How to make baby pull-on pants

1. Materials & tools

Materials (size 80 cm)

• Main fabric (jersey, double gauze or light cotton) — about 110 cm wide × 60 cm (44 × 24 in)
• Flat elastic (1.5 cm / ⅝ in wide) — about 50 cm (20 in) for the waist
• Narrow flat elastic (0.8 cm / ⅜ in wide) — about 40 cm (16 in) for the hems
• Bodkin

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Baby” → “Baby pull-on pants” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter hip, rise, inseam, ease, crotch extension, waist casing and hem casing. Presets cover 60, 70, 80 and 90 cm.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Trace the pattern
   Trace the cut line, seam line and the crotch curve.
2. Cut
   Cut two fronts and two backs from the same pattern, flipping it for the second of each pair.
3. Finish the edges
   Zigzag or serge the allowances. Knit does not need it.

4. Sewing

4-1. Sew the crotch seams

1. Sew the two fronts together along the center front curve, then the two backs.
2. Clip the curves every 5 mm (¼ in) so they open flat.

4-2. Sides and inseams

1. Sew both side seams, then the inseam in one run from hem to hem.
2. Backstitch two or three times over the crotch junction.

4-3. Waist elastic

1. Fold the waist edge over twice to make a casing and stitch, leaving a 3 cm (1¼ in) gap.
2. Thread the 1.5 cm elastic to about 85% of the baby's waist, stitch the ends and close the gap.

4-4. Hems

1. Make a casing at each hem the same way and thread the narrow elastic.
2. Set it loosely around the calf for a soft, gathered leg — or skip the hem elastic entirely for straight legs.

✏️ The room for the nappy comes from the rise and the crotch extension. With cloth nappies, add 2–3 cm (1 in) to the rise beyond the preset. With disposables the preset is enough.

5. Tips & variations

• Loose leg elastic: a baby's legs move constantly. The hem elastic should leave no mark at all.
• Mark the back: front and back are the same shape, so a tag or a line of stitching inside the back waist saves confusion at 3 am.
• Make a set: the same fabric as a bib or a baby hat.