Sew drawstring trousers

1 Download and print the pattern pieces above. Start by taking your hip measurement, divide this by two, then add an extra 8cm. The line on the pattern that asks you to extend to you hip measurement should equal this figure. To take your crotch measurement, use a pair of trousers that fit you comfortably and measure from the centre base of the crotch up to the waist band; the top of these trousers sit just below the waistline. If you need extra length, cut through the line indicated on the pattern and extend it to the measurement that suits you - do this on both the front and back pieces.

2 Lay the patterns onto the fabric with the extensions added to fit your measurements and draw a line with pencil or chalk, joining the back waist to the front. Next extend the inside leg seams down. Do this far enough to suit your leg measurement. Take this from just below your waist, down to the floor on the outside of your leg or to the desired length. Add 3cm to this measurement. Draw a line across the base of the trouser leg. If this pattern piece fits onto a doubled piece of fabric then cut them out together, or if the fabric is too narrow to fit both on a width, cut the single leg piece out and then turn the piece over onto another piece of fabric to make a pair.

3 Stitch the centre front and centre back seams together. Match the two front trousers together, then stitch with a 1.5cm seam allowance, from the crotch up to the waist edge. Repeat the process on the back trouser pieces, then neaten the seams together with either zig zag stitch or overlocking. Sew the two trouser legs together. Match the base of the front and back crotch seams and down the inside legs to the hems; pin and stitch the seams together. Neaten the seams by either zig zag stitching or overlocking.

4 Attach bias binding to the waistline to form a channel. The bias of a piece of fabric is a 45° angle from the selvage. The strips need to be 5cm wide and as long as the waistline. You may need to join the bias strips to make enough. Do this by laying and stitching the two ends at right angles. to each other, making sure that the right sides of the fabric are facing each other. When the bias is opened, the strip will continue in one line. Press in 5mm on both long edges. This is made very simple by using a bias binding folder. If you don’t wish to make your own bias binding then purchase ready-made in a coordinating colour to your fabric. The length of the strip should be 1cm longer than the waist measurement. Join the two ends of the bias strip with a 5mm seam allowance.

5 Open out one of the folds and pin this, right sides togetherg, to the folded top edge of the trousers and stitch along the fold line. Fold the binding inside the trousers, then edge stitch around the other folded edge creating a channel. Unpick a few stitches in the centre front part of the channel and thread through a length of piping cord or ribbon. If you are using piping cord, neaten the ends by wrapping and stitching a small piece of fabric around them.

6 Press 1cm up at the hems of the trousers and then another 2cm and edgestitch them in place. If you are gathering the hems, un-pick a few stitches near to the inside leg seam and then thread through a length of elastic. Pull up to the desired measurement, stitch the two ends of the elastic together, then re-stitch the hem in place to complete.