How to Sew Your Own PJ Pants: A Step-by-Step Guide

This article is about to learn to sew PJ pants in Boulder, and we're going to go over how you can make your own pajama pants. Pj pants are a staple in most wardrobes and they come in all different styles and colors. It's time for you to make your own!

The first step is selecting the material that will become your PJs. This might seem like an obvious choice but it needs some consideration as there are many types of fabric out there such as cotton, polyester, or silk (just to name a few). The next decision is what style of PJs do you want? Do you want them to add pockets? With elastic waistbands? What color should they be? And finally, what size should they be? PJs are usually sized according to weight (which is why it's best if you measure yourself before starting this project).

Gather Your Supplies

To guarantee you get the right size, just double-check that the intended pajama wearer has a pair of pants that fit. If your nighttime companion is far away, determine the correct size and borrow some pants from someone who is that size or go to the Salvation Army and give up a pair of your increasingly valuable dollars for a damaged pair you can tear apart.

Now that you have PJs to work with, it's time to get your supplies together for this project. First of all, you will need scissors or a rotary cutter and mat . You can use pinking shears if you want the frayed look but they are not necessary in most cases. If possible leave yourself an extra half inch to an inch around the PJs you are working with (you can always cut it off later). You will also need a sewing machine, but if you don't have one at home I highly recommend taking your project in and using The Sewing Loft's.

Last Steps: Now that we've covered all of the steps necessary to sew pajama pants, we're going to go over the final steps of this project. First you will hem your material; fold it in half and iron down about a quarter inch. Fold it again so that there is now a larger double-thickness hem around the edge (about an eighth of an inch).

You can use almost any fabric that you want for this project. A shirt or blouse is fine, too. Fabric should be soft, breathable, and odor resistant. Woven cotton or flannel or jersey are all good choices. The precise quantity required will vary depending on the size of the pj pants and whether the design is oriented or not.

A right-side up print is one that faces the right way. It's a phrase, a Christmas ornament, or anything else that should only hang one direction. If you're making adult pajama pants using a directional fabric with a normal 44" width and must cut two legs upside down because the pattern can't be reversed and one leg lowered, you'll need to add an extra inch in length.

Make Your Pattern

To make the pattern, fold your trousers in half and pull the crotch as far out as possible. Flatten them as much as possible and lay them down on top of your paper. Parchment paper is a great option because it's inexpensive and large enough for most children's sizes. For adult pajama pants, I like regular rolled wrapping paper since it's lightweight and easy to store.

For PJs that are elastic at the waist, like boy's pajamas, you'll want your own pattern piece on something more substantial than paper since it needs some body for fitting purposes. Lay them out flat again on top of a sheet of sturdy material (like cardboard) and cut around them while they're still in that shape.

Pajama pants pattern pieces for PJs with a straight waistband need to have the legs cut upside down. For children-sized PJ pants, you want them about two inches longer than the person they're made for and six or seven inches wide at their widest point (the bottom).

Sewing patterns for pj pants with a straight waistband need to be the same width as the person they're made for and about two inches longer than their height (plus an extra half inch if you want them to fray). Basic garment skills are all you need to make PJ pants with a straight waistband, but they can be complicated if your sewing machine has lots of buttons and features.

Experienced seamstresses will have no trouble at all using any sort of PJ pattern in this way, though. You'll just want to use the measurements on the package for reference when making them. PJ pants are very simple to make, however. With a little practice, you'll be on your way sewing pajama pants in no time! The paper pattern is recommended for PJ patterns that require a contoured waistband.

Pajama pants pattern pieces need to be the same width as the person they're made for and about two inches longer than their height (plus an extra half inch if you want them to fray).

As you can see PJ pants are super easy to make yourself, even if you have never sewed anything before! All it takes is a little bit of time and some patience but the result is worth all of your effort. Besides who doesn't love PJs? They're comfortable, cozy, perfect for sleeping in or lounging around the house, and best of all they're homemade!

Cut Your Fabric

Fold your fabric just enough to accommodate your pattern. Pin with the longest part of the pattern right along the fold. Carefully cut around the same pattern. Then do the same thing again so you have two pieces of cut fabric.

Depending on the size of pajama pants you're making, how you fold your cloth, and where you cut it will vary. You can make toddler pajama pants using a little less than a yard of fabric and have both legs within the same width. This isn't possible with bigger sizes because the crotch makes the pattern too broad to fit twice. Non-directional fabric is ideal for PJs because you only need one leg.

Sew the Outside of the Legs

Fold the leg pieces in half and sew them together with a 3/8 inch seam allowance along the inside. I always reinforce the crotch seam by stitching a second seam outside of the first one because my sons prefer to play in their lounge pants rather than lay in them. There are more sophisticated ways to strengthen seams, but since these are lounge pants rather than work pants, I've found this to be the easiest.

Sewing the Crotch

Remove the pant legs from both trousers and slip one inside the other. Match up the side seams you just sewed and pin from there up both sides of the crotch to the waist. Sew along the crotch, pulling out the pins as you go. I use a similar method to that used on the leg seams by sewing a second seam very close to the first.

Sew the Waistband

If your gift recipient is available, it's a good moment to get fitted. You want to make sure the pants' rise is comfy. The distance between the crotch and waist is known as the rise. The height of the pants is irrelevant if they are too short. Nothing screams comfort and unworriedness like worrying about revealing your coin slot to the world!

Sew pajama pants shouldn't be a headache. If you have a little experience sewing, it should go pretty smoothly and quickly even if you've never made PJs before. There are plenty of resources to help you out with what can seem like an overwhelming task but once completed, PJ pants will definitely become your new favorite project.

Thread the Elastic and Finish the Waist

Make sure the elastic is long enough to fit around the waist of your target audience plus three or four inches more. Mark the actual waist measurement on the elastic with a Sharpie so you'll know where to sew when you're ready. Thread one end of the elastic casing through a large safety pin and above inside of the waistband, keeping it straight as you go. Then pull it through the waistband until you're several inches above where your mark is, and secure it with a knot on the inside of the pants. Stitch around entire edge of elastic to hold in place by sewing as close to its edge as possible without catching any fabric from PJs or pinching skin between stitches!

To make the design on the inside of these jeans more apparent, bunch up both legs once you've gotten them out and overlap the elastic to the sharpie mark. For added security, use a wide zig-zag stitch to sew together the elastic casing. Cut off any excess elastic and let the elastic go back into place in the waistline.

The Hemming

Finish the pants by folding the legs in half twice, as you did during your fitting, and pressing them in. Pin the hem and press it carefully. If you don't have access to a full-length mirror, compare your current pants' crotches with those on your old pair and use the leg of the old pants as a guide.

Lounge

That's all there is to it! You've finished making pajama pants. And you didn't break the bank. Now you're free to lounge about at home or put on a t-shirt and flip-flops and go for a cup of coffee at the local café where women in their fifties can tut-tut about your PJ pants. It's the best of both worlds!

PJ Pants Sewing Class

Basic sewing skills are all you need to complete this project. PJ's are a great chance for beginners and kids to practice their sewing skills, but even experienced sewers will enjoy working on PJ pants because the only parts of the task that require advanced knowledge is hemming finished product.

Learn to sew PJ pants in Boulder. PJ fabric is ideal for pajama pants because you only need one leg. Instructions on how to make pajama pants, sewing the crotch and waistband as well as finishing off hemming your new pajama pants!