Sew-Along #9 - Field Trip Pants + Tee - Lesson #6

The Field Trip Cargo Pants + Raglan Tee by Oliver+S 
*If you need to see more detail in any of the pictures please click on them to enlarge.

Day 6 - Creating the Leg, Hemming, and Making the Waistband.

Can you believe it is the LAST day already!!!  How are you doing???  I hope you are having fun and not ready to throw these pants in the trash.  Today has a little more detail work, but none of it is difficult!  And just think - at the end of this your kid-let is going to have a brand new outfit - Who is showing theirs off for Thanksgiving????

OK - at the end of yesterday you were left with two Flat Leg sections - today, we are going to transform those into PANTS!!!


Creating the Leg

• Fold the bottom edge of your pants up 1/2", press, and then again 1" and press (you are pre-marking your hem).
  
  
• Unfold your pressed hem.  
• Line up the edges of the front and back section of your leg with RIGHT sides together.
  
• Pin in place.
• Sew with a 1/2" seam allowance from the bottom edge up to the top (which will be the bottom of the crotch).
• Finish the raw edge with a serger or zig zag stitch.
  
• Press your seam allowance to the back of the pants.
  *You can top stitch this seam by sewing onto the pant leg.  Just go slowly a couple inches at a time so that nothing gets caught... this is not included in the pattern and is optional.
• Repeat on the 2nd leg.

Making PANTS!

• Leave one pants leg inside out and turn the other leg RIGHT side out.
  
• Place the RIGHT side out leg inside the INSIDE out leg, matching them up along the crotch.
  
• Pin together making sure to match up the inseams of the pants.
  
• Sew along the curve - make sure to plant your needle and pivot at the marked dot at the bottom of the front fly.
  
• Sew a second line of stitching on top of the first from the dot at the bottom for the fly to the double notches in the back - this will reinforce the crotch  and prevent the stitches from ripping out.
  
• Using a ruler or straight edge, draw a line connecting the dot at the crotch up to the notch at the top of the pants.
  
• Stitch along this line, making sure to back stitch at the dot.
  
  
• Clip the seam allowance from the bottom of the fly up to the dot.
  
• Finish the edges of the seam allowance with a serger or zig zag.
  
• Press the fly and seam allowance to the wearers left side for boys (or to the right for girls) if wanted.
  
• Run a basting stitch along the top of the fly to hold it in place.
• Top stitch along your fly - I work from the wrong side so that I can follow the stitching line.  If you work from the Right side, use a marking tool to draw your stitching line and then sew along the line.
  
• Refold your hem folds and top stitch your hem along the inside folded edge - you could also use an invisible stitch or do a running or whip stitch by hand.
  
  
  

Make your Belt Loops

• Take your belt loop section - you are going to iron this the way you would bias tape.
• Press your outer edges in to the middle.
  
• Press in half.
  
• Top stitch along both edges.
  
  
• Cut your loop strip into six 3" sections (discard any extra you have left over).
  

Attaching Your Waistband

• Lay out your waistband facing (the plaid, the solid grey is my belt loop section).
  
• Fold it in half matching the short ends and stitch together using a 1/2" seam allowance.
  
• Press the seam allowance open.
  
• Press the bottom edge of the facing up to the wrong side 1/2" (the bottom has no notches).
  
  
• Pin your belt loops in place, centered on each notch.
  
  
  
• Pin the unfolded edge of your waistband facing over the belt loops.
  
• Stitch the waistband facing and belt loops to the pants - make sure to remove the pins as you sew.
  
  
• Trim your seam allowance to 1/4" and press the seam allowance away from the pants.
  
  
• Understitch the seam allowance about 1/8" from the edge on the waistband facing.
  
• Flip the facing to the inside of the pants and press well along the seam line.
  
  
• Pin in place.
• Stitch the waistband facing starting at the front right belt loop and stopping at the front left belt loop.
  
  
  
• Take your elastic (I love that the Whimsical Fabric kits always include the notions you need like elastic or interfacing!) and cut a length approximately 2-3 inches smaller than your child's waist.  *My one pet peeve with O&S is that they do not include elastic measurements. You can always use the recommendation from another pants pattern you have, or cut it a bit long and then fit it to your child.
  
• You are going to feed your elastic through the opening left in the front between the two belt loops.  Attach a safety pin to one end and push it through.  Once you have it threaded through, stitch your ends together. 
  
  
• Stitch the opening closed from belt loop to belt loop making sure to back stitch at each end.
  
• Fold your belt loops down, turn the end under 1/4" and stitch at the waistband stitching line and 1/4" below. Make sure you back stitch so that your stitching won't unravel with wear and washing.
  

Guess what - YOUR PANTS ARE DONE!!!!  You can add an optional button to the front and you could also add buttons or snaps to your cargo pocket flaps if you feel like they are still flapping up too much.  Now go put that outfit on a child and snap a picture so that I can see!

Suzanne

*Congratulations!!  If you would like to enter the prize drawing, please make sure you submit a picture of your completed lesson to the Facebook Album by 8:00 AM CT, Tuesday, November 26nd.