Wide-Leg Cargo Trousers

Wide-Leg Cargo Pants

Men's full-length cargo trousers with wide straight legs, a zip fly, a back yoke and six patch pockets: front pockets with slanted openings, flapped back pockets and flapped cargo pockets set over the side seams.

When To Wear

• For everyday and casual wear with T-shirts, sweatshirts and overshirts.
• In corduroy or heavy denim for autumn and winter; in lighter cotton for spring.

Key Design Features

Silhouette: Wide, straight legs from hip to hem.

Length: Full length.

Front: Zip fly with cut-on fly facings and a separate button catch; the left front is topstitched along the fly curve.

Pockets: Front patch pockets with a slanted opening, caught into the waist and side seams. Back patch pockets with one-button flaps. Cargo pockets centred over the side seams at mid-thigh: two tucks, about 6.5 cm in from each side edge and topstitched 3 mm from the folds, open slightly into lens-shaped folds; the bottom is sewn flat with no gusset, and the flap closes with two buttons.

Back: Yoke seam pressed towards the yoke and topstitched; centre back seam.

Waist: Straight waistband with a buttonhole on the left end and a button on the right; five belt loops (near the front pockets, at the side seams and at the centre back).

Finishing: Side seams pressed towards the back and topstitched; hem turned twice and topstitched.

Level Of Difficulty

Intermediate. A zip fly with a button catch, six patch pockets with lined flaps and buttonholes, tucked cargo pockets set over the side seams, and even topstitching throughout.

Fabric Recommendations

Dense cotton fabrics such as denim; corduroy, including wide-wale corduroy.

Additional Supplies

• Fusible interfacing (waistband, button catch, pocket flaps)
• Zip for the fly
• 7 buttons (4 for the cargo pocket flaps, 2 for the back pocket flaps, 1 for the waistband)

Sewing in Leather

These cargo trousers can be made in genuine or faux leather.

• Leather requirement: about 29 / 31 / 33 sq ft of soft garment leather 0.6–0.9 mm for sizes M / L / XL (hip 100 / 107 / 113 cm). Leather is sold by the hide, so buy the total area, not a length.
• Faux leather, 140 cm wide: 2.1 / 2.2 / 2.3 m.
• The leg pieces are 108–115 cm long: use calf or cow nappa sides, or add a knee seam.
• Leather needle 90–100, stitch length 3.5–4 mm, walking or Teflon foot; clips or double-sided tape instead of pins.
• No steam: seam allowances are glued and tapped flat with a mallet; snaps replace the buttonholes on the pocket flaps.

Cutter’s Must

From Main Fabric:

1. Back Patch Pocket – 2 pieces

2. Front Patch Pocket – 2 pieces

3. Belt Loop Strip – 1 piece

4. Patch Pocket – 2 pieces

5. Front Half – 2 pieces

6. Fly Shield (marked on pattern as “Button Catch) – 1 piece

7. Back Half – 2 pieces

8. Yoke – 2 pieces

9. Patch Pocket Flap – 4 pieces

10. Back Patch Pocket Flap – 4 pieces

11. Waistband – 1 piece

From Fusible Interfacing:

1. Waistband – 1 piece

2. Fly Shield – 1 piece

3. All Pocket Flaps – 1 set

Important Information

Before cutting your fabric:

• Print and lay out pattern pieces to determine yardage.
• Check mirrored pieces, notches, and grainlines.
• For patterned fabrics, align carefully for symmetry.

Assembly Instructions

Preparation

Fuse Interfacing

1. From the wrong side, apply fusible interfacing to Waistband, Fly Shield (Button Catch), and Pocket Flaps. (Use a hot iron and press firmly to bond.)

Back

2. Attach the Yokes to the Back Halves, right sides together. Press seam allowances toward the yoke and topstitch.

Front Patch Pockets

3. Press the slanted opening edge of each Front Patch Pocket to the wrong side, turn under the seam allowance, and topstitch along the folded edge.

4. Press the remaining pocket edges to the wrong side. Position pockets on the Front Halves according to the markings and topstitch along the side and lower edges. Baste pocket edges to the waist and side seam allowances of the pants.

Pocket Flaps

5. Place the Pocket Flap pieces right sides together. Stitch around the outer edges, turn right side out, press, and topstitch. Work buttonholes on each flap as marked.

Back Patch Pockets

6. Press the upper edge of each Back Patch Pocket to the wrong side, turn under the seam allowance, and topstitch. Press the remaining edges to the wrong side and topstitch the pockets to the Back Halves along the placement markings.

7. Place each Back Pocket Flap face down along the pocket’s upper edge on the right side of the pants. Stitch, turn the flap down, press, and topstitch along the seam.

Side Seams

8. Sew the Side Seams, press allowances toward the back, and topstitch along the back edge.

Pleated Patch Pocket (if included on Front)

9. Form pleats on the designated patch pocket following the markings, press, and topstitch 3 mm from the folds. Press the upper edge of the pocket to the wrong side, turn under the seam allowance, and topstitch.

10. Press the remaining edges to the wrong side, position the pocket on the garment, and topstitch:

• First sew the side edges without catching the pleat.
• Then sew the lower edge.

11. Place the Flap face down along the upper pocket edge, stitch, turn the flap down, press, and topstitch along the seam.

Fly Front

12. Sew the Front Crotch Seam from the inseam up to the fly notch.

13. Press the fly facings to the wrong side:

• Left Front along the center-front fold.
• Right Front 1 cm short of the center-front fold.

14. Position the zipper face down on the right fly extension. Place the Fly Shield (folded in half, wrong sides together) on top, aligning edges, and stitch through all layers. Turn the shield to the inside and edgestitch along the zipper.

15. Close the fly and pin, aligning the center-front markings. Stitch the free zipper tape to the left fly facing without catching the garment front. Overlock seam allowances and secure the lower fly edges with a zigzag bartack.

16. Topstitch the Left Front along the fly curve, catching the facing.

Inseams

17. Sew the Inseams and finish seam allowances.

Belt Loops

18. Press the long edges of the Belt Loop Strip 1 cm to the wrong side. Fold the strip lengthwise with raw edges inside, press, stitch along the long edges, and topstitch along the fold. Cut the strip into 5 equal loops. Baste loops to the upper edge of the pants at the marked positions:

• At the front near the pockets,
• At the side seams,
• At the center back.

Waistband

19. Fold the Waistband lengthwise right sides together and stitch the short ends. Turn right side out and press. Pin the Belt to the waist edge of the pants and stitch. Turn under the inner edge, press, and stitch in the ditch from the right side, continuing the topstitching around the entire waistband.

20. Turn the belt loops upward, fold the upper ends under, and topstitch them to the waistband.

Hem

21. Press the hem allowance to the wrong side, turn under the raw edge, and topstitch.

Finishing

22. Work a buttonhole on the left waistband end.

23. Sew a button to the right waistband end.