Hi, I am Cyndi from bdancewear.com and I am going to show you how to take a plain pair of pants and put stripes down the sides. This is a great process if you are looking for a super dressy look. You might want to use black pants and sew a black velvet stripe on the side of the pant legs which will give the pants a tuxedo feel to it. It works really well if you want to add some additional colors to a pair of pants. A lot of boy’s pants, for example, are very simple and very plain and this would perfect for them.
Supplies:
- Pair of Pants
- Fabric or Ribbon for Stripe
- Pins
- Scissors
- Sewing Machine
- Overlock optional
Directions:
- Choosing Your Materials
The first thing to choose is the pair of pants you want to use. The next thing to choose is the fabric or ribbon you want to use for the stripe. In order to choose the fabric or the ribbon, you will first need to decide the size of the stripe you will want as the finished product. The fabric strip or the ribbon will need to be at least ½” wider than that finished stripe.
- Creating Strips
As previously mentioned, the fabric strip or ribbon needs to be at least ½” wider than the desired width of the finished stripe. This will allow for 1/4” seam allowance on both sides of the fabric strip or ribbon. The width of the seam allowance will vary depending upon whether you use material or ribbon and whether you use a regular sewing machine or an overlock. It is easiest to use ribbon because you only have to cut the length to match the length of the pants. However, you colors and widths are limited. With fabric, you have more options as to color and size but you have to not only cut the length of the strips but the width, also. (Determine the length after you have opened up the waistband and the hem.)
- Opening up Side Seams
To prepare the pants for the strip, open up the hem of the pants at the side seam of each leg. You also need to open up the casing for the elastic at the side seams of each pant leg. Then, open the seams themselves on the sides from the hem to the top of the pants. (If the pants do not have an existing side seam, lay the pants down on top of a table and carefully cut along the outside fold of the legs. Make sure that the opening is cut straight up the fold on the side of the pant legs.)
- Pinning Strips to Pant Legs
Next, turn the pants inside out so that you can sew the seams from the inside of the pant legs. Starting with one of the legs, pin the edge of the fabric strip, or ribbon, to the front edge of the opening. Make sure that the outside of the material strip or ribbon is facing the outside of the pants before pinning them together. You also want to make sure that you line up the top of the material strip, or ribbon, with the top of the pants. Sew the strip to the pants along that pinned edge.
Now, pin the strip or ribbon to the back of that same leg by lining up the other edge of the strip or ribbon to the other edge of the same opening. Again, make sure that the outside of the strip and the outside of the pant leg are facing each other. Make sure that both sides of the pant leg match up equally to the strip or ribbon. The strip, or ribbon, will then replace the seam down the outside of the leg creating a strip. Do the same to the other leg.
If you prefer, you can pin both sides of the strip on the leg at the same time and then sew both of them at the same time.
Lastly, do the same steps to the other leg.
- Finishing the Pants
The finishing step is to sew up the waistband and the hem.
If you use a regular sewing machine, use either a zigzag or stretch stitch. If you have an overlock machine, that would be the better choice. If you use a regular sewing machine, you will need a slightly wider seam allowance than if you use an overlock.
Note: When determining the size of the seam allowances, you must carefully factor in the size of the fabric strip or ribbon. If you do not determine it correctly, the pants could be too big or too little.
