Sweat pant, Jogging Pant, PJ Pant – whatever you want to call them, if you’re making out of a knit that creates any amount of BULK, these are some ‘refinements’ that will improve your garment AND make the sewing a bit more fun and different! The pant shown below is for my almost 16 year-old grandson – something wam and cozy to wear around the house – AND these days, at home ‘virtual’ high school. Drawstring and elastic plus slim leg and cuffs all defined features. OK… ‘Nana on call’
I found this nice lofty double knit – kinda thermal in nature, at JoAnn Fabrics. I held it up to myself and bought twice the length I would need. Of course, I pre-washed the fabric!!! Having PLENTY of patterns on hand, but none with a slim leg – I opted for this old Simplicity 8022 (discontinued) one-seam pant. That makes sewing easy, but narrowing the leg a bit more challenging
From back during my retail shop days and the infamous ‘One Seam Pant’ classes I offered, I remembered that slashing the pattern 5 times, and overlapping was the way to narrow the leg. Realize…without side seams, to just narrow at the inseams wouldn’t really ‘work’. I had measurements of his favorite pants on hand from my NON-sewing daughter, so that helped. Those measurements included: *Waistband at rest* Inseam length * Side Seam length* Front Crotch length * Back Crotch length * Total width at hip – at crotch point * Circumference at lower leg – of the band at the ankle, and the width of that band. So – I slashed the pattern as shown applying the measurements I’d been given. Note that at the waistline edge, doing the slashing makes the center ‘bow’ upwards. With the crotch length info applied, you can see by the straightedge at the top, where I cut the top edge – allowing 1.5″ at the top for a turn-down casing. To change to having a 3″ wide cuff at the ankle, I cut off 2.5″ above the HEMLINE – 1/2″ seam allowance allotted for. BALANCE THE BULK The days of pressed open seam allowances are long gone – but that means lots of bulk to deal with, especially when sewing with knit fabrics. In addition, finishing edges with a serger generally finishes the seam allowances TOGETHER and pressed one direction. Therefore….note the following to BALANCE the BULK. Wherever the fabric will fold on itself (the waistline casing), or where stitching layers together (cuffs), this bulk is the challenge.
To do this, just clip right into the stitching line AT the fold line of the hem, or fold. Then, just force the seam allowance opposite directions. That way, you'll have a total of 3 layers on both sides of the seam/fold rather than SIX layers going one direction. Simple!