How to make easy kids pants
By Kathreen Ricketson, creator of whipup.net

I am always being asked how I can whip up 20 kids pants in a day. Its easy I say. They say “I could never do it”. I say anyone can. Here are the instructions. First cut a pattern from a pair of well worn favorite pants. If the pants are for a child under 7 – then the front and back can be the same.

This is what the pattern should look like. Take the pants and turn them inside out and follow the line. If you are unsure about this method, then buy a simple pattern for kids pants and alter it a little so it looks something like this…

cut it out in the fabric x2 for 2 legs.

If the fabric is plain – then to make the pants more interesting add a cuff in a bright contrasting fabric, here I have used a striped cord. Simply cut a lenght the same width as the pattern.

If you are adding a cuff, sew the cuff onto the bottom of the pants first.

Here’s a look at the cuff sewn on the pants.

Now sew the two pieces of fabric together – sewing the crotch sections first.

When the crotch sections are sewn together it should look like this.

turn it over to look like this. Sew the inside legs together starting at the crotch and sewing down the legs.

Then over lock the top and bottoms

Fold the cuff in and sew it wide so it can be turned up. If you’re not using a cuff then turn a wide hem so it can be turned up.

Here’s a pile of pants ready to be threaded with elastic.

Sew on pockets. These could also be done before the pants are put together.

Some pockets I sewed a design on ready to go on the pants

If not putting on a cuff, then an opportunity exists for some decoration, ribbon or lace looks nice on girls pants.

Now to thread the elastic. Measure out about 1.5 times the width across the front of pants.

Thread it through the top hem in the gap you have left using a large safety pin



At the end sew the elastic together and finish sewing the top down.

This project was originally posed by on Kathreen’s blog April 6, 2005