How to make cargo pants

1. Materials & tools

Materials (men's M)

• Main fabric (chino, twill or ripstop) — about 110 cm wide × 220 cm (44 × 87 in)
• Flat elastic (2.5–3 cm / 1 in wide) — about 90 cm (35 in)
• Optional: snap fasteners for the pocket flaps — 2 sets

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 “Adult clothes” → “Cargo pants” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter hip, rise, inseam, hem width, side pocket width and height, ease and the waist casing. Presets cover women's M, men's M and a shorts version.
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 leg pattern, the side pockets and the pocket flaps.
2. Cut
   Cut two fronts and two backs, two pockets, and the flaps in outer and lining.
3. Finish the edges
   Serge or zigzag the crotch, side and inseam allowances.

4. Sewing

4-1. Make the pockets

1. Turn the top edge of each pocket under twice and stitch — that is the opening.
2. Press the other three edges under by 1 cm (⅜ in), folding the corners diagonally so the layers do not build up.
3. Sew each flap in outer and lining, leaving the top edge open, then turn and topstitch.

4-2. Attach the pockets

1. Position a pocket on each leg towards the side, 5–8 cm (2–3 in) below the rise so it does not dig in when you sit.
2. Topstitch the three folded edges down 2–3 mm from the edge.
3. Reinforce both top corners of the opening with a triangle or a square of stitching — that is where a patch pocket always tears first.
4. Lay a flap above each pocket and stitch straight across the top.
5. Do all of this before the legs become tubes — once the seams are sewn the presser foot cannot reach.

4-3. 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).

4-4. Sides and inseams

1. Sew both side seams, then the inseam in one run from hem to hem. Reinforce the crotch junction.

4-5. Waist and hem

1. Fold the waist edge over twice, stitch leaving a 4 cm (1½ in) gap, thread the elastic to about 85–90% of your waist, stitch the ends and close.
2. Turn the hems up twice and stitch.

✏️ Attach the pockets while the legs are still flat pieces. Once you have sewn the side and inseam, the leg is a tube and the machine arm will not reach the pocket position.

5. Tips & variations

• Measure what goes in: if the pocket is for a phone or wallet, measure it before you set the pocket size.
• Add pocket gussets: folding a pleat into the sides and base gives depth for bulky things. Fiddly, but a real difference.
• Shorts version: the shorts preset gives cargo shorts from the same pattern.