I love wide-leg pants, but sometimes I want something much simpler.
A pair of pants I can pull on in the morning, wear with almost anything, and still feel like I actually got dressed.
That was the idea behind this straight leg pants sewing pattern.
The legs are slim and straight without being tight, while the elastic waistband keeps them comfortable enough for everyday wear. They look much neater than pajama pants or lounge pants, but the construction is still simple enough to make without traditional tailoring.
I also wanted this to be one of those patterns you can use more than once.
Make the first pair in cotton twill. Try linen for summer, lightweight denim for everyday wear, or fine corduroy when the weather gets colder. The shape stays simple, but the fabric can completely change the finished look.
The free PDF sewing pattern comes in 8 sizes, and I also made a complete step-by-step video tutorial to sew along with.
I would call this an advanced beginner or confident beginner sewing project. If you already know how to sew a straight seam, finish raw edges, and use a basic sewing pattern, this is a really nice first proper pair of pants.
Watch the Straight Leg Pants Sewing Video Tutorial
If you prefer seeing each step rather than only reading pattern instructions, I made a complete straight leg pants sewing video tutorial to go with this free pattern.
You can see exactly how the front pieces and back pieces come together, how I sew the front and back crotch seams, join the side seams and inner leg seams, make the elastic waistband casing, insert the elastic, check the fit, and finish the hem of the pants.
If this is your first pair of pants, I really recommend watching the video once before you start sewing.
Pants can look slightly confusing when all four pieces are lying flat on your sewing table. Once you see how the front and back of the pants connect, the construction becomes much easier to understand.
You can watch the full tutorial first or keep it open beside your sewing machine and follow along while you sew.
The video follows the same order as the written tutorial below, so you can easily switch between the two whenever you want to see a step more closely.
Straight Leg Pants Sewing Pattern at a Glance
Before cutting your fabric, here is a quick overview of this free straight leg pants sewing pattern.
Although these are fairly easy pants to sew, choosing the correct pattern size is important.
Choose your size mainly according to your hip measurement. Because there is no front zipper or other opening, the top of the pants needs to fit comfortably over the widest part of your hips before the elastic waistband gathers it into the waist.
Fit note: These are slim straight-leg pants, not leggings or skinny pants. You should still have enough ease through the hips, thighs, knees, and lower leg to sit, walk, and move comfortably.
Free Straight Leg Pants Pattern in 8 Sizes
The printable sewing pattern comes in 8 sizes, so you do not need to draft your own pants before you begin.
You will find the pattern download at the very end of this post. It is available to my subscribers, but both the subscription and the PDF sewing pattern are completely free.
Measure yourself first and compare your measurements with the size chart included with the pattern.
For this design, your hip measurement is the most important starting point.
If your waist and hips fall into different pattern sizes, choose the hip size first. The elastic waistband will adjust the waist afterward.
If printable patterns still feel a little confusing, start with my guide to printing and assembling PDF sewing patterns. It explains how to print at the correct scale, check the test square, assemble the pages, and prepare the pattern before cutting.
Before cutting into your good fabric, you can also read my beginner guide to cutting sewing patterns.
Accurate cutting makes an especially big difference with long pants because a pant leg cut noticeably off grain can twist after sewing or washing.
Choosing the Right Size and Getting a Good Fit
One of my favorite things about sewing my own pants is being able to adjust the fit instead of trying to make myself fit into a standard store size.
Start by measuring around the fullest part of your hips.
Keep the measuring tape level around your body and do not pull it tight.
Then compare your measurement with the size chart included with the sewing pattern.
I also like comparing the finished measurements with a pair of pants I already own and enjoy wearing.
Lay them flat and check the hip width, thigh, knee, lower leg, rise, and finished length.
Remember that your body measurement and finished garment measurement should not be identical. Woven pants need some wearing ease so you can move comfortably.
The crotch area is another place worth checking before cutting your final fabric.
If pants often pull upward, feel too short through the body, sag, or form strange wrinkles around the front or back crotch seam, the crotch depth may need adjusting.
