Sew-Along #17 - Children's Pants Pattern No.2 - Lesson #5

The Children's Pants Pattern No.2 by E+M Patterns

Welcome to day two of the Children's Pants Pattern No.2 sew-along.  I want to remind everyone that I am not a "professional" seamstress, nor was I formally taught.  I'm just a girl who loves fabric, sewing, and pretty much everything related to those two things.  If you have any questions, suggestions, or tips to share; please make sure to post them on our Facebook group.

Please read the Children's Pants Pattern No.2 Tutorial all the way through before you begin.  It's probably a good idea to read through this lesson once before you begin also.

If you would like to see any of the images posted in this blog larger, just click on them.  It might be helpful in some steps. 

Now, let's finish these pants!

A. Creating the Waistband

1. Cut your interfacing according the the chart located on page 9 of the tutorial.  Press your interfacing onto the wrong side of the front waistband piece.  Don't iron back and forth, just press it until it is firmly attached.

2. Place your two waistband pieces right sides together.  Using a ½" seam allowance stitch the short ends forming a loop.

3. Press open the seams.

4. With wrong sides together fold this loop in half lengthwise and press well.

5. Unfold the loop and press up one edge a ½" all around the loop.

B. Attaching the Waistband to the Pants

1. Find the center front and center back of the waistband and mark both with a fabric pen or chalk.

2. With right sides together line up the unfolded edge of the waistband to the top edge of the pants.  Pin in place.

3. Stitch together using a ½" seam allowance.  Turn your pants inside out and press the seam up towards the waistband.

4. Turn your pants back to right sides out.  Fold the waistband down.  Line up the folded edge of the waistband with the seam line you just created.  Starting at the side seams, and pinning from the outside of the pants, pin the waistband down.

 

5. Edge stitch the waistband down in the back only.  Make sure you are catching the folded edge on the inside.

6. The tutorial doesn't cover this, but I like to edge stitch the very top of my waistbands.  I feel it gives the pants a more professional look.  It's totally optional.  If you choose to do this, stitch as close to the edge as you feel comfortable.  I stitch 1/16" from the edge.

7. Create a casing in the back waistband by stitching from one side seam to the next ¾" away from the top edge of the pants.  This should be right down the middle of the back waistband.

8. Cut two pieces of elastic according to the chart found on page 7 of the tutorial.  Using safety pins thread the elastic pieces into the casings on the back of the pants. I put a safety pin on each end just to make sure if I pull too hard I can thread the elastic back out the other end.  

9. Once your elastic is in place, stitch in the ditch of the side seams to secure it.  You might want to secure the elastic on one side but only baste the elastic on the other side.  That way you can try the pants on to make sure the waist sizing it correct.  If the waist is too loose, you can pick out the basting stitches and tighten the elastic up a bit before securing it.   

Note: When I have my elastic exactly how I want it I stitch in the ditch twice on both side to make sure the stitches won't come loose in the future.

10. Edge stitch the front waistband down just like you did on the back, making sure you catch the bottom folded edge as you stitch.

C. Hemming the Pants 

Note: You might want to try the pants on before you hem.  Depending on the fit, you may need to adjust how much you hem the legs.

1. Turn your pants inside out.  Fold up the bottom hem 1" and press.  

2. Fold the raw edge in ½" and press.

3. Edge stitch the hem down.  I like to use a double row of stitches and I lengthen my stitches.

You did it!  You now have a awesome pair of pants for some lucky little boy or girl.  Congratulations and enjoy your creation!


* If you would like to enter the prize drawing, please make sure you submit a picture of your completed lesson one to the Facebook Album by 12:00 noon CT, Tuesday, October 7th.  Also, if you have any questions the Facebook Group is a great place to ask.

Thanks for sewing with me,

Danielle Storm

www.whimsicalfabric.com