants to Draft a Pattern

Once you have all the material ready with you and you have set up your machine, it’s time to learn how to make pant shirt with a paper pattern.

Drafting a pattern is easy as you need to use your ready-made pants sewing pattern. Sometimes buying ready-made pants sewing patterns and using them to make pants at home is expensive. You don’t get the right fit in the ready-made patterns or have to settle for less comfort.

To avoid this issue, and if you don’t want to spend dollars on buying pants sewing patterns, you can use your ready-made pants to make your own handmade pants at home. This is a cost-effective way of learning how to make pants pattern from old pants.

Image Source: Mood Fabrics

Using your old pants, you can ensure that you will get the right fit. The best thing about it is that you can make pants at home with or without a sewing machine.

To begin, just take one piece of your fabric and start folding it in half lengthwise. Lay your pants on the flat surface and begin tracing the fabric by considering the outer seam of the pants. Make sure the crotch is pulled out.

Use a fabric marking pen or chalk to trace the types of jeans or pants you have chosen. Keep at least two inches from the sides, bottom, and above the waistband. This will help you while hemming the pants and inserting the waistband.

Repeat this step for the other piece of the fabric. 

Cut Out your Pant Pieces

Once you have traced the pants and done with the marking, it’s time to cut out the pieces to get the structure of the pants.  The diamond and triangle tabs on the pattern will help you match the fabric. Do not cut them.

Image Source: Sewing by Mrs L

Iron the pant fabric and lay the fabric on the surface to keep the pieces pattern pieces on the top. You need to use straight pins to pin the paper pattern with your fabric. 

Use sharp scissors and start cutting the fabric pieces. Remove the pins as you proceed and cut the fabric pieces. 

Sew the Pant Legs

Start pinning the inside of the pant leg. Make sure you start from the crotch and end at the bottom. 

Use a sewing machine and straight stitch to start sewing with a half-inch seam. Don’t forget to leave half an inch for the crotch. Use a zig-zag stitch on the raw edges to reinforce your seam. 

Sew the Crotch Seam

To sew the crotch seam, you need to turn one pant leg inside out. Now pick the other leg and place it inside the right leg pants. 

Image Source: Sure-fit Designs Blog

Pin the pant crotch together and start sewing. Keep half an inch for seam allowance. Use a zig-zag stitch on the raw edges to reinforce your seam. 

Measurement and Sew Elastic Waistband

Now that you have made the pant legs, it’s time to measure the elastic waistband. Use a measuring tape and put it around your waist. 

Make sure you add one inch to the measurement and cut the elastic.

If you are not familiar with elastic waistband sewing techniques, then read our comprehensive guide on how to sew an elastic waistband. 

It will help you take the right measurement and sew elastic at the waist. If you pay attention to the instructions, then It’s easy and simple to sew.

Once you have sewn the elastic waistband, it’s time to hem it. Make sure you have two separate pieces of elastic coming out of your waistband. 

Image Source: Made Everyday

Give the last finishing touch to the waistband by removing the safety pins and sewing the elastic waistband within the casing. 

In the end, the elastic should be able to move in the casing. 

Hem to the Bottom of the Pants

At this stage of how to make your own pants, you need to turn your pants inside out. Start turning the bottom of the leg by one inch, and pin and sew the hem. Repeat the process for the other leg. 

Finish the Pants

This is the last step of how to make pants at home. Press your pants with iron and dry them so that you can have wrinkle-free pants that fit you in the right way.

TADA! You have just completed your journey on how to make pants without a pattern and with the pattern. 

Image Source: LivvyLand

How to Make Pants Waist Smaller Without Sewing

After hours of shopping, you might have got your desired pant design, pattern, and style. What If they are too loose? 

Or, what if you have found a big pair of pants while cleaning your wardrobe? They don’t fit you right. What to do? Should you throw it? 

No. You don’t need to throw away the pants that don’t fit you right. With little know-how on how to make pants waist smaller without sewing methods, you can alter your favorite pair of pants and wear them again.

Image Source: SHVETS Production On Pexels

Read Superlabel Store’s comprehensive guide on how to make jeans smaller at home. This guide includes everything you want to know about making pants and jeans smaller. 

The best thing about how to make the waist of pants smaller without sewing is that it has an excellent no-sew method that anyone can try at home.

Here’s a glimpse of some amazing methods of making pants waist smaller without sewing:

• • Use boiling water
  • Use steam iron
  • Use a rubber band of basting stitches
  • Use safety pins
  • Use binder clip
  • Place your pant in the dryer at high heat temperature 

How to Make Pants Waist Bigger Without Sewing

Another scenario with the pants or jeans can be that they may tighten after some time. In that case, you get confused about buying new jeans and throwing out your favorite pants.

No more confusion now. 

Image Source: Cotton & Curls

Superlabel Store’s amazing article on how to make pants bigger and how to make jeans bigger will help you fit your pants in the way that they should be. 

This article on how to make your pants tighter includes all the information on how to make pants waist bigger without sewing methods. Here’s a glimpse of some tried-and-tested methods:

• • Use hairdryer
  • Use a hanger
  • Take a warm bath
  • Open the seam between the legs of the pants
  • Wash your pants/jeans and wear them in the sun 

Frequently asked questions

How do I sew the elastic in place?

First, guide the elastic through the casing, ensuring that it remains untwisted. Next, sew the ends of the elastic together, leaving the rest of it free to move within the casing. Remember, there’s no need to attach the elastic to the fabric of the pants.

How much fabric is used for pants?

To determine the necessary fabric for pants, start by measuring the length. Multiply the measured length by 2 and then add an additional ¼ meter of fabric.

For an average-sized person, approximately 1.3 meters of fabric would suffice, while a taller individual might require around 1.4 meters.

Do I need a pattern to make pants?

While using a commercial pattern can be convenient, it’s not mandatory. You can also create your own pattern by tracing an existing pair of pants that fit you well or by following online tutorials.

Conclusion

There are plenty of styles every woman will have in her wardrobe. These styles give her an endless opportunity for inspirational looks.

Pants are one of those essential pieces of clothing that can give you the utmost comfort without compromising your style. They can be styled in different ways, and you can achieve everything from this attire. 

The above information on how to make pants will help you sew the most versatile attire at home. It also allows you to use your creativity and imagination and make something out of the box.

You can also try some similar, easy-to-sew DIY projects at home. Here’s what you can learn after making pants at home:

• • How to make shorts
  • How to make ripped jeans

Say no to expensive, store-bought pants and trousers and learn to sew them at home.

Happy sewing!