How to Easily Make Cozy DIY Lounge Pants Out of an Old Bedsheet

Tools and materials:

• Super soft fabric (large piece)
• Scissors
• Elastic for waistband
• Sewing machine
• Pins
• Marking chalk
• Safety pin
• Your own loose-fitting pair of lounge pants to use as a template

In this video, I am using a square piece of fabric though bedsheets are a bit easier because they’re rectangular in shape and you’ll have more fabric to work with!

1. Determine the pattern

If your fabric has a pattern, determine which position you want the pattern to lay. My fabric is striped and I want the stripes to go vertically. 

2. Fold the fabric

Fold the fabric so the pattern goes in the direction you want. Make sure the right sides are facing. Fold it again lengthwise in half, facing the same direction.

3. Cut the pattern

Once the fabric is folded in quarters lengthwise, lay the fabric down on a flat surface. There will be 4 layers, which will help make both the front and back of the pants.

Lay your template pants in half lengthwise, pulling out the crotch piece so it is showing and lined up with the folded edge. 

Now it’s time to determine how high you want the actual waistband to be. My template lounge pants have a very high waist. I simply line them up, right at the top edge because this way I know I have enough fabric to create the waistband and pull the elastic through.

Give yourself a lot of seam allowance because it’s easier to make things smaller and take them in than make them bigger! My template pants are very shirred, so I won’t be cutting the waistband until I’m absolutely sure that it’s the correct width for my waist area.

Cut the pattern.

4. Sew the pant legs

You’ll have two similarly shaped pieces for your pants. 

One of the pieces will already have a folded edge, so that side won’t need sewing. Sew this piece’s crotch point using a straight stitch. Then sew downward towards the bottom of the pants. Do not sew above the crotch point.

Sew the piece that’s open on all sides. Stitch down from the crotch point towards the bottom of the pants. Sew the other side up using a straight stitch. I mistakenly sewed up the crotch point so be mindful. My bad! I had to carefully unpick it and sew it, as I told you to do.

5. Sew the pants

You should have two tubes of fabric that have a large “V” at the top. Take one of the tubes and turn it so the right side of the fabric is facing out. I’ve already done that here.

Put the piece that is right facing out into the other pant leg tube that has the right side facing in. This way both pieces will be right sides touching. Line up the V’s. Pin them in place. 

Stitch the V’s together using a straight stitch.

Pull one leg out of the other and you can see how they are turning into pants! I’m using jersey fabric, which is great for no-sew projects because it doesn’t fray, but it can be an absolute beast to sew because it’s thick and keeps rolling up on itself. 

6. Make the waistband

You may want to try the pants on to see the fit and determine the best place for the elastic. Once you’ve determined that, have the pants right sides in and fold the waistband over the fabric a bit longer than the width of your elastic.

Pin the waistband and stitch with a straight stitch all the way around at the very edge of the fold. 

Leave an inch unsewn to pull the elastic through. Attach a safety pin to the elastic and thread through the hole. Once it’s fed through, stitch the ends together so it is secure. Tuck the elastic band in and sew up the hole.

DIY lounge pants tutorial

The last step is to put the pants on and start relaxing! I hope this tutorial on how to make your own lounge pants helps you get comfy and cozy this winter season!

Please let me know in the comments if you’ve made them or what else you’d like to learn in refashioning clothes to be sustainable, comfortable, and beautiful!