Women's Pants with Elasticated Waist---Free PDF Sewing Pattern and Sewing Tutorial

I have designed a sewing pattern for women's night pants (pajama pants) with elasticated waist for hip sizes 34 to 48 inches, and I wanted to share it with you all.

You can sew these pants in just 30 minutes. It's that easy.

I have made the pattern to be  printed on A4 or letter sized papers.

Click the link below to browse all the free PDF sewing patterns for women:

Free PDF Sewing Patterns for Women

Click the link below to browse all the free PDF sewing patterns for kids:

Free PDF Sewing Patterns for Kids

Click the link below to see the complete list of Free PDF Sewing Patterns for 18-Inch Dolls:

18-Inch Doll Clothes Free PDF Sewing Patterns

Download link for A4 size pattern pages:

Women's pants with elasticated waist free PDF sewing pattern---A4 size pattern pages

Pattern Assembly:

Use the below diagram as a guide to assemble the pattern pages printed on A4- or US letter-size papers.

Select the correct size according to your hip round measurement. 

*Please note: In the pattern, the front piece is on the left-hand side, and the back piece is on the right-hand side. You may have cut 2 of each. I forgot to label these.

How to Print?

Print the pages on A4-size or US letter-size papers. Make sure you have set page sizing to "Actual size" before you print the pattern.

Do not select the "Custom scale" option or the "Choose paper size by PDF page size" option.

Print Page 1 first. Measure the 1 inch x 1 inch square in this page to check whether the page has printed correctly. 

Check this tutorial on how to print and assemble the PDF pattern pages.

Once you have printed and pasted the pattern tiles together, measure the height (or length) of the pants (from waist to hemline) for the hip size you have selected. Then, measure your lower body length---from your waist to the floor. Compare these two measurements. If your body measurement is longer than the pants' length given in the pattern, add the required inches to the pants hemline to increase the length. Or, if your body measurement is smaller, mark and cut the extra inches off the pants hemline in the pattern. Then trace it onto a tracing paper, and use this pattern template to cut the pattern pieces from the fabric.

Seam and Hem allowances:

Seam and hem allowances are already included in the pattern. These are:

1 3/4 inches at the waist to make the casing for the elastic.

1/2 inch for the side seams.

3/8 inch for the crotch seam and inside leg seam (inseam).

1 1/2 inches for the bottom hem allowance.

Supplies:

1. Fabric. 

2. Measuring tape

3. Matching thread

4. Elastic Width: 1 inch wide; Elastic Length: Measure your waist circumference and subtract 1 inch for a standard fit, or 2 inches if you prefer the waistband to fit more snugly.

5. Sewing machine

6. Scissors

7. Safety pin

8. Sewing pins

9. Fabric marker or pencil

10. Serger (optional)

After printing and assembling the pattern pages, trace the pants front and back patterns on a tracing paper, and use these traced patterns to cut the patterns out from fabric. 

Now, as we have our patterns cut out from fabric, let's start sewing the pants.

How to sew?

1. Join the sides.

Serge the side, crotch, and inseam and side seam edges of each pattern piece of the pants. 

With right sides of the front and back fabric pieces facing, join the sides of the pants. 

Open the seams and press them flat.

2. Sew the center seam (crotch seam).

With right sides facing, sew the center seam or crotch seam of the front together. Stop at the bottom of the crotch seam and leave the leg part open. Repeat this step for the back as well.

3. Sew the leg seam (inseam).

Join the leg seam (inseam).

Before joining the leg seams, open the crotch seams and press them flat. Make sure that the lower edge of the crotch seam remains flat while you sew the leg seam.

4. Finish the hemline of the pants.

Fold the leg hemline 1/2 inch down the wrong side and press. 

Then fold again 1 inch down the wrong side and press.

Sew along the folded edge.

Repeat the same steps for the other leg.

5. Finish the elastic waist.

Fold the waistline 1/2 inch to the wrong side and press.

Then fold again 1 1/4 inch and press. Sew along the lower edge of the fold to create the casing for the elastic.

At the center back of the pants, leave a gap of 2 inches in the casing to insert the elastic.

Take a 1-inch-wide elastic with length equal to the waist round of the body measurement minus 1 inch or 2 inches, according to the fit you prefer. I have marked this length on the elastic.

Pin a safety pin on one end of the elastic, and feed the elastic through the casing you just created. 

Scrunch the casing to bring the elastic from the other side. When you back at the starting point, cut the elastic at the marking.

Match up the ends of the elastic, overlap the ends by about 1/2 inch, and sew them together using two or three rows of  zigzag stitches.

While closing the casing, insert a piece of ribbon or a tag at the center back and sew the gap closed, as it will help identify the back of the pants. 

And we are done!

You have made yourself a new pair of comfy pants!

You can find the step-by-step sewing tutorial with pictures here.

For your easy reference, I have organized my blog posts under the following sections. Hope it's useful to you:

Free printable PDF sewing patterns 

Pattern drafting tutorials

Sewing tutorials

These links appear at the top of my blog on the navigation bar as well.

Happy sewing!  

---Flora