Denim Panelled Pants with Side Slits
Women's full-length wide-leg trousers in stretch denim, with slanted side pockets, flap patch pockets with a box pleat on the front, a chevron-shaped inset panel above the hem of each leg and slits at the side seams.
When To Wear
- For everyday wear with a tucked-in shirt, T-shirt or fitted knit top.
- In spring and autumn with a denim or leather jacket and flat shoes or boots.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Wide, straight legs from hip to hem.
Length: Full length.
Waist: No separate waistband: the top edge is finished with an interfaced shaped facing, with belt loops caught into the facing seam.
Closure: 20 cm zip in the centre front seam, set under a lap so the teeth are hidden, with a fly shield behind it and a button at the waist.
Pockets: Slanted side pockets with cotton pocket bags, the openings topstitched 0.2 cm from the edge. Patch pockets on the fronts with a box pleat at the centre and a rounded-corner flap with a button, topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge.
Legs: Front and back legs are each built from three parts: the main leg, a pointed inset below the knee and a lower panel. Seams pressed towards the upper leg and topstitched 0.5 cm from the seam. Side seams are left open at the hem as slits, topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge.
Back: Plain back with a double-stitched seat seam.
Finishing: Edges overlocked; hems turned up 2 cm and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Pleated patch pockets with flaps, slanted pockets, a concealed zip, a faced waist and pieced legs with even topstitching.
Fabric Recommendations
Denim with elastic fibres. Cotton lining fabric for the pocket bags.
Additional Supplies
- Cotton lining fabric for the pocket bags
- Fusible interfacing (front and back facings)
- Zip, 20 cm
- 3 buttons
Cutter's Must
From main fabric:
- Side Front Panel – 2 pieces
- Front Half – 2 pieces
- Front Inset – 2 pieces
- Lower Front – 2 pieces
- Patch Pocket – 2 pieces
- Flap – 4 pieces
- Back Half – 2 pieces
- Back Inset – 2 pieces
- Lower Back Piece – 2 pieces
- Front Right Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Left Facing – 2 pieces
- Back Facing – 2 pieces
- Belt-Loop – 1 piece
- Button Catch (fly shield) – 1 piece
From lining fabric:
- Front Pocket Bag – 2 pieces
- From fusible interfacing: Front Right Facing, Front Left Facing, Back Facing.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the Front Right Facing, Front Left Facing and Back Facing.
- Stitch the Front Inset to the Front Half and overlock the seam. Press the seam allowances towards the Front Half and topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Stitch the Lower Front to the lower edge of the Front Half and overlock the seam. Press the seam allowances and topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Place the Flap pieces right sides together in pairs and stitch around the edges. Trim the seam allowances at the rounded corners and turn the flaps right side out. Topstitch around the outer edge of the flaps 0.5 cm from the edge. Overlock the upper edge of each flap.
- Press the box pleat on each Patch Pocket (a box pleat is the reverse side of an inverted pleat). Secure the pleat with stitching 0.5 cm from the upper and lower edges of the pocket. Overlock the outer edge of the pocket and press the allowances under using the pattern piece. Topstitch the upper edge of the pocket, mark the pocket position on the Front Half and topstitch the pocket on 0.2 cm from its edge. Place the flap at the marking and stitch it on. Turn the flap down and topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Place the Front Pocket Bag on the Front Half, right sides together, and stitch along the pocket opening. Understitch the seam allowances onto the pocket bag 0.2 cm from the seam and press. Place the Front Half on the Side Front Panel, matching the marking that defines the pocket opening. Join the Side Front Panel to the Front Half along the upper and side edges with stitching 1 cm from the edge. Stitch around the pocket bag and overlock it.
- Stitch the Back Inset to the lower edge of the Back Half and overlock the seam. Press the seam allowances towards the Back Half and topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Stitch the Lower Back Piece to the lower edge of the Back Half and overlock the seam. Press the seam allowances and topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Overlock the side edges, the inseam edges and the centre front and centre back edges of the front and back legs. Stitch the side seams down to the notch that marks the slit. Press the side seams open and press back the slit allowances. Topstitch the slit allowances to the front and back legs 0.5 cm from the slit edge.
- Stitch the inseams and press them open. Stitch the centre front and centre back seam up to the zip notch. Stitch a second row along the seat seam, next to the first row of stitching.
- Press the zip opening allowances to the wrong side. Place the zip under the opening so that the teeth do not show and stitch it in. Fold the Button Catch in half lengthwise, right sides together, stitch across the short lower end, turn it right side out and press. Stitch the Button Catch to the zip seam on the left half, under the opening.
- Fold the Belt-Loop strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, align the edges and stitch 0.5–0.7 cm from the raw edges. Turn it right side out and press, with the seam either on the fold or rolled 0.1–0.2 cm to the inside.
- Stitch the side seams of the Front Right Facing, Front Left Facing and Back Facing and press them open. Overlock the lower edge of the inner facings. Place the joined outer and inner facings right sides together and stitch along the upper edge. Understitch the seam allowances onto the inner facing 0.2 cm from the seam and press.
- Cut the belt loops to length and stitch them to the upper edge of the facings at the markings. Stitch the facings to the upper edge of the trousers, catching in the belt loops. Stitch across the ends of the facings, clip the seam allowances at the corners and turn right side out. Stitch the lower edge of the inner facing in place along the facing seam.
- Overlock the hem allowance and press it to the wrong side. Topstitch the hem allowance in place.
