Pants are probably the most versatile item in most people’s wardrobes, and many types of pants (other than tailored pants and jeans) are actually fairly easy to sew. Below, I list some of the best free PDF sewing patterns available on the internet for elastic waist, drawstring, wide leg and cargo pants.
Elastic Waist Pants
1. Elizabeth Suzann – Clyde Work Pant
The beloved slow fashion clothing brand Elizabeth Suzann announced last year that it was closing its doors, to much consternation (the New York Times even wrote an obituary for the brand). There was a silver lining though, which was that Elizabeth Suzann began offering sewing patterns for its much-loved products. The patterns were presumably originally used to produce Elizabeth Suzann’s products, so you know that they are of the highest quality.
One of the patterns available on the website is for the Clyde Work Pant, a loose, tapered pant with seams running down the front and back of the leg and large crescent-shaped pockets spanning the side of the pant leg. The pattern has received rapturous reviews, and you can see the pants that many other sewists have made from the pattern on Elizabeth Suzann’s website. You can even buy the fabrics that Elizabeth Suzann uses in-house to make its products. Best of all, the website allows you to decide how much to pay for the pattern, so you can download the pattern for free, if you wish.
The pattern is available in sizes 000-28/XXS-4XL and three length options (Short, Regular, and Tall). Unfortunately, no instructions are available from Elizabeth Suzann, but another sewing blogger has generously put together a full written tutorial walking through the construction of these pants. If you prefer watching videos, check out these video tutorials walking through sewing the Clyde Work Pant (click here and here).
2. Mood Fabrics – Primrose Pants
Mood Fabrics also offers a free pattern for an elastic waist, tapered pant, except this time with a paper bag waist. The elastic waistband is concealed with a waist tie, and this little detail gives the pant a more polished look than your average elastic waist pant. The pattern is very versatile and looks good in many different fabrications (for example, you can see on the Mood blog samples of the pant made up in linen, corduroy and lamé.
The pattern is available in sizes 0-30. Note that many sewists (including myself) find Mood patterns run large, so consider sizing down from what the size chart indicates. (Unfortunately, Mood patterns do not have finished garment measurements, so there is nothing to use as guidance on how much to size down.) There are some instructions on the blog with construction photos, though many sewists have commented that Mood’s instructions are not detailed enough for beginners to follow.
3. Fabrics-store.com – Cass Wide Leg Culottes
If you’re looking for elastic waist pants with a straight leg, the Cass Wide Leg Culottes pattern from fabrics-store.com is a great free option. These pants feature a high waist, inseam pockets and an elastic waistband with two rows of topstitching (to help secure the elastic and prevent it from shifting).
The pattern comes in sizes 0-30. There are instructions on the blog with lots of construction pics. A few people have made up the pattern already and posted the results on Fabrics-store.com’s website, so you can see how the pants look on different body types. Note that a few reviewers have suggested making the pocket bag bigger, so take that into account when determining your pattern adjustments.
Drawstring Pants
4. Martha Stewart – Drawstring Pants
If you’re looking for a pattern for a basic drawstring pajama or lounge pant, look no further than Martha Stewart’s free drawstring pant pattern. Yes, the original domestic doyenne sews drawstring pants (though I’m not sure she ever relaxes enough to wear them). The pattern features a relaxed fit and straight leg that is flattering on many body types.
The pattern comes in small, medium and large. There are written instructions and also a video tutorial where Martha walks you through the construction of the pant. (You can find both here.)
5. Birch Fabrics – Basic Yoga Pants
If you’re looking for a slightly more form-fitting drawstring pant, check out Birch Fabrics’ free basic yoga pant pattern. This pattern is designed for stable knits with a little bit of stretch, so only tackle this pattern if you’re confident sewing with stretchy fabrics. (And no, you don’t have to have a serger to sew knit fabrics. Check out my post on sewing machine settings for stretchy fabrics to learn how to configure your machine to sew knit fabrics.)
The pattern comes in sizes XS-XL. The PDF is ‘layered,’ giving you the option to remove the sizes you don’t need. There are written instructions (with construction pics) on Birch Fabrics’ blog.
