Sew These Comfy Pajama Bottoms for Your Family

Pajama pants are known in my house as happy pants. I am not sure how they came by this name, but they are worn to bed and also used as casual wear. It is not uncommon to see children, teens and even adults sporting them all over town. These pants are easily made up using a pair of old sweatpants as your pattern. The simple construction of pajama pants means there is no need for a fitted form and special seams.

Turn an old pair of sweatpants inside out and fold the length of them in half so that it looks like one pant leg. Lay them on a large sheet of paper. This can be newspapers taped together, old gift wrapping paper or rolled art paper. Stretch the waistband half out straight and with the aid of a partner, draw a line on the paper along the stretched waistband. Continue to trace around the side, the inseam and the crotch of the folded sweatpants. Remove the sweatpants and add a line a 1/2" bigger than the drawn sweatpants line all the way around the pattern. Make the waistband line 1 1/4" bigger than the drawn line. This will allow for adequate seam allowance and hems. Cut the pajama pattern out.

To determine how much fabric is needed, measure from the waist to the floor of each size person who will wear the pajama pants. You will be cutting four pieces of the pajama pants. You will need twice as much as the length measured and two pants pieces will be cut from each width of 45" wide fabric. Fold the fabric in four layers and pin the pattern. Cut the four pajama pieces out.

Place two pieces together with the right sides facing and match the edges. Pin the long straight outer leg seam from waist to ankle and sew using a 1/2" seam allowance. Press the seam open with an iron. Repeat for the other two pants pieces. You will now have two identical large pieces.

Lay one large piece right side up and the other piece on top,right side down. Match the edges. Pin the curved crotch section together on each side, from the waist to the bottom point of the curve. Sew both crotch sections together using a 1/2" seam allowance. Press the seams open with an iron. Hold the pants up at the waist and match one crotch seam with the other. Pin the crotch seams together between the legs. You now have a leg on each side of the pinned crotch. Pin the long inseams of each leg together. Sew a 1/2" seam allowance up one inseam, across the pinned crotch and down the other inseam.

Fold the waistband over a 1/4" and iron. Fold it over another 1 inch and press. Pin the waistband and sew to create a casing. Leave a 1" opening for the elastic to go in. Cut a piece of 5/8" wide elastic, 1 inch smaller than the waist measurement of the person who will be wearing the pajama pants. Attach a safety pin to one end and guide the elastic through the casing. Stitch the elastic ends together and sew the casing closed.

Fold each pant leg a 1/4" and iron. Fold another 1/4" and iron again. Pin the ham and sew. You can adjust the length of the handle for you sew, if needed.