Here is a tutorial on how to sew pajama pants in just 2 hours!
Making pajama pants is THE project for people who want to start sewing. Indeed, it is a short project that requires little material and above all, everything can be done approximately without having exact measurements.
Table of Contents
Before you start …
What you need :
- Pencil and sheets (to draw the pattern)
- Fabric for pajama pants
- Elastic 3/4 inches wide
- Thread to match your fabric (2 bobins for those who use a twin needle)
- Twin needle (optional, but it’s quicker … and for the price it is not worth it to do without)
Material information :
Extensible or not?
For the pajama pants fabrics, I used stretch fabric with a panda motif. Stretch fabric is not necessary, since there’s an elastic at the waist. It’s more comfortable, but you can very well use fleece or any other non-stretch fabric.
Length vs width :
The width of the fabric is fairly standard, 56 or 60 inches (140 or 150 cm). However, sometimes the fabric width is smaller. Therefore, it is important to check the width and length of your pajama pants before buying the fabric.
The fabric length is the length that is requested at the cutting table. It depends on the quantity requested.
What about the grainline?
The grainline is always in the lengthwise direction of the fabric. There is an article here that explains in detail the grainline : https://www.katia.com/blog/en/grainline/. In addition to having fabrics that are truly incredible, the grainline is well explained.
Fabric length
The length of fabric needed varies depending on the size you want to make, as well as the width of the fabric you buy. For the length of fabric, you need to know the measurement between the edge of the pants and the crotch, as well as the length of the leg from the waist to the ankle.
Crotch to edge of leg measurement
In my case, the measurement between the crotch and the edge of the leg is 8½ inches. I always prefer to put a little more in case, so about 9″, which gives about 23 cm. Then, we multiply the result obtained by four 9 * 4 = 36 inches (23 cm * 4 = 92 cm ).
I also have a tutorial here that explains how to take measurements and measurements on a current piece of clothing:
The Complete Guide to Precise Sewing Measurements
Fabric width :
According to the calculation that we just did, I need a width of 36 inches to cut my two pieces of my pajama pants according to this configuration:
In case it is impossible to cut two pieces by width, the length of the necessary fabric will be double. The two pieces will be cut according to this configuration:
Waist to ankle measurement
The length is the length of the leg plus 1.5 inches. We must not forget to add the seam allowance for the edge of the pants (¾ inch) and the seam allowance for the waist elastic (which is also ¾ inch). So in my case about 90 cm. As I prefer to have a little more I would say that I need a meter of fabric for the pajama pants. This length was more than enough since I made 2 complete pajamas (long-sleeved sweater and pants) with 2 meters and I still have some fabric.
Fabric length summary :
In my case, I had to have a fabric of at least 1 meter for a fabric that has a width of 36 inches and more.
Elastic length :
For the elastic, you have two options :
- Measure the waist circumference of pajama pants that already fit or
- Measure the place where the size of the pajama will rest directly on the person with a measuring tape.
In my case, I opted for the second option, so about 27 inches (70 cm).
Now that everything is bought, we can start !
Create the pattern
Option 1: From tight pants and much too small pajama
This option is a little more complex, since there are no measures. Be confident, a simpler option is presented right after.
I made the pattern of the pajama pants from a very tight pair of pants and an old 3/4 summer pajama pants (yes I usually make my life complicated! However, the main reason why I made pajamas was that my stepdaughter has grown enormously lately and all her pajamas were too short … so I gave them to one of her friends before thinking of making her a new pajama … so I no longer had a model).
The fitted pants are used for the minimum length and width is legs, while the summer pajama for the width of the legs of a normal pajama (keeping in mind that it was too small). First step, turn the pants inside out and align the two pieces of clothing one over the other.
Then, align on the edge of the paper (to save a line to draw and cut). Trace the outline by adding the margins as illustrated. With the margins, it gives the impression of being a very precise science. However, this is an approximation to help give a quantity that can be added visibly. If it is not perfect it does not matter, after all it is pajama pants!
Option 2: From pajama of the desired size
For those who have pajama that are not too small, this step is relatively simpler than the other. We turn the model pajama inside out.
Then we fold it in half so that the legs are one over the other.
We now need to glue enough sheets together to be able to trace the folded pants (or we use a vellum roll paper which is sold in an office supplies store, which I did!).
Trace the outline by adding the width of your elastic at the waist (3/4 inch, 2 cm) and the width of the hem of the pants (also 3/4 inch).