6. Petite Stitchery – Adult Yoggers
For another take on a workout-ready drawstring pant, check out pattern company Petite Stitchery’s free pattern for adult joggers. These joggers are designed for knit fabrics, and they feature a waistband, optional pockets, slouchy fit and tapered leg with cuff.
The pattern comes in sizes XS-4X. The joggers can be cut full-length, capri-length or knee-length. The PDF is layered, so you can print only the size that you need. Detailed written instructions (with construction pics) are included in the PDF download.
7. Mood Fabrics – Watsonia Pants
If you want to make a more polished drawstring pant that you could wear to the office, check out Mood Fabrics’ Watsonia Pant pattern. These straight-leg pants feature a paperbag waist with drawstring detail and eye-catching slanted pockets with a flap.
This pattern comes in sizes 0-30. As noted above, Mood patterns run large, so consider sizing down. There are some instructions on the blog with construction photos, though in my opinion they don’t provide enough detail on how to construct the fly front. For a more detailed tutorial, try reading these tutorials from Pauline Alice and Closet Case Patterns.
8. Mood Fabrics – Nymania Pants
Another option for a polished drawstring pant is the Nymania Pant from Mood Fabrics. This pant features a elastic waist with drawstring detail, side seam pockets and tapered leg with cuff.
This pattern comes in sizes 0-30. As noted above, Mood patterns run large, so consider sizing down. There are instructions on the blog with construction photos.
Wide Leg Pants
9. Peppermint Mag – Wide Leg Pants
High-rise wide legged pants are once again back in style, and Peppermint Mag’s free wide leg pant sewing pattern is perfect for making your own take on the trend. These pants have a fly front, button closure, shaped waistband, curved pockets and slightly cropped length.
This pattern is definitely for the advanced beginner or intermediate sewist -- these pants feature a fly front, which can be tricky for beginner sewists, and the pants are quite fitted around the crotch area, which can lead to some tricky fit issues.
This pattern comes in sizes A-J (this translates to waist of 24-45 ½ inches and hip of 33-54 ½ inches). These pants have been well-reviewed by other sewists, who noted how well the pattern had been drafted. However, reviewers have also said that the instructions for the fly front are not very clear, so consider checking out the Pauline Alice and Closet Case Patterns fly front tutorials noted above.
10. Mood Fabrics – Ursi Ensemble
For a sleeker take on the wide leg trend, try making up the pants from Mood Fabrics’ Ursi Ensemble in a crisp suiting fabric. These pants feature a waistband, slanted pockets and cuffed legs. The silhouette is fairly classic, but the waistband on these pants is somewhat unique: the back is gathered with elastic, but the front is left smooth, which is more flattering because it doesn’t add bulk to the stomach area (where most ladies don’t want more bulk!).
This pattern comes in sizes 0-30. As noted above, Mood patterns run large, so consider sizing down. There are instructions on the blog with construction photos.
11. Mood Fabrics – Aster Pants
If you really want to push the wide-legged trend to the max, check out the Aster Pant pattern from Mood Fabrics. These super wide, pleated culotte pants look like a skirt when you’re standing still, and they are a great way to showcase a stunning printed fabric. As you can see below, the pant looks great in a floral print, and this black and white striped version (made by reddit user curvesofyourlips) also looks fantastic.
This pattern comes in sizes 0-30. As noted above, Mood patterns run large, so consider sizing down. There are instructions on the blog with construction photos.
Cargo Pants
Unfortunately, there do not seem to be any free cargo pant patterns available online, but you can make cargo pants by starting with the Petite Stitchery jogger pattern above, then adding cargo pockets using this video tutorial.
You may be wondering: what’s the difference between cargo pockets and ordinary pockets? The cargo pocket is three-dimensional because it is designed to hold a lot of stuff. This type of three-dimensional pocket is known as a “gusseted” pocket. By contrast, most other types of pockets used in ready-to-wear are flat because most ladies don’t want to add extra bulk to their figures.
Have I missed any great free pant/trouser sewing patterns? Let me know in the comments!
