How to sew pants
Pants can seem harder than skirts because of the crotch seam and the fit, but they’re well within reach after one or two skirts. Start with elastic-waist pants: no zipper, no waistband, and only four measurements. Classic pants are sewn in the same order, with darts, a zipper, and a waistband added.
Which pants to sew
| Style | Difficulty | Why it's great |
|---|---|---|
| Elastic waist | easy | no zipper or waistband, relaxed fit; loungewear, pajama pants, summer pants |
| Palazzo | easy | wide from the hip, forgiving of fit issues |
| Leggings | easy, but needs knit fabric | just one pattern piece per leg |
| Classic | intermediate | darts, invisible zipper, waistband — a fitted look |
| Jeans and men's pants with a fly | advanced | lots of topstitching, slant pockets, front fly closure |
For kids — children's pants drafted by height: no measurements needed.
Measurements
Measure in your underwear, with the tape snug but not stretched, standing straight. Tie a thin elastic around your waist — it makes measuring easier.
Waist
Hold the tape horizontally around the narrowest part of your torso, usually 2–4 cm¾–1⅝ in above your belly button. Keep it snug but not tight, and don't suck in your stomach.
Typically 58–110 cm22⅞–43¼ in.
Hips
Hold the tape horizontally around the fullest part of your hips and buttocks, taking your belly into account. Stand up straight with your feet together.
Typically 84–130 cm33⅛–51⅛ in.
Rise (crotch depth)
Sit on a hard chair. Measure straight down at the side from the waistline to the chair seat. This measurement determines whether the pants will pull or sag at the crotch.
Usually 24–30 cm9½–11¾ in.
Pants length
Measure down the side from the waistline to your desired hem. For a knee-length skirt, about 60 cm23⅝ in; for pants, to the floor or to the ankle bone.
Skirt 40–100 cm15¾–39⅜ in, pants 90–110 cm35⅜–43¼ in, shorts 30–55 cm11¾–21⅝ in.
Pant leg width at the hem
This isn’t a body measurement — it’s your preference: the finished circumference of the pant leg at the hem. Slim pants — around 36 cm14⅛ in, straight — 44–48 cm17⅜–18⅞ in, wide — 54 cm21¼ in or more.
Usually 36–56 cm14⅛–22 in.
Fabric and how much you need
For your first pair, choose fabrics that hold their shape and don't slip: suiting with 2–3% elastane, midweight cotton, linen-viscose, medium-weight denim. For elastic-waist pants, soft fabrics are great: rayon challis, linen, lightweight corduroy.
Yardage for size M (US 8–10) with a pants length of about 100 cm39⅜ in:
| Pants | Fabric width 140 cm54 in | 150 cm60 in |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | 1.10 m1¼ yd | 1.10 m1¼ yd |
| Elastic waist | 1.55 m1¾ yd | 1.20 m1⅜ yd |
| Palazzo | 2.25 m2½ yd | 2.25 m2½ yd |
Yardage for every size is in our guide How much fabric do I need. Prewash the fabric before cutting the same way you’ll wash the pants.
Pattern
A pants pattern has two pieces: the front and back legs. The back piece is wider and higher at the crotch seam—so the pants won’t pull across the back when you bend over. Drafting it by hand takes a long time: you need to work out the crotch width, seat line, and waist balance. It’s faster to draft it in our pattern maker: enter your measurements and it gives you a full-size print-at-home PDF on A4 or Letter paper, with step-by-step sewing instructions.
You can make a ready-made pattern one size larger or smaller by slashing and spreading it along the adjustment lines, but it’s easier and more accurate to draft a new one to your measurements.
Cutting
- Fold the fabric in half lengthwise, selvage to selvage, right sides together.
- Lay out the front and back pieces so the grainline arrow—the line down the center of the pant leg—runs exactly parallel to the selvage. If you place them off-grain, the pant leg will twist around your leg.
- Trace the pieces with chalk and add seam allowances: 1–1.5 cm⅜–⅝ in for seams, 3–4 cm1⅛–1⅝ in for the hem, and follow the pattern for the casing.
- Transfer the marks: darts, notches on the inseams and side seams, pocket opening, and zipper end.
Elastic-waist pants: sewing
- Finish all raw edges except the top and bottom.
- Sew the side seams on each leg, joining the front and back pieces. Press the seams open.
- Sew the inseams on each leg.
- Turn one leg right side out and slide it inside the other leg, which is still wrong side out. Sew the crotch seam in a single pass — from the top of the front, around the curve, to the top of the back. Stitch over the curve a second time for strength, then notch the seam allowance.
- Make a casing: fold the top edge down by the width of the elastic plus 1 cm⅜ in, topstitch, leave an opening of 3–4 cm1⅛–1⅝ in, and thread the elastic through. The elastic should be your waist measurement minus 5–8 cm2–3⅛ in.
- Try them on, mark the length, and hem the bottom — folding it up twice: first by 1 cm⅜ in, then by 2–3 cm¾–1⅛ in.
Classic pants: sewing
- Finish the raw edges and sew the darts on the back panels (and on the front ones if there are any). Press the darts toward the center.
Sew the dart from the raw edge toward the point, ending right at the fold. - Sew the side seams, leaving room for the zipper in the left seam.
- Insert an invisible zipper into the left side seam. It's easier than a fly front, and from the right side the zipper is almost invisible.
Invisible zipper: sew the tape on right sides together, so no stitching shows on the right side. - Sew the inseams, then slide one leg inside the other and sew the crotch seam.
- Attach the waistband: fuse interfacing to it, sew it to the top of the pants right sides together, fold it over, and stitch it down from the inside. Finish the ends of the waistband at the zipper and sew on a hook or a button.
Waistband: sew it on, fold it over, then topstitch from the right side. - Hem the bottom with blind stitches and press the creases through a damp cloth: the front crease follows the lengthwise grain, down the center of the leg.
Fitting and fit
The first time, baste the pants with long stitches or sew them on a long stitch length and try them on before you finish the raw edges.
| What you see | What to fix |
|---|---|
| Folds under the seat | the back crotch seam is too long — scoop it deeper at the bottom or reduce the height of the back piece |
| Pants cut in at the back when you bend over | the back crotch seam is too short — raise the back waist, add to the back crotch curve |
| Diagonal folds toward the front crotch | the front crotch seam is too short or too deep — check your rise measurement |
| Gapes at the back waist | deepen the back darts or take in the center back seam |
| Too wide at the hips |
Make the changes on your pattern — the next pair will fit right from the start.