Instructions for the pattern “Easy-Wideleg-Trousers HE01”

We are delighted that you are interested in the pattern for our Easy Wideleg Trousers HE01 or that you have perhaps already purchased it as a paper or PDF pattern!

These easy wide-leg trousers are the result of an idea from Annika @frau.a.w. for lightweight, comfortable summer trousers.

She wanted an easy pull-on style with extra-long, wide legs, inseam pockets at the front, and a patch pocket at the back.

A 2.5 cm wide elastic is inserted into the waistband. You can also add a drawstring made from your trouser fabric or use a ready-made cord. Besides providing extra support, it also adds a lovely decorative detail.

In these instructions you will find all the information and explanations you need to sew the Easy-Wideleg-Trousers just the way you like them.

Take a look at our FAQ – there you will find answers to many questions, tips on buying fabrics and haberdashery, etc.

If your questions are not answered there or you have feedback for us, please send us an e-mail to hallo@smartpattern.de.

 

Why the instructions are only available online

We have deliberately decided to make our instructions available online only. This saves a lot of paper, because not everyone wants to use printed instructions. You can also zoom in if you can’t see something straight away or the font is too small. Of course, you can also print out the individual instructions if you wish. To do this, use the corresponding print options in your internet browser. In many browsers, it is also possible to save the respective page so that it is available offline. This means you don’t always need an internet connection while you’re sewing and you can still save yourself the trouble of printing out on paper.

Sizes and measurements

Size selection

Choose your size based on the hip measurement. The pattern provides an extra width for the hips, i.e. a difference of 6 – 8 cm between the body and finished measurements.

Body and finished measurements table

You will find a body measurement table here which you can compare with your own measurements. All measurements are given in cm! If you want to convert to inches, divide the values by 2.54.

Inch Size (width/length)	26/31	27/31	28/31	29/31	31/31	32/31	34/31	36/31	39/31	42/31	44/31	47/31	50/31	53/31	57/31	60/31
US Size	0	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28	30
UK Size	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28	30	32	34
EU Size	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62
Waistband circumference	72	75	78	81	85	89	93	99	105	111	117	123	131	138	146	153
Hip circumference	88	91	94	97	101	105	109	115	120	126	131	137	144	151	158	165
Thigh circumference	53	55	56	58	60	62	64	67	69	72	74	77	80	84	87	91
Side length to waistband topedge	100	100	101	101	101	102	102	103	103	103	104	104	105	105	106	106
Inner leg length	78	78	78	78	78	78	78	78	78	78	78	78	78	78	78	78

Click on the button for instructions on how to take the correct measurements.

You can take the finished measurements of the Easy-Wideleg trousers from the next table and decide how loose they should fit. Please note that the stretched waistband must be wide enough to fit over your strongest point, i.e. usually over your hips.

inch Größe (Weite/Länge)	26/31	27/31	28/31	29/31	31/31	32/31	34/31	36/31	39/31	42/31	44/31	47/31	50/31	53/31	57/31	60/31
US Größe	0	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28	30
UK Größe	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28	30	32	34
EU Größe	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62
1/2 Waistband circumference, flat, without elastic band	45	46	48	49	51	53	55	58	61	63	66	69	72	76	79	83
1/2 Hip circumference*	48	49	51	52	54	56	58	61	64	66	69	72	75	79	82	86
1/2 Thigh circumference	30	31	32	33	34	36	37	38	40	41	43	44	46	48	50	52
Side length to waistband topedge	103	104	104	105	105	106	106	107	108	108	109	109	110	110	111	111
Inner leg length	76	76	76	76	76	76	76	76	76	76	76	76	76	75	75	75
*Hip hight to waistband topedge	18	19	19	20	20	21	21	21	22	22	23	23	24	24	25	25

Again, all measurements are given in cm! If you want to convert to inches, divide the values by 2.54.

Product description

The Easy-WideLeg-Trousers are relaxed, comfortable trousers featuring a narrow elasticated waistband with a drawstring, a medium rise, and a dropped crotch. The wide, straight legs fall all the way to the floor in an extra-long length – if you prefer a shorter version, you can simply shorten the hem to your desired length.

Inseam pockets at the sides and a patch pocket on the right back leg give the trousers a relaxed, everyday look. Best of all, they are quick and easy to sew — a great project for anyone looking to make a new favourite piece without too much fuss.

