– Fold fabric right sides together selvedge to selvedge and places the pattern pieces on the top all facing up.

– Align the straight grain line on the pattern piece to the grain of the fabric and pin down the pieces or use pattern weights (like I am) if you prefer. Large metal washers from any hardware shop make great patterns weights!

– Cut the fabric out round the pattern pieces (the seam allowance has already been included so you should stay as close to the line as you can).

– Cut the notches including the start of any pleats and darts (just a little snip into the fabric is fine but don’t go further than the seam allowance!) And leave the pattern pieces in place to transfer the markings.

Also cut out the interfacing using one of each (front and back) waistband pattern pieces (I’m just using a small scrap of interfacing here so it’s a good scrap buster!)

Now we need to transfer the markings from the pattern to the wrong side of the fabric… you can do this many different ways – tailors tacks, carbon tracing etc etc but the way I mark darts, pleats and any details is by putting pins straight through both layers of fabric and mark both the back and front with chalk.

[ezcol_1third]Cut notches at the top of marking and place pins upright through both layers of fabric along markings[/ezcol_1third]

[ezcol_1third]Pull back the pattern piece to mark the top of fabric as well as turning it over to mark the back side (both on wrong sides)[/ezcol_1third]

[ezcol_1third_end]Then use a ruler to join the dots and draw in the lines.[/ezcol_1third_end]

– For the pleats simply cut the notches and mark the direction of the arrows on both sides.

One of the first directions on this pattern is to finish your edges before you start sewing together- this is something I have chosen to ignore before as I like using french seams (tutorial here) or finishing the seams after in other ways but this time I thought I would stick to the guide…

– Overlock/serge the side seams and trouser hems on all four pieces without cutting off any fabric (if you do you need to make sure you take this off the seam allowance when sewing.

If you don’t have an overlocker machine you can do this using your zig zag stitch on your sewing machine instead.

TIME FOR SOME SEWING…

Change to matching thread and bobbin.

SEWING MACHINE SETTINGS:

• Normal tension (3-6)
• Straight Stitch (A)
• Normal length (2-4)
• Normal width (2-4)

ALL SEAM ALLOWANCES 1cm UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

SEWING DARTS… Place the dart marking under the foot – starting with the edge of the fabric. Back stitch and sew down dart towards tip – removing pins as you go – you can back stitch at the end into fabric or tie loose ends to stop thread unravelling.

Then press the dart towards the centre back on both sides, pulling slightly on the fabric away from the stitching line to shape around the derriere!

Pin the back waistband pieces (the ones without interfacing if you’ve already fused them) right sides together to both trouser back pieces aligning notches.

Then stitch the seam using a 1cm seam allowance.

Then press the seams up.

For my full guide to putting in an invisible zip (the quick easy way) CLICK HERE

Pin the zip in place on one side – with the top stopper aligned 1cm from the top of the waistband.

Attach invisible zip foot and sew down as far as you can to the base of the zip. You need to push/pull back the zip teeth to fit snuggly in the nook of the foot as you are sewing right next to, well underneath the teeth!

Do this on both sides- matching up the seams and top of the waistband.

Then swap to the normal zip foot to finish off the crutch seam.

With the zip done up pin along the whole crutch seam from last stitch, pulling out the zip stopper to the right and sew the seam at 1cm, overlapping with the last few of the invisible zip stitches.

Press open, avoiding ironing over the zip teeth!

Go back to using the regular sewing machine foot…

Now take the front two trouser pieces and attach right sides together (RST) at the crutch seam. Pin in place and sew at the usual 1cm seam allowance.

Press  seam open.

Pin in place along the top and press well

Baste sew in place at the top. I do this with a longer stitch length at 0.5cm.

Like with the back pieces; pin and sew the front waistband (unfused pieces) RST to the top of the front, aligning notches.

It might feel like it doesn’t fit but manipulate the wasitband to fit the trouser top curve.

Press the seam up.

With RST pin the front and back trouser leg side seams together – aligning all notches and waist seams.

Stitch together at 1cm and press open

Then pin and sew the crutch matching the centre front and centre back seams in the middle.

– Lay the interfacing with glue side up on ironing board/surface, smoothing out kinks (the problem with interfacing is you can’t iron it but if it’s really crumpled – like mine – put something heavy to press it out)

– Lay fabric with right side up on top carefully and smooth out kinks

– Place a cloth on top so the iron doesn’t get covered in interfacing glue (not fun to remove!) and press hard – hold down for about 15secs on each bit. Don’t move the iron around quickly it will move the fabric too!

– Trim off any excess interfacing.

[ezcol_1third]With RST pin the short pieces of the fused back waistband to the long front piece on both sides- matching notches[/ezcol_1third]

[ezcol_1third]Sew with 1cm seam[/ezcol_1third]

[ezcol_1third_end]Press open[/ezcol_1third_end]

Now with RST and zip open pin the fused waistband to the top of the attached unfused waistband -aligning the notches and side seams.

Also pin the fused waistband over the zip tape.

Change back to zipper foot on your sewing machine and sew with teeth in grove of foot to bottom of waistband – making sure you catch the upturned hem of the waistband and seam allowance. Do this on both sides.

Sew the rest of the wasitband at a 1cm seam all the way across from one side to the other.

Flip over the waist band to be wrong sides together – use a pin to ease out the corners and press well – pushing the tip of the tip right into the corners.

Fold over the raw edge of the waistband by 1cm and press well

Now we need to do the trickiest part… STITCHING IN THE DITCH!

To Stitch In The Ditch:

• I use a straight quilting foot for this as you can get a better straight line with it
• Gently pull apart waistband and trouser leg to sew in the fold
• Start just after zip teeth – backstitch and continue all the way to other zip side – backstitch again.
• Take it slow and try to keep the stitches in the groove where waistband meets trouser legs
• Make sure you are catching the waistband hem and seam allowance inside the waistband

VOILA!! Now just the hemming to do then you can strut your stuff in your new trousers! 🙂

At this point you can sit down with a cup of tea and get the ole needle and thread out to slipstitch the hem of the trousers but the reality of that is I can’t hand sew (like, at all!) so I have decided to show you another technique… Blind Hemming (you can still get a cup of tea- you’ve deserved it after all!)

[ezcol_1third]With trousers wrong side out turn over by your preferred hem length (mine is 1.5cm)[/ezcol_1third]

[ezcol_1third]Press in place. Turn over again by the same (1.5cm), press[/ezcol_1third]

[ezcol_1third_end]And pin along the top[/ezcol_1third_end]

[ezcol_1third]Change to your blind hem foot[/ezcol_1third]

[ezcol_1third]Turn the fold of hem over again to reveal 0.5cm of right side fabric[/ezcol_1third]

[ezcol_1third_end]Pin again swapping them to be in place to sew across[/ezcol_1third_end]

Now you probably want to remove your sewing machine detachable arm to pull the trouser leg around the machine.

Change to a blind hem stitch setting on your machine – check your manual for yours – it should look something like this…

Have a little play on a scrap piece of fabric to get the width right for your hem.

Slide the ‘lever’ of the foot under the fold of the hem like above and turn the screw to get the placing so the needle lines up on the edge. You want the big zigzag stitch to catch the fold each time so sew carefully and slowly around.

It should look something like the above…

And like this on the right side!

SO… give your trousers a good press – especially smoothing out those blind hems and…

*DRUM ROLL PLEASE*

You just made a pair of trousers that you can wear with pride!

I hope this tutorial has been helpful to you – I’d love you see your trousers so please send them my way!

Until next time…

Love and happy sewing,