Sewing Instructions – Model 81 Trousers (Supplement 341)
Supplement No. 341 – Model 81, trousers (fabric Z). Pull-on trousers with a drawstring cord at the waist, side pockets, cropped mid-calf length and wide turned-up cuffs with two buttons on the outer side. There is no zipper. The symbol next to Z means the trousers may also be made in knit or stretch fabric.
Blouse instructions (Model 81) · Back to Supplement No. 341
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What you need
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fabric for the trousers (Z) | 180 x 150 cm – 2 yd of 58/60″ wide fabric |
| Elastic, 3–4 cm (1¼–1½″) wide | your waist measurement minus about 8 cm |
| Cord for the drawstring | about 150 cm (1⅛ yd) |
| Buttons for the cuffs | 4, about 15–18 mm (⁵⁄₈″) |
| Fusible interfacing | small piece to back the two cord eyelets |
| Thread | 1 spool, matching or denim topstitching thread |
Suitable fabrics: denim or stretch denim (as shown), cotton twill, linen, or a firm stretch knit. Use a jeans needle (90/14–100/16) for denim. Pre-wash and press before cutting.
Pattern pieces and cutting
Add 1.5 cm (⅝″) seam allowance on all seams. At the leg hem, add the turned-up cuff: twice the cuff depth plus 1 cm (for a 9 cm cuff as drawn, add about 19 cm below the finished length).
| Piece | Cut | Interfacing |
|---|---|---|
| Front trouser leg | 2 | – |
| Back trouser leg | 2 | – |
| Side pocket bag | 4 | – |
| Waistband casing | 1 strip, waist + 3 cm long, 2 x elastic width + 4 cm wide | small patch behind the eyelets |
- Fold the fabric selvage to selvage, right sides together.
- Place all leg pieces with the crease line exactly on the straight grain.
- Transfer all marks: pocket openings, crotch points, knee line, finished length and cuff fold lines.
- Fuse two small interfacing patches at center front of the casing where the cord will come out.
Sewing steps
Sew right sides together with 1.5 cm seams unless noted. Finish each seam allowance with serger or zigzag right after sewing, and press every seam before crossing it with another.
- Side pockets. Sew one pocket bag to each front pocket opening, understitch, turn to the inside and press; topstitch the opening on denim. Lay the second bag on top, sew the bags together around the curve and finish the edges. Baste the pocket top to the waist and side seam.
- Crotch seams. Sew the two fronts together along the center front seam, and the two backs along the center back seam. Stitch the curves twice for strength and clip them.
- Side seams. Sew front to back along both side seams. Finish and press toward the back; on denim, topstitch if you like.
- Inner leg seam. Sew the inner leg seam in one go, from one hem through the crotch point to the other hem. Match the crotch seams exactly. Finish and press.
- Cord eyelets. On the waistband casing, make two vertical buttonholes or metal eyelets at center front, about 2 cm apart, in the outer layer only.
- Waistband casing. Sew the short ends of the casing into a ring and press the seam open. Sew it to the waist edge, right sides together, matching the seam to the center back. Fold it to the inside and stitch in the ditch from the right side, leaving 5 cm open at the back.
- Elastic and cord. Thread the elastic through the opening, overlap the ends by 2 cm and stitch them together; close the opening. Thread the cord through one eyelet, around the front half of the casing and out of the other eyelet. Knot the cord ends. Stitch through all layers at the side seams so the elastic cannot twist.
- Hem and turned-up cuffs. Finish the leg edge. Fold it up along the first fold line to the inside, then fold the cuff up to the outside along the finished length, about 9 cm deep as drawn. Tack the cuff at the side and inner leg seams.
- Cuff buttons. Sew two buttons on the outer side of each cuff, about 3 cm apart, through all layers. They hold the cuff in place and are decorative.
- Finish. Press the trousers and the cuffs flat.
Fitting tips
- Try the trousers on before sewing the cuffs and mark the finished length at mid-calf, with the shoes you will wear.
- If you use stretch fabric, cut the elastic 2–3 cm shorter so the waist stays snug.
- If the back pulls down when you sit, add 1–2 cm to the top of the back crotch curve.
- Mari Gold's beginner sew-along shows simple Lutterloh trousers step by step: Lutterloh Pants Made EASY!