DIY Velvet Wide Leg Pants Sewing Tutorial

With the holidays coming up, you'll be headed to your closet in search of something festive to wear to all of the parties! Fabrics with a little sparkle or shimmer give off the perfect holiday vibe, while soft fabrics keep you warm and cozy when it's freezing outside... why not make something perfect to wear that blends the best of both worlds?
Velvet wide leg pants are luxuriously shiny and soft looking, while also being incredibly practical for colder climates. They can be paired with a sequin top for a night out on New Years Eve, or with a plush sweater and booties for Christmas with the family. No more cold legs trying to wear a dress in the snow!
These wide leg pants could not be simpler to make. Each leg has a front a back panel, and they are connected at the top with a flattering, wide elastic waist. The velvet has stretch in it, but the elastic really helps to keep the pants snug and secure around your waist. Getting the fit just right at the inseam might take a little trial and error. The best practice is to try them on inside out and pin the sides and crotch together to adjust it before adding the waistband. You can hem these pants to be worn with flats, or consider a heeled high for booties and pumps.
Follow the instructions below to make your own pair for the holidays!

Supplies: 

• 2 yards Stretch Velvet Fabric
• 2" Wide Elastic the length of your waist
• Matching Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Scissors
• Measuring Tape
• Pins

Time:

3-4 hours

Difficulty:

Easy - Medium

LET'S GET STARTED!

1. Start out by measuring your waist, hips, and inseam. Take these measurements, fold your fabric in half the long way, and cut out your 2 FRONT, 2 BACK, and WAIST pieces. Make sure that the velvet texture is smooth going down the length of the pants.
   
   
2. Place your FRONT pieces on your BACK pieces with the right sides of the fabric touching and the sides lined up. Pin together the edges of the pant legs and sew them closed about 1/2" from the edge of the fabric.
   
   
3. Turn one of the pant legs right side out and place it inside of the other pant leg. Line up the inseams, pin them together, and sew them closed about 1/2" from the edge of the fabric.
   
   
4. Take the pant leg outside from the other one and try on the pants inside out. Make sure that the waist is fitted and that there aren't any issues with the fit of the crotch. If you feel like the fit is off, pin the fabric the way you like it and re-sew the seams. Once you have your pants fitting the way you want, finish all of your inside seams with a zig-zag stitch to secure them.
5. Take the WAIST piece and fold it in half width wise with the right sides of the fabric touching. Sew the short ends together. Then, take the fabric ring and fold the top edge down to make a donut shaped pocket. This is where the elastic will go. Stretch the elastic around your waist until it is slightly snug and pin the ends together. Sew a zig-zag stitch through it multiple times to secure it, and cut the excess elastic off.
   
   
6. Slide the elastic ring inside of the waistband ring and pin it closed to keep it secured. Line up the open edges of the waistband with the top of the pants and pin them together. Sew the waistband to the pants right along the edge of the elastic so that it cannot slide around too much inside of the pocket.
   
   
7. Try on the pants once again and cuff the pants to your desired length. Trim any excess fabric that is greater than 1" folded over. Stitch along the edge of the fabric to secure the cuff and then stitch 1/4" below it to give it a finished look.

YOU ARE ALL DONE NOW!

This Tutorial was created by Julia Bleck of Bunny Baubles Blog