Now that the pattern is drawn: cutting!
Cut pieces of pajama pants
Pattern
Cut the pattern.
Fabric
Cut the fabric from the pattern. To do this, we fold the fabric and align the edge of the pattern with the fold of the fabric (the cutting configuration is shown earlier in this tutorial). Then we pin the pattern to the fabric and cut it.
We repeat the same steps to have two identical legs.
Note: If you have the brilliant idea of saving time by cutting the two pieces at the same time in four thicknesses of fabric, make sure that the pattern is in the same direction for the two pieces. Otherwise, in addition to losing fabric, you will lose more time than if you had cut them one at a time … I have already made the mistake.
Elastic
As for the elastic that will go around the waist, I preferred a wider elastic (3/4 “wide), which gives a more beautiful appearance once the pajama pants are finished. For the length to cut, you have to place it around the waist and stretch it enough so that the pants hold in place, while still remaining comfortable. The length obtained is that which must be cut (in my case 20½ inches, 52 cm).
Sew the pieces of the pajama pants
Well, now is the time to sew the pants (the nicest part)! If it is mentioned to sew with a straight stitch, it must be a stretchy straight stitch if you have a stretch-fabric and a regular straight stitch for a non-stretchy fabric, except for the step of fixing the elastic.
The crotch
Sewing machine: Sew together, right sides together, the crotch, with a straight stitch. Iron with a zigzag stitch or an overcast stitch to finish the edge.
Overlock: Sew together, right sides together, the crotch, with a 3 or 4 thread overlock stitch (I like the 4 thread stitch which gives a more professional finish).
Fold the pants (always right sides together) on the dotted line.
Legs
Sewing machine: Sew together, right sides together, the two legs of the pajama pants, with a straight stitch. Iron with a zigzag stitch or an overcast stitch to finish the edge.
Overlock: Sew together, right sides together, the two legs of the pajama pants, with a 3 or 4 thread overlock stitch.
After this step, you should try on the pants to make sure that the waist is not too high. If it’s the case, just take the scissors and cut off the excess.
Note: By applying the elastic, the height of the waist will decrease by 3/4 of inches, which is the width of the elastic. Take this into consideration before cutting!
The elastic
Sewing machine: Sew the ends of the elastic together. Pin the elastic at the opening, dividing them into four equal points. Make a zigzag stitch to fix the elastic at the edge of the fabric while stretching the elastic. Thereafter, fold the fabric the width of the elastic and sew it in double straight stitch while stretching the elastic (either with a twin needle or ironing twice at the regular stitch even if you have a stretch fabric). A zigzag stitch can also be used to secure the hem, as shown in this Jalie video: Video to sew the elastic.
Overlock: Overlock the ends of the elastic together (if it is not very solid it does not matter we will stitch over it later). Pin the elastic at the opening by dividing them into four equal parts (same technique as for the sewing machine). Sew with a 3 or 4 thread overlock stitch while stretching the elastic. Make the hem by folding the fabric over the elastic and sew it in the double straight stitch sewing machine (either with a twin needle or by sewing twice with regular straight stitch while stretching the elastic). A zigzag stitch can also be used to secure the hem.
Elastic attached to the waist using an overlock stitch made with the serger
Edge of pajama pants
Sewing machine: Flip the fabric over and finish with two parallel straight stitches (with a twin needle). The twin needle allows you to have a stretch straight stitch without causing the fabric to curl. If you don’t have a twin needle, zigzag the edge, hem and sew twice in stretch straight stitch.
Overlock: For a professional finish, overlock the edges of the pajama pants. Note that for stretch fabric the differential tension must be higher than 1 (around 1.25 or 1.5). A test with a scrap fabric is ideal to know the exact tension. Flip the fabric and sew to the sewing machine with two parallel straight stitches (either with a twin needle or by sewing twice in stretch straight stitch).
There you go, the pajama pants are finished !
Fit problem
If you have followed the tutorial and are experiencing a fit problem once the garment is finished, this may be due to several factors, such as measurement errors or variations in how the fabric behaves. If that’s the case, don’t get discouraged! You can refer to the “fit problems” section in my article on sewing measurements:
The Complete Guide to Precise Sewing Measurements
In conclusion, sewing your own pajama pants can be a fun and rewarding project for sewing beginners or experienced enthusiasts. With this tutorial, you can create a comfortable and personalized pair of pajama pants that meets your needs and preferences. Happy sewing!
