Free! Rae's Basic Newborn Pant Sewing Pattern

There is little else more rewarding than a quick easy sew that is at the same time not boring. Baby pants are, in my opinion, one of those projects. I love to make colorful baby pants in fun fabrics as a respite from the bevy of pastels that inevitably dominate the newborn wardrobe.  Plus they give that baby something to wear with the drawer full of cute onesies.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that these newborn baby pants are basically a tiny version of my super-simple and versatile Parsley Pants pattern for kids sizes 2-10, so if you're really loving the simplicity of this pattern, take a look at Parsley. Or just click on this pretty button:

Parsley_Long_3

Meanwhile, this free Newborn Baby Pants pattern is for those of you who just need something super-duper easy and quick, a definite beginner pattern. Besides the Big Butt Baby Pants, this is my other can't-live-without-it baby pants pattern. It's so simple its scary, and I'm betting that many of you already have something like this in your pattern collections. If you're just beginning to sew, it's a great place to start. There are plenty of lovely tutorials for making baby pants out there that involve tracing (which is, of course, one of the best ways to get a good fit), but sometimes you want a pattern you can just print out and use, especially if it's a gift and you don't have baby pants on hand to trace. I hope you'll find this one useful and handy.

This pattern is sized for a newborn in cloth diapers so it's super-roomy especially for disposable-diapered babies. The finished height is about 11.5" tall. And I'll let you in on a little secret: it's actually just as wide in the hip as my 6-12 month B3Ps, so these might also work as a capri for an older baby, even one in cloth diapers. Furthermore, if you want a bigger size you can always add a little length to the bottom of the pant leg (to make a taller leg) or raise the waistband an inch or so (for a higher rise). You can see from the picture above that I sometimes vary this pant by adding contrasting trim and pockets.  I'll show you how to do that in a subsequent post, but for now let's just start with the basic newborn pant:

BASIC NEWBORN BABY PANT A sewing pattern and tutorial by Rae Hoekstra

Please read this first:I've made this pattern available for free with the intent that it be used for personal (not-for-profit) use and that it be accessed here at Made By Rae and not copied or distributed elsewhere.  Please link back to this post to your heart's content, but please don't post this pattern, the tutorial or any of the tutorial images below on your own website. If you borrow any of the images above (that's fine), please link back and give clear and proper photo credit. Thanks!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN

Step-By-Step Sewing Instructions:

1. Print and cut out pattern pieces and tape together along dotted line.

2. Cut out two pant panels on the fold. Mark the leg seam and center seam edges (I cut a little tab along the edge of the leg seam as I was cutting).

3.  Open up each piece and line the two pieces up with their right sides facing:

4. Sew the pants together along just the center seams with a 1/2" seam. Make sure you don't sew all the way down the leg, just the center seam!

5.  Trim center seam to 1/4." Open up pants and press seams apart.

6.  With center seams lined up and pants still inside out, sew inner leg seam from cuff to cuff with a 1/2" seam.  Trim to 1/4" and press seam.

7.  Fold 1/4" over at waistband, press.

8.  Fold another 1/2" over at waistband, press again.

9. Decide which side of the pants will be front and which will be back.  Starting at the back, sew around the folded section to form a waistband casing.  Leave a 1" gap for elastic at the back.  I also put in a ribbon hanging tab for Mr Rae at this point to help him tell front from back, but honestly it doesn't really matter.

10.  Cut waistband elastic from 1/4" or 3/8" wide elastic (Length = [waist of baby +1"] 13" is usually fine for a newborn baby)

11. Using a safety pin or bodkin, thread elastic through waistband.

12. Overlap ends of elastic by about 1/2" and zigzag stitch back and forth a few times to secure. Tuck elastic inside waistband and stitch waistband shut.

13. Fold under 1/4" at bottom of cuff:

14. Fold another 1/4" under at the bottom of cuff and sew down.  Repeat for other leg.

Put those pants on your baby and admire! As usual, if you find any mistakes here or anything that needs clarifying, will you please let me know?  Enjoy!!!

Click here for a tutorial on how make the pockets or add trim to the cuff (they work on the B3Ps too as well as a boatload of other things). Click here for the Parsley Pants Pattern -- a bigger kids' version!