The pattern and instructions are designed for lightweight fabrics with a soft drape, such as wool, linen, cotton, or twill.

General information

Seam allowances

Please take a close look at the seam allowances in the pattern – they may vary. We sometimes work with wider seam allowances than 1 cm so that adjustments can still be made if necessary.

Serging the cut edges

I use an overlock machine to finish the raw edges. However, you can also use a zigzag stitch or another suitable method.

Tip for narrow edge stitching

If you have a zipper foot for your sewing machine, you can use this as it rests well and provides a good guide to the edge. Of course, you can also use various other presser feet.

Tip to prevent slanted stitching

A small strip of fine sandpaper placed underneath the presser foot can help prevent uneven or slanted stitching — especially if the fabric grain is slightly off. It can also serve as an additional guide for straight topstitching.

If you are working with a very fine or delicate fabric, test this technique on a fabric scrap first to make sure the sandpaper does not damage the material.

Printing the pattern

If you buy the pattern as an ebook, you will receive two separate PDF files in A4 and A0 width format (the pattern is A0 width format, but can be longer – depending on how much space is needed for the pattern pieces). By default, all sizes are printed together, but you can also print only the required layer(s). We explain how this works in these instructions.

Fabrics and materials

You will need the following materials to sew the Easy-Wideleg-Trousers HE01. You can see approximately how much fabric you need for your size in the table below. Bear in mind that the fabric requirement may be less if it is wider than indicated in the table.

If you want to make sure you don’t buy too much fabric, it’s best to lay out the pattern with all the pieces you need on a table or the floor, mark the width of the fabric you want and measure how much fabric you need.

With patterned fabrics, you may need more to be able to use the pattern evenly.

Inch Size (width/length)	26/31	27/31	28/31	29/31	31/31	32/31	34/31	36/31	39/31	42/31	44/31	47/31	50/31	53/31	57/31	60/31
US Size	0	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28	30
UK Size	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28	30	32	34
EU Size	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48	50	52	54	56	58	60	62
Main fabric, 140 cm width	137	151	165	197	198	200	205	231	236	238	239	240	242	243	244	246
Interfacing, 90 cm width	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6
Elastic band cut length	69	72	75	77	81	85	89	94	100	105	111	116	123	130	137	144

• Outer fabric: light to medium-weight woven fabric, e.g. cotton, linen, wool, twill.
• Fusible interfacing, e.g. Vlieseline G 405
• Edging tape 1.2 or 2 cm wide, e.g. Vlieseline T12 or Vlieseline T20
• Elastic for the waistband, 2.5 cm wide, approx. 3-5 cm shorter than your body circumference at the point where the waistband sits
• if necessary, drawstring for the waistband if you don’t want to sew it yourself (approx. 40 cm longer than your hip circumference)
• 2 cord ends if necessary
• 2 eyelets to match the cord if you don’t want to sew buttonholes
• if necessary, narrow, thin woven ribbon to attach the front pocket bags
• Yarn matching your materials

We generally recommend that you wash the fabric before sewing to prevent your finished Easy-Wideleg-Trousers from shrinking later on. Therefore, wash the fabric in exactly the same way (temperature, spin cycle, etc.) as you will wash the finished garment later and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Take any shrinkage into account when purchasing the fabric! Unless otherwise stated for the respective fabric, assume an addition of 10 %, which should normally be sufficient.

If you are using a patterned fabric, you will probably need more fabric so that the pattern can be used evenly!

To prevent or reduce bleeding on colored fabrics, you can add a dash of vinegar to the washing machine or water.

