Quick & Dirty Trousers


These trousers really are a lot easier to make than the instructions sound. Unfortunately, part of the pattern requires a bit of eyeballing and guess work. All I can say is, it may behoove you to have a friend help you with these pants- not just because it's easier to have someone else measure you, but to help make sure that the pieces will fit properly.


  1. Measure from your natural waist (belly button level or slightly higher) to where you want the trouser legs to finish. Add 3” and write it down (you may want to add a bit more length if you want to add a drawstring at the bottom of the legs to make the pants puff out a bit). Alternatively, you can measure the outside seam of a comfortable pair of pants, again adding 3” to the total. This is called the “out seam”.
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  3. Measure your natural waist. Divide in half, and add 5-6” to the total. Add extra if you want them very baggy/puffy.
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  5. Cut out two rectangles by the measurements: half waist X out seam
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    pants pieces 1
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  8. Measure from your natural waist to the middle of your crotch- DO NOT STRETCH THE MEASURING TAPE! Again, you can measure a comfortable pair of pants instead. Add approximately 2” to the total. We'll call this the crotch seam.
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  10. Fold the two rectangles in half lengthwise. Lay them flat against each other- fold to fold, edge to edge. Mark approximately 2” in at the waistband from the open edge side. Measure down the open edge to the length of the crotch seam measurement. Mark that spot.
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  12. Cut from the waist measurement to a few inches above the crotch seam measurement in a straight line. A few inches above the crotch seam measurement, begin to curve your cut so that the curve ends where you marked your crotch seam.
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    pants pieces 2
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  15. If possible, pin the crotch seam together and try on. If not possible, take one rectangle, and hold it against yourself- waist to waist, crotch to crotch, and try to gage whether it will fit properly. Make adjustments where necessary.
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  17. Sew the crotch edges together first. First the front, then the back (they may be different once you've adjusted).
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  19. Sew up the inseams.
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  21. Try on the trousers. If they fit (meaning, are a bit loose/puffy/baggy, but comfortable), go ahead and hem the bottoms as well as the waist. Make the hem at least ½” deep.
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  23. Poke a small hole in the front of the waist band, and one on the outside of each leg (at the hem). Coat the holes with fray check, or stitch around them to prevent tearing.
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  25. Thread a safety pin or paper clip with ribbon, leather thongs, shoe/boot laces, or twine.
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  27. Use the safety pin/paper clip as a shuttle to guide the string through the holes, through the hem/waist band, and out the hole again. This is your drawstring.