I have a complete crotch depth drafting and fitting guide explaining how to measure crotch depth and why it affects the fit of pants, shorts, jumpsuits, and other garments.
It is one of those measurements that seems slightly mysterious at first, but once you understand it, a lot of common pants-fitting problems suddenly make much more sense.
Best Fabric for Straight Leg Pants
Choosing the right fabric can make the same straight leg pants sewing pattern look completely different.
For this pattern, I recommend a light- to medium-weight woven fabric.
You want enough structure to keep the straight silhouette, but not so much stiffness that the pant legs feel rigid when you walk.
| Fabric | Finished Look | Good for Beginners? |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton twill | Smooth, clean, slightly structured | Yes |
| Linen or linen blend | Relaxed, breathable, naturally textured | Yes |
| Tencel or rayon twill | Soft, fluid, dressier | Yes, but can be slippery |
| Chambray | Light, casual, easy to wear | Yes |
| Lightweight denim | Structured and durable | Yes |
| Fine-wale corduroy | Soft and cozy for fall or winter | Yes, with careful cutting |
For your first pair, cotton twill, chambray, or a linen blend will probably be easiest.
These fabrics stay reasonably stable while cutting and sewing, which makes keeping an accurate seam allowance much easier.
Lightweight denim is another good option if you want more structured casual pants.
For a softer and slightly dressier pair, try Tencel or rayon twill. The pants will have more movement, although slippery fabric requires a little more patience when cutting the front pieces and back pieces.
I would avoid very thick, rigid denim. Too much bulk around the top edge can make the elastic waistband stiff and uncomfortable.
You can also experiment with a stable ponte knit, although this sewing pattern is primarily designed for woven fabric. Because ponte stretches, expect the finished fit to feel slightly different.
How Much Fabric Do I Need?
The chart below is an estimate for full-length slim straight-leg pants.
| Pattern Size | Fabric 140–150 cm | 55–59 in Wide | Fabric 110–120 cm | 43–47 in Wide |
|---|---|---|
| Sizes 1–2 | 180 cm | 71 in | 250 cm | 98 in |
| Sizes 3–4 | 200 cm | 79 in | 275 cm | 108 in |
| Sizes 5–6 | 220 cm | 87 in | 300 cm | 118 in |
| Sizes 7–8 | 240 cm | 94 in | 330 cm | 130 in |
Add another 20–30 cm | 8–12 in if you are tall, want a deeper hem, or need to match stripes, checks, or a directional print.
If you are using corduroy or another fabric with nap, remember that all pattern pieces need to face the same direction.
And honestly, a little extra fabric is never a bad thing. I would much rather have 20 cm left over than discover I am 8 cm short while cutting the second back piece.
What You Will Need
- Printed free straight leg pants sewing pattern in your chosen size
- Light- or medium-weight woven fabric
- 2.5–3 cm | 1–1 1/4 in wide elastic
- Matching polyester thread
- Universal sewing machine needle suitable for your fabric
- Fabric scissors or rotary cutter
- Pins or sewing clips
- Tailor’s chalk or removable fabric marker
- Safety pin or elastic threader
- Measuring tape
- Iron and ironing board
- Serger, optional
You really do not need a huge sewing setup for this project.
If you are still building yours, you can see the sewing and pattern drafting tools I use for my sewing projects.
No serger? No problem. Sew the construction seams with a regular straight stitch and finish the raw edges with a zig-zag stitch.
I also have a separate tutorial showing 4 ways to finish raw edges without a serger if you want a cleaner inside finish using only a regular sewing machine.
Prepare Your Fabric and Pattern
Prewash, dry, and press your fabric in the same way you plan to wash the finished pants.
Do not skip this step with cotton, linen, denim, rayon, or another fabric that may shrink during its first wash.
Print your sewing pattern at 100% or Actual Size and check the test square before printing or assembling all the pages.
Choose your pattern size according to the included measurement chart, paying special attention to your hips.
If your waist and hips fall into different sizes, start with your hip size. You can gently blend between the pattern size lines if needed.