What you need

Pattern pieces from main fabric

• Front (VH) – 1 pair
• Back (HH) – 1 pair
• Pocket bag front (TB VH) – 2 pairs
• Back pocket (TA HH) – 1 x for the right side
• waist strap (G) – 1 pair (or cut 1x in double length)

Pattern pieces from interlining

• Patched Pocket opening (E TA HH) – 1 x
• 2 eyelet pads, each approx. 3 cm × 2.5 cm
• for the front pocket opening: 1.2 or 2 cm wide edge or shaped tape with thread reinforcement

Paper pattern pieces

• Template for the back pocket position (P-TZ HH)
• Template for the eyelet position on the waistband (P-ZK)

Additional Materials

• 2.5 cm wide elastic band, cut length see table or approx. waist size minus 5 cm
• eyelets, cord ends or ready-made cord tape if necessary
• optional: narrow woven ribbon to connect the front pocket bags

Tools

• Pins and clips
• Safety pins for inserting elastic and binding tape
• Hand scissors
• Ruler or ironing ruler
• Tailor’s chalk or marking pen
• Needle and thread

Sewing instructions for the Easy-Wideleg-Trousers

 

1. sew the back patch pocket

 

I’ll start with the back patch pocket. It is only intended for the right back trousers. Of course, you can also sew it on both trouser parts or leave it out completely.

 

I first iron the interfacing onto the pocket opening.

 

There are two different ways to work the pocket opening. You can either first fold the cut edge over 9 mm wide and press it or immediately serge the pocket bag all the way around.

 

If you have chosen the first option, the pocket bag is now pinned right sides together at the notches and sewn with a 1 cm seam allowance. Then neaten the three open edges.

 

I reach into the resulting opening, place the seam allowance to the back with my finger and turn the pocket opening.

 

I press the seams and press the other three sides inwards with a 1 cm seam allowance. You can use the template for the back pocket as a guide.

 

Once you have decided on the second option, the opening is also pinned right sides together at the notches and sewn with a 1 cm seam allowance.

 

The pocket opening is turned and pressed.

 

I also press the other edges inwards and check the size using the template.

 

Then I topstitch the pocket opening – in the first version at 35 mm, in the second version at 45 mm from the top edge.

 

Sew on the pocket bag

 

I use the template to mark the position of the pocket on the right back trouser and pin it in place. If you also want to sew a pocket on the left back trousers, simply turn the template over and mark the position accordingly.

 

If your bag is subject to heavy use, I recommend underlaying the top corners. I have punched out two circles with a diameter of approx. 2.5 cm, which I pin to the top corners of the bag on the wrong side of the fabric so that they are well sewn in when the bag is sewn on.

 

As described in the tips above, I like to place a piece of very fine sandpaper under the presser foot to prevent the fabric layers from shifting and use the zipper foot to stitch close to the edge. You can secure the opening at the beginning and end with an approx. 6 mm long vertical or horizontal bar tack (e.g. zigzag stitch with stitch width 1.5 and stitch length 0.4).

 

I then iron the pocket again from the wrong side.

 

2. sew the inseam pockets of the Easy-Wideleg-Trousers

 

Let’s continue with the inseam pockets.

 

First, I mark the notches for the pocket openings on the wrong side of the front trouser panels.

 

Then I iron on interfacing strips. I cut the strips approx. 4 cm longer than the distance between the markings so that the top and bottom each protrude approx. 2 cm beyond the markings.

I use shaped or edging tape with a thread reinforcement and place it so that the thread reinforcement is 1 mm behind the later seam. With a 1.5 cm seam allowance, the thread reinforcement is then 1.4 cm away from the cut edge. If you have a 2 cm wide edging tape, you can place it just next to the cut edge and iron it on.

 

I then pin one pocket bag onto each of the front trousers, right sides together, making sure that the two notches match exactly. The clip in between the pocket bag marks where the “top” is.

 

I sew on the pocket bags between the markings and secure beginning and end of the seam well.

 

In this picture you can see the sewn-on pocket bag, once from the right and once from the left side of the fabric.

 

At the two markings, cut the seam allowances of the front trousers and pocket bag right up to the seam. Make sure that you do not cut into the seam.

 

Now you have to decide whether you want to sew a topstitched pocket opening or not. In the case of the not, shown in the picture above, no seam is visible from the outside. At the bottom of the picture is the topstitched pocket opening with the seam visible from the outside. The bartacks at the beginning and end of the pocket opening are sewn later.

 

Variant 1: invisibly stitched pocket opening

 

First, I’ll show you how to make a pocket with an invisibly stitched pocket opening.

 

To do this, I fold the pocket bag outwards and press the seam allowances towards the pocket bag. I place the small ends at the top and bottom towards the trousers so that I can easily see where I need to topstitch in the next step.

 

I topstitch the pocket opening between the markings or notches close to the edge.

