Hello curvy sewing crew!
Today’s Curvy Pants Month post rounds up all of the online knowledge resources out there for sewing and fitting pants and jeans, including tutorials for specific skills, sew-alongs that may have tips or tricks relevant to any pant or jeans pattern, and online classes and videos to guide you through the pants sewing process!
We’re focusing on online resources here, but there are also tons of print and in-person resources to help you along your pants making journey, too. While you’re at it, have a look at the helpful round-up of pants sewing and fitting resources the CSC did a few years ago as part of our Season of Separates.
Did we miss your favorite pants-making resource? Let us know your go-to in the comments!
Pants Fitting Resources
Pants fitting can seem intimidating, but look at all the resources available online to help you diagnose fit issues and adjust your pattern accordingly!
General:
14 Common Pants Fitting Adjustments from Closet Case Files
Pants Fitting Basics and a Pants Fitting Cheatsheet from Colette Patterns
A DIY Pants Fitting Tutorial from Linda Lee at The Sewing Workshop
Stop Your Pants Fitting Nightmare by Sewing Artistry
Fitting Resources for Pants, Trousers and Shorts from Sewaholic
Tailored Trousers: 8 Tips to Help You Sew Pants that Fit, from Craftsy
Making Perfect Pants from New Mexico State University
Trouser Fit-n-Sew Along by Maria Denmark
Everyone Can Have Jeans That Fit by Threads Magazine
Sewing Your Own Jeans E-Book by Closet Case Files
Do Not Fear the Pant! Part 1: Beginner Pants Making with the Merchant & Mills 101 Trousers by Stitch 56
Do Not Fear the Pant! Part 2: Playing with Fit by Stitch 56
Trousers/Pants Sewing Resources and Tips by CSC
Fitting the Lazo Trouser by Thread Theory
How to Make a Stretch Pant Block by Suzy
How to Use a Stretch Pant Block by Suzy
Waist:
Tutorial: Expanding the Waist on a Pattern by Jenny
Tutorial: Full Tummy Adjustment by Michelle
Fitting Tips for a Full Abdomen by Hot Patterns
Crotch:
Video: How to Alter Crotch Length in a Pants Pattern by Professor Pincushion
Lengthening and Shortening the Crotch by By Hand London
How to Fix Camel Toe by Fashion Incubator
Crotch Curve Corrections Part 1 and Part 2 by Joy Bernhardt
Hip:
Forward Tilted Hip Adjustment by Iconic Patterns
Bum:
Flat Bottom Adjustment Tutorial on Style Arc
Flat Seat Adjustment Video, Flat Seat Adjustment with Fisheye Dart by Iconic Patterns
Full or Flat Butt Adjustments by Colette
Full or Flat Butt Adjustments by By Hand London
Legs:
Tapering or Widening Pant Legs by Threads
Fitting Thighs at Sew News
Petite/Tall Adjustments:
Making Ginger Jeans Petite by SBCC
Petite Conversion Chart by Madalynne
Pants Construction Techniques
Basic pants are not particularly difficult to construct (sew two tubes, sew tubes together), but add on all the bells and whistles like pockets, fly front zippers, belt loops, waistbands and the like, and it can seem overwhelming. Check out these resources below on various construction techniques relevant to sewing your own pants.
General:
How to sew pants leg, crotch & side seams by Style Arc
Fly Fronts and Zippers:
Video: Easy-to-sew Flat Fly-Front Zipper by Threads
Do Not Fear the Pant! Part 3: Stay Calm and Insert an Invisible Zipper by Stitch 56
How to Sew a Zipper Fly by Melly Sews
Jeans Fly Technique by Stitches and Seams
How to Sew a Fly Front Zipper with Waistband by Burdastyle
Inserting a Fly Front Zipper by Grainline Studio
Sewing Pants 101: How to Sew a Fly Front Zipper by Craftsy
How to Install a Button Fly by Closet Case Files
Fly Front Tutorial by In House Patterns
Waistband:
Tutorial: How to Give Any Stretch Pant an Elastic Waist by Gillian
Video: How to Sew an Elastic Waistband Without a Casing from Threads
Sewing a Curved Waistband by Style Arc
Slam Dunk Contour Waistband Part 1 and Part 2 by Itch to Stitch
Perfect Corners on Waistbands? Yes, You Can! by Notes from a Mad Housewife
Sewing a Waistband by Ditto Fabrics
How to Sew a Classic Waistband by Professor Pincushion
How to Sew the Perfect Waistband by By Hand London
Couture Techniques for Building a Waistband by Threads
Pockets:
Tutorial: Creating a Pocket Stay on CSC
Video: Sew a Single Welt Pocket by Threads
Single Welt Pocket Tutorial by In House Patterns
Design Your Own In-Seam Pockets by Seamwork Magazine
Horizontal Single Welt Pocket Pictorial by Erica Bunker
Video: How to Sew a Welt Pocket Opening by Threads
Tutorial: Single Layer Slash Pocket by Cookin’ and Craftin’
Side Slant Pocket Tutorial by VeryPurplePerson
How to Make a Jetted/Double Welt Pocket with a Flap by Itch to Stitch
Hemming:
Tutorial: How to Sew a Blind Hem by Colette Patterns
How to Sew a Blind Hem by Sew4Home
How to Blind Hem Stitch by Machine by Sew DIY
How to Choose the Best Hem Stitch for Your Garment by Craftsy
Blind Stitch/Slip Stitch Hem by Hand by Professor Pincushion
5 Ways to Hand Stitch a Hem by Colette Patterns
Sewing a Faced Hem by Professor Pincushion
Hardware and Topstitching:
Video: How to Install Jeans Hardware at Home by Closet Case Files
How to Insert Jeans Rivets by Taylor Tailor
Tips for Nice Jean Topstitching by Cashmerette
Topstitching Techniques by Craftsy
Tips for Better Topstitching by Threads
Pants and Jeans Sewalongs
Good news: there are a TON of pants and jeans sewalongs out there for various patterns. While you might not be sewing the same pattern as is used in the sewalong, there may still be tips and tricks applicable to your pattern contained in the sewalongs. Worth a look!
