How to Make Pants With Straight Legs

Straight-leg pants are sleek, elegant and create the illusion of height.

You can make straight-leg pants from a pattern and fabric in an afternoon. You can also alter wide-leg pants to make straight-leg pants by decreasing the size of the pant leg. Unlined straight-leg pants are often made of medium-weight fabrics such as a wool or wool-blend gaberdine. Straight-leg pants are lined when they are made from lighter-weight fabrics, such as crepe. Better-quality pants and slacks made from light-weight fabrics are typically lined. Lining adds strength to the garment, and ensures modesty when pants are made from lightweight or light-colored fabrics.

Things You'll Need

• Straight-leg pants pattern
• Muslin
• Fabric
• Interfacing for waistband
• Zipper, thread and notions listed on pattern envelope
• Hand-sewing needle
• Straight pins
• Fabric scissors
• Sewing machine
• Steam iron

Instructions

1. Purchase a pants pattern with straight legs. Purchase muslin and fabric from which the pants will be sewn, as well as the notions that are noted on the pattern envelope.

2. Make a muslin version of the pants. Make alterations on the muslin before cutting your expensive fabric. Lay the pattern out on the muslin according to the pattern instructions and use straight pins to pin the pattern in place. Cut the pattern pieces in muslin.

3. Baste together the muslin version of the slacks. Basting is a large, straight hand-stitch that is performed instead of machine stitching. Baste side seams of the slacks, and then the back and crotch seams. Do not stitch the zipper area.

4. Try on the muslin version of the slacks. Ask a friend to help with the fitting and make alterations if needed. If alterations are made, use the muslin pattern piece when cutting your expensive fabric, rather than the paper pattern piece.

5. Lay out the paper or muslin pattern pieces on your expensive fabric. Pin pattern in place using using straight pins. Cut the fabric.

6. Install the zipper at the front or side of the slacks. Place right sides of the left leg together and pin to hold them together. Stitch a 5/8-inch side seam and inner-leg seam. Repeat for the right leg. Press the seams open. Finish the side seams with a large zigzag stitch.

7. Pin the crotch and back seam together. Stitch a 5/8-inch seam. Cut 1/4 inch into the curved seam in the crotch area to allow the seam to lie flat. Press the seam open. Finish the crotch and back seam with a large zigzag stitch.

8. Pin interfacing to the front portion of the waistband. Machine-stitch 1/2 inch from the edge. Trim the interfacing 1/8 inch from the outside of the stitching line. Pin the front and back of the waistband with the right sides together. Stitch a 5/8 inch seam along the sides and top of the waistband. Trim excess fabric from the corners of the waistband, turn the fabric inside out and press.

9. Pin the bottom of the waistband to the waist of the pants with right sides together. Use a sewing machine to stitch a 5/8-inch seam along the waistband. Press the seam up. Turn the waistband right-side out and hand-stitch the waistband to the slacks.

10. Turn the hem up and pin it in place. Try the pants on to confirm that the hem is the correct length. Alter the hemline if necessary, and press. Hand-stitch the hem. According to pattern directions, sew a hook and eye or button at the waist to hold the pants closed.

Tips & Warnings

• If you own wide-leg pants, you may alter them to make straight-leg pants. Turn the pants inside out. Determine how wide you wish the pant leg to be and mark the width using a vertically placed straight pin on each side of the pants leg. (You will remove an equal amount of fabric from each side). Determine where the new stitching line should end. If the pants are very wide, the stitching line may end somewhere between the hip and mid-thigh area. If the pants are narrower, the stitching line may only extend to the knee. Use a string or yard stick to create a straight line from the hem to the location where the new stitching line will end. Baste the new stitching line. Try the slacks on to confirm that the leg is the correct width and that the slacks fit correctly. Alter if necessary. Using a sewing machine, stitch new seams along the inside and outside of the leg. Try the slacks on again to confirm that they fit properly. Trim the new side seams 5/8 inch from the new stitching line. Press the seams open. Finish the seam edges with a wide zigzag stitch. Turn the hem and stitch it in place by hand.

• Be exact in all that you do. Small errors will be apparent in your finished product.

References

• "Vogue Sewing"; Vogue; 2006

Resources

• "Singer Complete Photoguide to Sewing"; Singer; 2009
• "The Sewing Book: An Encyclopedic Resource"; Alison Smith, et al.; 2009
• "The New Complete Guide to Sewing: Step-by-Step Techniques"; Reader's Digest, 2010
• Fashion Sewing Blog; How to Baste Stitch; June 9, 2011
• Otis College; Otis Fashion Sophomore Studio: Lap Zipper; October 9, 2009