 

Then I fold the pocket bag onto the wrong side of the front trousers, place the small ends at the top and bottom towards the raw edge and press the opening.

 

Variant 2: topstitched pocket opening

 

Alternatively, now the finish with visible stitched pocket opening.

 

Press the seam allowances open.

 

Then I fold the pocket bag onto the front trousers with the wrong sides together and press the opening.

 

I secure it with a few clips so that it doesn’t slip during topstitching.

 

Then topstitch the opening on the right side of the fabric at the desired width to the open edge.

 

Joining pocket bags

 

I will show you two different options for joining the pocket bags.

 

On the left you can see the finish with a French seam. This is a little more complicated: the seam allowance lies inside the pocket bag and is no longer visible. In the other version, the seam allowance lies open-edged in the trousers and is serged. This version is easier to work with and is nice and flat.

 

Variant 1: Pocket bag with open, serged edge

 

First, I’ll show you how to finish it with an open, serged edge.

 

To do this, place the second pocket bag right sides together on top of the pocket bag that has already been sewn in, matching the edges exactly.

 

Pin the two pocket bags together and sew them with a 1 cm seam allowance. Don’t be confused by the wider seam allowance marked in the pattern at this point — unfortunately, it cannot be avoided here. Sewing with a 1 cm seam allowance is simply much easier than stitching precisely to the ends of the pocket opening.

 

Next, serge the curved raw edges of the pocket bags together.

 

Variant 2: Sew pocket bags together with a French seam

 

Alternatively, I will now show you how to finish the pocket bags using a French seam.

 

To do this, first place the pocket bags on top of each other, left sides facing…

 

… and pin in place.

 

I sew the first seam approx. 4 mm away from the cut edge. For a clean finish, I recommend cutting back the raw edges if necessary.

 

Then I turn the pocket bag so that it is right sides together.

 

I shape the curves neatly.

 

Then I press the previously sewn seam smooth.

 

To prevent the edges from slipping, I secure them with clips.

 

Then sew the second seam with a seam allowance of approx. 6 mm. This seam should always be slightly wider than the first one so that the first seam allowance is fully enclosed inside the second seam.

 

I press the pocket bag again.

 

Here you can see the finished pocket bag with French seam.

 

Finishing the pocket bags

 

Now there are a few more preparations to make it easier to sew the side seam later.

 

First, pin the seam allowances together above and below the pocket opening, matching them evenly. Then sew a small stay stitch from the ends of the pocket opening to the raw edge to keep everything securely in place.

 

Here you can see the front trousers with the inseam pockets — on the left with visible topstitching along the pocket opening, and on the right with invisible stitching.

 

To ensure that I hit the corners of the pocket openings exactly when joining the front and back trousers later, I mark them on the right side with two pins pinned lengthwise and crosswise.

 

I transfer the crossing points of the needles onto the wrong side of the fabric using tailor’s chalk or a marker pen.

 

Then I pull the pocket opening a little away from the side seam and pin it so that I don’t accidentally sew it in place. Be careful not to distort the raw edge.

 

3. prepare the waistband of the Easy-Wideleg-Trousers

 

Before closing the leg seams, I prepare the waistband.

 

Add buttonholes or eyelets

 

I mark the center front on the upper edges of the front trouser pieces. If you didn’t transfer the notch when cutting, you can measure the distance to the cut edge in the pattern.

 

I place the template for the eyelet position with the corresponding marking for the center front on the front trousers and mark the position of the eyelets/buttonholes. These and the inserted cord will then be visible from the outside. If you prefer to have the eyelets and cord on the inside of the waistband, you need to use the template turned 180°, i.e. upside down, so to speak.

 

To transfer the marking to the wrong side of the fabric, I insert a needle exactly through the upper and lower ends of the marking.

 

Then I turn the trouser parts so that the wrong side of the fabric is on top and place an interfacing strip measuring approx. 2.5 x 3 cm over the needle marking.

 

Then I pull out the pins and iron the interfacing strips in place.

 

I chose to sew buttonholes using the buttonhole function on my sewing machine and then carefully cut them open. Of course, you can also use ready-made eyelets instead. Just make sure they are not too large, so you can still stitch the waistband in place afterwards.

 

Here you can see the finished buttonholes again from the wrong side of the fabric.