The pattern already includes a 1 cm | 3/8 in seam allowance, unless another measurement is marked.
Cut the Pants Pattern
Lay your fabric on a flat surface and smooth it carefully.
Place the grainline of each sewing pattern piece parallel to the fabric selvage.
Accurate grainline placement is particularly important with long pants because it helps the legs hang straight instead of twisting toward the front or back.
| Pattern Piece | Cut |
|---|---|
| Front leg | 2 mirrored front pieces |
| Back leg | 2 mirrored back pieces |
Transfer all notches, front and back markings, casing lines, and hem markings before removing the pattern.
If the right and wrong sides of your fabric look almost identical, mark the wrong side with tailor’s chalk or a tiny piece of removable tape.
Future-you, approximately twenty minutes later, will be very grateful.
How to Sew Straight Leg Pants Step by Step
The following pattern instructions use a 1 cm | 3/8 in seam allowance.
For woven fabric, use a medium-length straight stitch and finish each raw edge with a zig-zag stitch or serger.
1. Sew the Front and Back Crotch Seams
Start with the two front pieces.
Place them right sides together and carefully match the curved front crotch seam.
Pin or clip the curve.
Sew 1 cm | 3/8 in from the raw edge with a straight stitch.
Finish the seam allowances together with a zig-zag stitch or serger and press gently to one side.
Repeat the same process with the back pieces.
Place both back pattern pieces right sides together, match the back crotch seam, pin, and sew using the same seam allowance.
Finish the raw edges and press.
Try not to stretch either crotch seam while sewing. Curved fabric edges can distort quite easily, so let your sewing machine feed the fabric naturally.
You should now have one complete front of the pants and one complete back of the pants.
2. Sew the Side Seams
Place the back of the pants on your table with the right side facing upward.
Lay the joined front section over it with right sides together.
Match the top edge, hip notches, knee markings, and lower edges.
Pin both side seams from the waist all the way down to the hem.
Sew each side seam with a 1 cm | 3/8 in seam allowance.
Finish the raw edges with a zig-zag stitch or serger and press the seams toward the back.
Because the silhouette of these pants is so simple, neat side seams and good pressing make a surprisingly big difference to the finished result.
3. Sew the Inner Leg Seams
Keep the pants right sides together.
Match the inner leg seams, beginning at the center where the front and back crotch seams meet.
Pin this intersection first.
Then pin down each pant leg toward the lower edge.
Sew both inner seams using a 1 cm | 3/8 in seam allowance.
Finish the raw edges and press.
Turn the pants right side out.
They should finally look like an actual pair of pants rather than four strangely shaped pieces of fabric — always one of my favorite stages.
Check that the crotch seams meet cleanly.
This is also the perfect moment for a quick fitting before you finish the elastic waistband.
4. Sew the Elastic Waistband Casing
Turn the raw top edge of the pants 1 cm | 3/8 in toward the wrong side and press.
Fold it over again to create the elastic casing.
For 1 cm | 0.39 in elastic,
make the second fold approximately 2.5 cm| 0.98 inch or 3 cm | 1 1/4 in.
Press around the complete waist.
Pin or clip the casing and mark a 5 cm | 2 in opening, preferably near the center back.
Top stitch close to the inner folded edge.
Stop when you reach the first mark and begin again after the second mark, leaving the opening unstitched.
Try to keep this row of top stitching an even distance from the folded edge.
On a simple pair of casual pants, little details like straight stitching make the finished garment look much cleaner.
5. Insert the Elastic
Wrap your elastic around your waist at the height where you plan to wear the pants.
Adjust it until it feels secure but still comfortable when sitting.
Add approximately 2.5 cm | 1 in for overlapping the ends and cut.
Attach a safety pin or elastic threader to one end.
Feed the elastic through the casing while keeping the opposite end outside the opening.
Keep checking that the elastic remains flat and does not twist inside the waistband.
When both ends come through the opening, overlap them by approximately 2.5 cm | 1 in.
