How to Make Men's Bell Bottom Pants
Bell bottom pants, also known as flared pants, have returned to fashion to become as common as they were in the 1970s; they're in all the stores and fashion magazines, for men and women. Rather than spending money on a new pair of bell bottoms, you can convert straight leg jeans by inserting a triangular panel at the leg seam. You can make the flare as small or large as you desire. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 1 yard of fabric
- Seam ripper
- Tape measure
- Scissors
- Needle and thread
- Pins
- Iron
Instructions
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Make the flared panel on the inside or outside seam of the pants. Rip the seam up to the knee with the seam ripper; if using scissors for this, go very carefully to avoid cutting into the material of the pants. Rip to the same length on both legs; measure with a tape measure. Repeat on the same seam on the other leg.
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2
Rip open the hems at the bottom of both legs with the seam ripper or scissors and fold down the material to its full length. Hold the ripped edges apart to see how they look; start very wide and slowly bring the bottom edge of the pants together until the proportions seem right; 6 inches at the bottom makes for a good flare on the pants, although go can go wider or slimmer.
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3
Measure material for the flared insert; it can either match the pants or be something colorful and contrasting. Allow an extra 2 inches for the hem and 1/2 inch for the seams at the sides of the flare. Cut so that the flared panel tapers to a width of 2 inches at the top.
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4
Turn the pants inside out to have easier access to the seams. Lay the flared panel over the pants and arrange the flare, measuring it. Allow a 2-inch overlap of the panel at the top of the flare. Pin in place, making sure the panel extends to the full length of the pants hem. Sew along the seams with a close straight stitch along the seams. Finish with cross stitch around the edges of the insert panel.
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5
Turn the pants right-side out. Turn the hem back inside the legs. Heat up the iron and iron the hem to put a proper fold in the inset panel. Straight stitch the hem on the inside of the pants. Check your work to make sure the stitches are straight and even as you go (use a sewing machine if you have one). Put on the pants and check the look in the mirror.
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Tips & Warnings
Using colorful material for the bell bottoms can give a look that really stands out.
Sew a contrasting band of material around the hem of each leg for an authentic 1970s look.
References
- Photo Credit Ryan McVay/Stockbyte/Getty Images