 

Press the waistband edge in place beforehand

 

Now press the folded edge in place to make finishing the waistband easier later on. First, press the edge to the width marked in the pattern — in my example, this is 4 cm from the raw edge.

 

I want the bottom edge of the waistband to be inside the waistband later. That’s why I press it over 9 mm wide.

You can also finish the waistband edge open and finish it all around later when the leg seams and center front and center back are closed. If you choose this finish, cut the seam allowance back by 0.5 cm now. I will point out the serging again at the appropriate point.

 

Now press over the previously pressed fold once more together with the folded raw edge. In the photo on the right, the pressed folds have already been unfolded again to sew the side seam.

 

Repeat the steps on the two back trouser parts.

 

I mark the opening for the elastic band on the left or right side seam at a distance of 1.2 cm from the top edge (or 0.7 cm if you have already cut off 0.5 cm in the previous step) and just above the folded edge.

 

Optional: Attach pocket bag ribbon

 

If needed, the pocket bag can be secured at the waistband edge or at the centre front to prevent it from folding back. For example, you can use a narrow woven tape and sew it onto the pocket bag within the seam allowance. The tape is then stitched into the seam allowance at the centre front or waistband.

Make sure not to sew the tape on too tightly – leave a few millimetres of ease so the pocket can move naturally.

 

4. optional: prepare the hem

 

If you are already happy with the trouser length, you can now pre-press the hems on all four trouser legs.

 

I am finishing the raw hem edges with the overlocker rather than folding them under, so I only press the hem once.

You can find the intended hem allowance in the pattern – in my example, it is 5 cm.

If you would like to turn the raw edge under, press it to the inside by 9 mm. Of course, you can also choose a wider fold if you prefer a narrower visible hem when topstitching later on.

 

5. Close the leg seams

 

The leg seams can now be closed.

 

The first step is to stretch the inner leg seam on the back trouser pieces from knee level up to the top, as this seam is slightly shorter than on the front trouser pieces. Place the iron at knee level, gently pull the upper part of the seam, and use the iron to carefully stretch the fabric while pressing.

 

If you have already pre-pressed the hem, make sure that the folded edges are exactly on top of each other during further processing.

There are various options for finishing the leg seams. I’ll show you how to serge the seam allowances on the inside and outside together and press them in one direction. Alternatively, I will then explain how to topstitch the inner leg seam from the right side and press the seam allowances apart on the outer leg seam. Of course, you can also combine both variations.

 

Variant 1: Leg seams are serged together and not topstitched

 

In the first version, I serge the leg seams together.

 

Pin the inner and outer leg seams together with the raw edges aligned, making sure to match the notches. Also align the pressed edges at the waistband and, if applicable, at the hem.

 

Here you can see the outer leg seam again with the markings for the opening through which the elastic will later be pulled in. I leave this small piece on one side when sewing the side seam.

I sew both leg seams together with the seam width specified in the pattern. For the outer leg seams, I make sure to match the previously marked corner points of the pocket openings exactly.

 

Then I serge both seam allowances of the inner leg seams together and press them in one direction.

 

I also finish the outer leg seams together and press them towards the back of the trousers. On the side with the opening for the elastic band, start neatening the seam allowances underneath.

 

Here you can see the opening through which the elastic band will later be pulled in.

 

Variant 2: Inner leg seam is overlocked, outer leg seam is pressed apart

 

If you would like to topstitch the inner leg seam, only pin this seam together for now.

 

Once again, I make sure that the cut edges and notches align.

 

I sew with the seam width specified in the pattern and finish the seam allowances together. The raw edges at the side seams are finished individually on all four trouser pieces.

 

Then I press the seam allowances in the direction of the front trousers. If you like it better, you can of course also press them towards the back of the trousers.

 

On the right side of the fabric, I topstitch the inner leg seam close to the edge on the side to which I have pressed the seam allowance, i.e. on the front trousers in my case. Again, you can of course decide for yourself how far apart you want to topstitch and whether you want to make a second topstitch seam next to the first one.

 

Then I pin the outer leg seams together and sew them, again leaving out the opening for the elastic band on one side.

 

I press the seam allowances to the back of the trousers until just below the pocket bag and press them open underneath.

