How to Make Your Own Ski Pants
Making your own ski pants is an economical way to enjoy a sport that can be expensive. Sewing your own ski pants is similar to sewing a regular pair of pants, except you are sewing a one pair of pants into another. The materials used for outdoor wear are difficult to find in retail stores, so you will probably need to buy them online or get them through mail order.
Things You'll Need
- Sewing machine
- Fleece
- Waterproof clothing material
- 6-inch zipper
- Thread
- Scissors
- Tape measure
- Button
- Elastic
Instructions
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1
Measure your waist, hips, inseam, thigh circumference, around your ankle, and from the waist to your foot. You also need to measure the crotch length by placing the tape measure at your waist and drawing the tape between your legs, ending at the back waistline. Next, measure the crotch depth by sitting in a chair and measure from the side waist to the seat of the chair.
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2
Cut the pattern you want to use for your pants using your body measurements. You can use a store-bought pattern or make one of your own. You will need to cut this pattern twice, since you will be using one for the fleece material (for the insulation) and one for the waterproof material (for the outer shell of the pants). Be sure to add 2 inches to the thigh circumference and length of the pant in the waterproof material.
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3
Fold both the fleece material and waterproof material in half. Pin the first pattern to the fleece material and the second pattern to the waterproof material. Cut the material along the pattern. You should have two pieces of fleece that are identical and two pieces of waterproof material that are identical.
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4
Sew the two pieces of fleece together along the legs and crotch. Do not sew the waist or bottom part of the legs. Repeat this step with the waterproof material.
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5
Slide the pants made of waterproof material into the pants made of fleece. Align the seams of the two pants together. The waterproof material should be 2 inches longer than the fleece material. Sew the two pants together at the bottom of the pant (leaving 2 inches of waterproof material) and at the waist.
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6
Turn the pants inside out. You should be looking at the waterproof material with the fleece on the inside. Check to make sure the two parts are correctly sewn together. If they are, turn the pants back again with the fleece side on the top.
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7
Cut an 8-inch line starting at the waist line in the middle of the front side of the pants. This will be used for the zipper. Fold over 1 inch of material and sew to make a fitted waistband.
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8
Sew the zipper into the pants.
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9
Cut a button hole on one side of the waistband and sew a button on the other side of the waistband.
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10
Cut two pieces of elastic using the measurements from your ankle. Sew elastic into the bottom of each pant leg by folding over 1/2 inch of material over the elastic.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use a drawstring instead of a button for your ski pants.
References
Resources
- New Mexico State University: Making Outerwear with Down or Polyester Fiberfill
- Extreme Materials and Gear
- "Sewing Outdoor Gear"; Rochelle Harper; 2001
- Photo Credit Mike Powell/Lifesize/Getty Images