Style Arc Misty Stretch Pull-On Jeans Sewalong on Pandora Sews Plus Size Clothes
Ginger Jeans Sewalong on Closet Case Files
Liana Stretch Jeans Sewalong on Itch to Stitch
Vado Jeans Sewalong by Kelly Hogaboom
Simplicity 8222 Jeans Sewalong on Mimi G Style
Jamie Jeans Sewalong on Indiesew
Birkin Flares Sewalong on Baste + Gather
Chi-town Chinos Sewalong on Alina Sewing + Design Co.
Jedediah Pants Sewalong on Thread Theory (these are men’s pants, but many techniques are applicable to women!)
Clover Pants Sewalong on Colette Patterns
Hudson Pant Sewalong on True Bias
Ultimate Trousers Sewalong on Sew Over It
Burda Pants 7195 Video Sewalong with MimiG
Sewaholic Thurlow Sewalong on Lladybird
Trousers Fit-n-Sew Along on MariaDenmark
Sabrina Slims Sewalong on Love Notions
Online Pants Sewing and Fitting Classes and Videos
More good news: if you are a visual learner, there are also lots of pants fitting and pants construction video classes out there. Some are free, some are for purchase.
Fun With Fitting: Pants Sewing Class on Pattern Review.Com
Altering Pants with Angela Wolf on Pattern Review.Com
Sew Your Dream Jeans by Closet Case Patterns
Perfecting the Art of Pant Fitting: Construction the Easy Way on BurdaStyle Academy
Sure-Fit Designs Pants Fitting on YouTube
Ultimate Guide to Sewing and Fitting Trousers Online Class on Sew Over It
Craftsy Classes:
Plus Size Pants Fitting with Kathleen Cheetham (Michelle reviewed this class for the CSC here!)
Pant Fitting Techniques with Sandra Betzina (Izzy reviewed this class for the CSC here!)
Pant Construction Techniques with Sandra Betzina
Jeanius: Reverse Engineer Your Favorite Fit
Pant Construction Techniques: In the Details
Patternmaking + Design: The Pants Sloper
One Pattern, Many Looks: Pants
Easy Fitting the Palmer/Pletsch Way: Pants
Mastering Construction: Zippers and Waistbands
The Perfect Jeans: Fitting Techniques for Every Body
Sewing Designer Jeans with Angela Wolf
Thank you for the your time and effort to share this post.
I am a sewist. ? Newbie to jeans sewing….I am amazed by the resources here…thank you for sharing
This is brilliant! Thank you for all your hard work, an valuable resource
Scanning the newsletter email, my eyes saw “PantSMITHING Resources”.Hmmmmmm….Apropos, no?
The links to the Stitch 56, Do Not Fear the Pant series are broken. Error message: 404 Not Found
So of all the incredible resources listed, I pick the one with the broken link! LOL!
This is like a library of pants sewing how can I not try it? Thanks!
This is the most incredible, fabulous, useful list I’ve ever seen! Thank you so very much!
Thanks so much for putting this together….I have avoided pants for a long time now, but recently bought a jeans pattern. Plan to read all these links before getting started…..Wonderful tool!
Wow. Every question I had about pant making is covered here. Fantastic work being done by the folks contributing to this site. You are putting the joy back into my sewing which I had lost when my body size changed. Thank you to everyone that takes the time to contribute. Best sewing resource out there for plus size sewers.
Oh my! what a list, fantastic resources.
Looking forward to some nice gentle reading tonight.
Wow! What an incredible compendium of resources.
I am officially overwhelmed. Must set aside time to sort through
?! I was waffling whether to join the pants party- but this gives me all the hand holding I need to jump into my first pair. Thanks!
Amazingly comprehensive. Wonderful post.
I got in to a Kathy Rudy class on fitting pants at puyallup as well as the Lorraine Henry class on fitting bodices! I am over the moon. Great post and a wonderful resource for future reference. Now we all have to figure out what actually works for our own quirky body shape! Sigh……….now the work begins!
Wow! Thanks for all the great resources!!
This is amazing. Thank you
What an amazing collection of resources. Thank you so much Meg for all your hard work putting this together.
Wow, Meg! Thanks for this round up!