 

Pressing the folded edge

 

As the pre-pressed waistband fold may have opened slightly while pressing the side seam, press it again now. If you have already pre-pressed the hem, re-press this folded edge as well.

 

6. sew pocket bartacks

 

Now I secure the top and bottom of the pockets with a bartack.

 

To do this, I first mark the top and bottom of the pocket opening on the front trousers.

 

Then sew short vertical or horizontal bartacks, for example using a narrow zigzag stitch with a width of 1.5–2 mm and a stitch length of 0.4 mm. When sewing, make sure that the pocket bags are lying towards the front trouser pieces.

 

Here you can see the finished pocket openings, with invisible stitching at the top and visible stitching at the bottom.

 

Close the center front and center back

 

If you want to press the seam allowances at the center front and center back apart, you must first neaten them individually. In this example, I am going to press them in one direction, which is why I will only neaten them after closing the seam.

The advantage of serging the seam allowances together is that the seam becomes more stable and durable overall.

If you prefer to serge the seam allowances separately, you can reinforce the crotch curve by sewing it with a triple straight stitch or by stitching the seam twice. This provides extra stability in this high-stress area.

 

For further processing, the left side of one trouser leg and the right side of the other trouser leg must be on the outside.

 

Turn one trouser leg right side out and insert it into the other trouser leg so that the right sides of the fabric are facing each other. Match the leg seams and crotch curves exactly.

 

I pin the entire seam length and make sure that the raw edges, leg seams and notches align exactly.

 

Then I sew the seam together with the seam width specified in the pattern. As I will press the seam allowances to one side, I have to finish them together.

 

I stretch the seam allowances in the area of the curves by ironing. Make sure you only stretch the seam allowances and not the seam itself.

 

Then I press the seam allowances in one direction. It can also be topstitched close to the edge from the right side, which I have not done in this example.

If you have finished the center front and center back separately, press the seam allowances apart from the waistband edge to the notch in the curve.

 

I press the folded edges in the center front and back again.

 

7. finish the waistband

 

Now the waistband can be finished. At the points where the seam allowances were pressed to one side, clip them at the folded edge just before the seam and press them in opposite directions. This helps reduce bulk where several fabric layers overlap.

 

I now press the waistband edge all the way around again. If you don’t want to fold in the bottom edge, you can now finish it all the way around.

 

Pin the waistband edge all the way around and make sure that the seams are exactly on top of each other.

 

Before topstitching the waistband, measure the finished width once again carefully.

If the lower edge has been folded under, as in this example, topstitch at a distance from the upper edge that is 2 mm less than the finished waistband width. Here, I measured a waistband width of 31 mm (40 mm from the fold line minus the 9 mm folded-under edge), so I topstitched 29 mm from the upper edge.

If the lower waistband edge has been serged instead, the stitching line should be approx. 6 mm less than the measured waistband width. For example, if the finished width measures 35 mm (40 mm from the fold line minus the 5 mm trimmed away by the overlocker), I also topstitch 29 mm from the upper edge.

Keep in mind that the elastic inserted afterwards is 25 mm wide. The stitched waistband channel should therefore be at least 28 mm wide so that both the elastic and the drawstring can pass through comfortably.

 

Now topstitch the waistband from the right side of the fabric. I use the markings on the stitch plate of my sewing machine as a guide to keep the stitching line even. You can also use an edge guide or a piece of adhesive tape as a sewing guide.

 

Here you can see that the bottom edge of the waistband has been stitched on the inside.

 

Pull in the elastic band

 

I use a safety pin attached to one end to pull in the elastic.

 

I pull the elastic into the waistband through the opening in the side seam. Make sure that the band does not twist.

 

If there are still a few centimeters sticking out, I pin the end with a pin so that I don’t accidentally pull it in.

 

Then I lay the ends on top of each other and check again that the elastic hasn’t twisted.

 

Pin the ends of the elastic together using the safety pin, then distribute the elastic evenly inside the waistband and spread the fabric evenly across the full width.

Now it’s time to try the trousers on and check whether the elastic length feels comfortable and holds the trousers at your preferred height. If you are happy with the fit, you can also check the trouser length and pin the hems in place. It’s best to wear the shoes you plan to style the trousers with later on.

 

I now pull the elastic back out of the waistband a little and sew it in place. It should overlap by approx. 2 cm. If your elastic is too long, you can cut off the extra length.