Sew them securely with a stitched rectangle and X, or several rows of zig-zag stitching.
Pull the joined elastic completely inside the casing.
Distribute the gathers evenly and stitch the opening closed.
To help stop the elastic waistband from twisting later, sew a short vertical line through the casing and elastic at both side seams.
You can also add two extra anchoring stitches toward the back if needed.
6. Hem the Pant Legs
Try the pants on before sewing the hem.
Wear the shoes you are most likely to wear with them and check the finished length in a mirror.
Turn the raw lower edge 1 cm | 3/8 in to the wrong side and press.
Fold it again approximately 1–2 cm | 3/8–3/4 in, or follow the hem allowance marked on your pattern.
Pin around each pant leg.
Top stitch close to the inner folded edge.
Do not pull the fabric while sewing.
Give the crotch seam, side seams, inner leg seams, elastic waistband, and hem of the pants one final press.
Your straight-leg pants are finished.
Small Details That Make Your Pants Look Better
- Press as you go. It really is worth it. Even very simple easy pants look much more polished when every seam has been properly pressed.
- Check the fit before hemming. Fabric weight and drape can slightly change where the lower edge falls on your body.
- Keep the grainline straight. A pant leg cut noticeably off grain can twist after washing even if every seam is sewn correctly.
- Test your elastic before cutting it. Two elastics with exactly the same width may have very different stretch and recovery.
- Do a fitting before closing the waistband. If you want to adjust the side seams or inner seams slightly, this is the easiest time to do it.
How to Style Straight Leg Pants
This might actually be one of my favorite things about this pattern.
The pants are simple enough that they do not take over the whole outfit.
They are slimmer than wide-leg pants but not tight, which means they work especially well with fitted tops, slightly oversized jackets, cardigans, sweaters, and simple tucked-in basics.
Straight Leg Pants + Fitted Turtleneck
For fall, this would probably be my first choice.
Tuck my free turtleneck sewing pattern into the elastic waistband and let the clean shape of the pants do the rest.
The fitted top balances the straight silhouette without adding bulk around the waist.
Chocolate brown pants with a warm cream, dark olive, rust, burgundy, or almost-black turtleneck would make such an easy fall combination.
Straight Leg Pants + Boxy Jacket
This is probably the combination I like most for these pants.
The slimmer straight pant leg balances the extra room of my free boxy jacket sewing pattern really well.
The jacket has a relaxed shape and tie front, so straighter pants underneath keep the complete outfit balanced instead of making everything oversized.
Add a fitted T-shirt or turtleneck underneath and almost the entire outfit can be handmade.
Straight Leg Pants + Basic T-Shirt
For something very everyday, tuck in my free T-shirt sewing pattern or just do a small front tuck.
This is probably how I would wear a cotton twill or lightweight denim pair most often.
T-shirt, straight-leg pants, sneakers or loafers, done.
Straight Leg Pants + Cardigan
A softer open layer also works really nicely with this shape.
My free cardigan sewing pattern has a relaxed open-front silhouette, so you get the coziness of a cardigan without completely hiding the clean vertical line of the pants.
Wear a fitted tank or T-shirt underneath and it becomes a very easy everyday fall outfit.
Straight Leg Pants + Sweater
Once the weather gets colder, pair them with my free sweater sewing pattern.
You can leave the sweater loose or make a small front tuck.
A slightly roomier sweater is also much easier to balance with straight pants than with another oversized bottom.
Linen Straight Leg Pants + Singlet Top
These definitely do not have to be fall pants.
Make them in linen or a light linen blend and combine them with my free singlet top sewing pattern for a simple warm-weather outfit.
Same sewing pattern, completely different wardrobe.
How Are These Different From My Other Pants Patterns?
If you already follow my sewing tutorials, you may be wondering where these fit next to my other pants patterns.
They are intentionally different.
My wide leg culottes sewing pattern has much more volume and a shorter, wider silhouette.
The high waist wide leg pants pattern is much more tailored and includes pleats, pockets, a front zipper, belt loops, and a separate waistband.
