Cropped Pants with Adjustable Side Tabs with Buckle
Cropped pants featuring a distinctive curved front panel design, a shaped faced waistband with belt loops, a two-button zip fly and optional side tabs with buckles on the lower legs.
When To Wear
These versatile cropped pants are perfect for:
- Casual Everyday Wear: Offering a comfortable yet stylish option for daily activities and errands.
- Spring & Summer Outings: Ideal for warmer weather, suitable for various social gatherings or leisurely strolls.
- Fashion-Forward Casual Look: The unique design elements make these pants a statement piece for a trendy, relaxed aesthetic.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: a comfortable, relaxed fit with a straight-leg silhouette, cropped length.
Waist: Shaped waistband made from front and back facings, with belt loops, secured with a two-button closure.
Front: Each front leg is made of three panels (upper, middle and side) joined with curved design seams, enhanced with decorative topstitching.
Closure: a classic zipper fly front, complemented by two buttons on the waistband.
Side Tabs: Optional tab with a buckle stitched onto each side seam on the lower leg, as shown in the technical drawing (cut to your own size; not included as a pattern piece).
Hem: Cropped length, finished with a turned-up, topstitched hem.
Back: Clean back design with a centre back seam, darts for shaping and belt loops on the waistband.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. This pattern requires skills in zipper fly insertion, sewing curved seams with precision topstitching, and attaching a faced waistband.
Fabric Recommendations
Choose woven fabrics with some stretch for comfort and structure:
- Stretch denim
- Stretch twill
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing
- 1 zipper
- 2 buttons
- 2 buckles (optional, for the side tabs)
Cutter's Must
- From main fabric:
- Front Right Facing – 2 pieces
- Front Left Facing – 2 pieces
- Back Facing – 2 pieces
- Upper Front Half – 2 pieces
- Middle Front Half – 2 pieces
- Side Front Half – 2 pieces
- Back Half – 2 pieces
- Belt-Loop – 1 piece
- Button Catch – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing: Front Right Facing, Front Left Facing, Back Facing, Button Catch.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse interfacing to the back facing, the front right and left facings and the button catch.
- Stitch the upper, middle and side front half pieces together. Overlock the seams and press the allowances to one side. Topstitch 0.5 cm from the panel seams on the front half.
- Mark and stitch the darts on the back half. Stitch the side seams of the front and back facings. Press the seams open.
- Overlock the side edges and inseam edges of the front and back halves and the front and back crotch edges. Stitch the side seams of the front and back halves. Press the side seams open.
- Stitch the inseams and press them open. Stitch the crotch seam (front and centre back) up to the zipper notch. Stitch a second line along the seat seam next to the first stitching line.
- Press the grown-on zipper facings to the wrong side. Stitch the zipper under the folded edge of the left zipper allowance, close to the edge. Stitch the free zipper tape to the grown-on facing of the right half. Fold the button catch (fly shield) in half lengthwise and stitch the short lower end. Stitch the grown-on zipper facing to the button catch on the left pant half. Topstitch the right side of the fly opening, catching the facing.
- Place the facing sets right sides together and stitch the upper edge. Understitch the seam allowance onto the lower (inner) facing 0.2 cm from the seam, stopping 3 cm from the ends. Turn the facings right side out and press.
- Fold the belt-loop strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, align the edges and stitch 0.5–0.7 cm from the edges. Turn it out, place the seam on the fold or roll it 0.1–0.2 cm to the inside, and press.
- Overlock the lower edge of the inner facings. Cut the belt loops to length. Mark the belt loop placement and attach the belt loops to the lower edge of the outer facings. Attach the facings to the upper edge of the pants, matching the side seams. Stitch the ends of the facings. Trim the allowances at the corners, turn out and press. Topstitch the overlocked edge of the inner facing in the attachment seam.
- Overlock the hem allowance and press it to the wrong side. Topstitch the hem. Make buttonholes on the right facing and sew buttons onto the left. Tip: if desired, stitch a tab with a buckle onto each side seam as shown in the technical drawing; do this before stitching the inseams.