 

After the elastic has been fully pulled back into the waistband, sew the opening in the waistband closed by hand.

 

8. sew drawstring

 

I will now explain how to sew the drawstring yourself. If you are using a ready-made cord or ribbon, you can of course skip this section.

 

As I cut my drawstring in two pieces, I first need to join them into one long strip. I do this with a diagonal seam so that the seam allowances do not overlap later and the drawstring does not become too bulky in one spot.

To do this, mark the width of the fabric strip on the right side of the fabric at both short ends — in my example, this is 4 cm. On one strip, draw a diagonal line from the marking to the opposite corner.

 

Then place both strips right sides together, aligning them exactly up to the marking on the lower strip. In this example, the strips overlap by 4 cm. Next, cut through both fabric layers precisely along the marked diagonal line.

 

Both strips have diagonal ends.

 

Place the strips right sides together at a 90° angle so that the diagonal edges match up. Sew them together with a 5 mm seam allowance, which means the top and bottom edges will overlap by the same amount.

 

This is what the joined drawstring looks like after sewing.

 

I press the seam allowances apart and cut away the protruding corners.

 

I now fold the long edges towards the center of the drawstring…

 

… and press it into shape. If you have a bias tape maker in the appropriate width, you can of course use it to help with this step.

 

Then I fold the long edges twice and press.

 

First sew the ends of the drawstring, meaning the short edges. To do this, unfold the strip slightly and fold it in half at the centre with right sides together. Then fold the upper left long edge towards the wrong side into the centre of the strip, as shown here.

 

Then fold the other raw edge over it so that it lies right sides together on top of the previously folded edge. This fold can be a little fiddly, but it creates a very neat corner later on.

 

Now sew the short edges together with a 5 mm seam allowance.

 

Here you can see the finished short edge.

 

Then turn the end of the drawstring right side out and shape the corners neatly. I use a pin for this, but you can also use a point turner, small scissors, or a similar tool.

Repeat these steps for the other end of the drawstring.

 

The drawstring is topstitched along its entire length and the open edges are closed.

 

Here you can see the finished drawstring. If you like, you can also topstitch the second long side.

 

Pull in the drawstring or cord

 

I use a safety pin to pull the drawstring or cord into the waistband.

 

Insert the drawstring through one buttonhole or eyelet in the waistband and pull it out through the other opening.

 

Adjust the drawstring so that both ends are the same length. You can now knot the ends of the drawstring or attach ready-made cord ends.

 

To prevent the drawstring from slipping or one end from accidentally disappearing into the waistband, pin and stitch it in place at the centre back, sewing in the stitch line (“in the ditch”).

 

And this is what the finished waistband looks like.

 

9. finish the hem

 

If you have not yet determined the final trouser length, try the trousers on again and mark the desired length. If they are too long, trim away the excess fabric. You can find the intended hem depth in the pattern.

 

You can find instructions on how to prepare and press the hem when the leg seams are already closed here.

I decided to serge the raw edges. Of course, you can also iron them 9 mm inwards, as described for the waistband.

 

I pin the hem all the way around and again make sure that the seams meet.

 

To determine the stitching distance from the hem edge, measure the width of the hem fold. In this example, it is 5 cm.

 

Topstitch the hem from the right side of the fabric, starting and ending at the inner leg seam.

If the hem edge has been serged, the stitching line should be 5 mm less than the hem depth — in this example, 4.5 cm from the hem edge. If the hem edge has been folded under, the stitching line should be approx. 2 mm less than the width of the hem fold.

Again, I use the markings on the stitch plate of my sewing machine as a guide. Alternatively, you can use a tape marker or an edge guide.

 

Here you can see the finished topstitched hem again, once from the left and once from the right side of the fabric.

 

10. the finished Easy-Wideleg-Trousers HE01

 

Congratulations, your Easy-Wideleg-Trousers are ready!

 

Here you can see the front of the finished trousers again…

 

… and here the reverse side.

 

And this is what the trousers look like when worn.

We hope you enjoyed sewing them and are looking forward to wearing your Easy-Wideleg-Trousers! If you show them on Instagram, please link @smartpattern and use the hashtag #smartpatterneasywideleg.

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MISUSE and COMMERCIAL USE

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