If you want to move from simple elastic-waist pants into more traditional pants construction, that is a nice project to try afterward.
My self-drafting palazzo pants tutorial goes in the opposite direction again, with a very wide flowing leg and a pattern created from your own measurements.
And the Scandi pants free sewing pattern has a much more relaxed, casual silhouette.
These straight-leg pants fill the space between all of them.
They are the pair I would choose when I want something comfortable and easy to wear but do not want a very wide or oversized shape.
Is This Straight Leg Pants Pattern Beginner Friendly?
Yes, but I would describe it as an advanced beginner or confident beginner project rather than a very first sewing project.
There are no zippers, buttons, buttonholes, separate waistband pieces, or complicated pocket bags.
You will, however, need to sew curved crotch seams, match front and back pieces accurately, sew long inner leg seams, create an elastic waistband casing, and check the fit.
If you have never sewn a garment before, start with one or two projects from my free clothing sewing projects for beginners and then come back to these pants.
If you have already made a skirt, simple top, shorts, pajama pants, or another beginner garment, you should be completely fine.
Can I Make the Pant Legs Wider?
Yes.
If you like the waist and hip fit but want a little more room through the legs, gradually add width toward the hem.
Keep the adjustment balanced between the side seam and inner leg seam so the grainline remains centered.
For a dramatically wider silhouette, though, I would use one of my dedicated wide-leg patterns rather than changing this sewing pattern so much that it becomes a completely different pair of pants.
Can I Add Pockets?
Yes.
I kept the original straight leg pants sewing pattern deliberately simple, but side-seam pocket bags would be an easy variation for another pair.
If this is your first pair, though, I would sew the original version without pockets first.
Check the fit, wear them for a while, decide if you want to change anything, and then make pair number two.
Because there is almost always a pair number two.
Do I Need a Serger to Sew These Pants?
No.
You can sew the entire project using a regular sewing machine.
Use a straight stitch for construction and a zig-zag or overcast stitch to finish the raw edges.
A serger makes seam finishing faster, but it is absolutely not required.
More Ideas for Your Next Pair
Once you know the pattern fits you well, this is a really easy design to play with.
For another pair you could:
- add side-seam pockets
- shorten them to ankle length
- make the lower leg slightly wider
- use contrasting top stitching
- make them in lightweight denim
- try linen for summer
- sew them in corduroy for fall
- make a black or dark brown pair that works with almost everything
- lengthen the hem if you usually wear pants with boots or heels
You can also make your first pair very simple and use it almost like a fitting sample for future versions.
That is one of the reasons I like basic sewing patterns so much.
Once the fit is right, you can stop thinking about the pattern and start thinking about fabric, color, and all the little changes that make the next pair feel completely different.
One Pattern, Lots of Different Pants
A simple pattern like this does not really end with the first pair.
The first version teaches you where you like the waist to sit, how much elastic feels comfortable, whether you prefer a slightly longer hem, and if you need any small fitting adjustments.
Then the second pair becomes much easier.
Make them in twill first.
Then try linen.
Or dark lightweight denim.
Or soft brown corduroy for fall.
Add pockets to another version or make the lower leg slightly wider.
That is when sewing your own pants becomes really useful, because you are no longer trying to find exactly the right pair in a store.
You already have the pattern.
And I should probably warn you about the elastic waistband.
Once you have pants that look neat but still do not have a zipper digging into you after lunch, going back becomes surprisingly difficult.
The free straight leg pants sewing pattern comes in 8 sizes, and you can use the complete video sewing tutorial near the top of this post together with the written instructions whenever you need to see a step more clearly.
Take your time with the first pair, especially when choosing the size and checking the crotch fit.
Once you know what works for your body, this can become one of those patterns you pull out whenever you need another really wearable pair of pants.
And if they somehow keep going straight from the laundry basket back onto your body instead of making it into the wardrobe…
I think we can safely call that a successful sewing project. ❤️
Happy sewing!
Straight Leg Pants Sewing Pattern for My Subscribers
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