Making Pants with a Yoga Waistband but no Pockets

Are you tired of pants patterns that tell you to sew up the legs, and then put one leg inside the other? I have an easier way...

Here's how I sew pants with an attached waistband but no pockets (one type of pocket instructions are here, another one is here). The pictures are not all of the same garment, but show what each step looks like (not all steps have pictures).

MAIN PART OF PANTS

1. Place the left front and left back, right sides together, sew the long seam, then do the same for the right front and right back (you may have to zoom this picture to see the difference between the layers).

2. Unfold both assemblies. Place one of the assemblies right side up. Place the other assembly right side down, on top of the other assembly. Sew the short curved lines together. One of the curved lines is mostly straight with a curve at the bottom - that's the center front seam. The other curved line is a longer, gentler curve - that's the center backseam.

3. Grab the hem end of the upper assembly at the side seam with one hand. Reach under the lower assembly with the other hand and grab the hem end of that side seam. Spread your arms out and lay it back down so that the fabric forms an upside-down Vee. You want the longer center back seam to be underneath it all, so you might have to turn it over. Pin the center front seam to the center back seam at the middle. Starting at the hem ends, pin the legs together, matching them evenly 3/4 of the way up each leg. If the lower layer (backs) seems longer, you may need to stretch the upper layer (front) to finish pinning the legs. This is the inseam, sew it now.

WAISTBAND (for elastic waistband, look here)

4. This step is done the same way as making a neckband. Stitch the short ends of the waistband together, then fold it so that one long edge is wrong side facing the wrong side of the other long edge. Match the seam and pin it there. Pin together at the exact opposite spot. Fold so the pins match, and place a pin in the folds at each end. Match any adjacent pins and place a pin in the middle. You should now have 8 pins.

5. The pants should still be inside out. At the top of the pants, match two adjacent seams and place a pin in the middle. Do this all the way around the pants.

6. Place the waistband inside the pants at the top. Matching all cut edges, place the seam of the waistband directly over the center back seam and pin through all layers. Place the next adjacent pins on top of each other. Place one finger on each side of the pins, pressing down while you remove one pin, and then pin through all layers. Place the next adjacent pin on the side seam, pin together as above, and continue all the way around. Stitch that waistband seam all the way around

HEM

7. Turn the pants right side out and try them on. Mark the length and hem the pants. An exception to this is when I have traced the pants pattern to the correct length, I hem them after step one.

Single Layer Pocket

These instructions are for a single layer side seam pocket. You only need to cut out two pocket pieces. If using a woven fabric, serge or zigzag around all pocket edges except the edge with the opening marks.

Method one, pocket opening exactly on the seam

Cut four long strips of interfacing 1" wide and 2” longer than the pocket opening, with the less stretchy direction along the length. Do the following for each pocket.

Fuse this to the wrong side of the pocket opening location on front and back.

Stitch the pocket right sides together (RST) to the back, matching the pocket opening dots or notches, but with a narrower seam allowance. Press the pocket away from the back bodice.

Stitch the side seam but with longest stitches (aka basting stitches) at the pocket opening and backstitching at both ends of the opening. Press the seam open and topstitch the front around the pocket open location.

Press the pocket towards the front. Pin and stitch around the pocket. I would use a medium zigzag stitch when topstitching on knits.

Remember to remove the basting stitches!

Also see this on my blog.

Method two, pocket opening inset

This picture represents the facing. The blue line is where the facing is along the edge of the front. The dotted line is the stitching. Read on...

Cut two facings, long strips of fabric 2" wide and 2” longer than the pocket opening, with the less stretchy direction along the length.

Cut two long strips of interfacing 2" wide and 2” longer than the pocket opening, with the less stretchy direction along the length.

Do the following for each pocket.

Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the facing.

Pin the facing to the front of the garment RST centered over the pocket opening. Stitch the top of the pocket opening from the fabric edge to 1” in, turn and stitch to the other end of the pocket opening, then turn and stitch towards the fabric edge, forming a flat U shape.

Inside the U-shaped stitching, cut diagonally into both corners, but not beyond the stitching.

Turn the facing to the wrong side of the front. Press and topstitch around the opening.

Place the right side of the pocket on the wrong side of the front, matching the pocket opening dots or notches. Pin and stitch around the pocket. I would use a medium zigzag stitch when topstitching on knits.

Here's where I used a curved opening.

I hope this helps.

Love Notions Classic Tee

I have owned this pattern for five years, and it has become a staple - in my mom's wardrobe!

My first one was a pink-striped poly-spandex from FabricmaniaBoutique on Etsy, with short sleeves for me.

My second one was coordinating blue DBP fabrics from JoAnn's with long sleeves for my mom.

My third and fourth were white jet fabric from Walmart bundles with short sleeves for my mom. I like to use variegated thread in the loopers of my coverstitch machine.

My fifth one was a mod flower print poly-lycra (possibly from JoAnn) with long sleeves for me.

My sixth one was a feather print poly-lycra (possibly from JoAnn) with long sleeves for me.

My seventh and eighth were cotton-lycra and DBP with short sleeves for my mom.

You can find the pattern here.

I will be sure to make this again, some other day!

Pocket Tissue Holder

 Here's a fun and easy project, which is great for using up woven scraps.

I made two a while ago and sent at least one to my mom.

You can see that I overlapped the ends of the opening.

I got the instructions here.

Enjoy!

Cutting out Different Ways

This post is to show different ways of cutting out patterns that are placed on fold for both front and back. Currently, this post is mostly pictures with minimal instructions, but will be updated later. All the pictures are small samples just to show the ideas.

These first pictures show ways to cut out a garment when the print is directional, ie, has a one-way pattern.

If both pieces take up less than the total folded width, the fabric can be folded from both sides and the pattern placed on both folds.

If a flare is wanted for the same situation, a long ruler can be used to add the flare if the fabric is enough.

If a wider flare is desired and there is enough fabric, the pattern pieces can be placed along the same fold and flared with a long ruler.

This set of pictures shows ways to cut out a garment when the print is not directional.

Whether or not the fabric is wide enough for both pieces to fit across from each other, this is the method I use.

One side of the fabric is folded just enough to accommodate one pattern piece, whether it's flared or not.

The other side of the fabric is also folded just enough to fit the other pattern piece. The armscyes are placed as close to each other as possible.

Here is an example with a flare added.

Here is what it looks like after cutting out.

Here is an example of adding more flare.

I will eventually add more information - later!