DIY Culottes With Elastic Waist Band

Tools and materials:

• Fabric with good drape
• Measuring tape
• Fabric scissors
• Pins or clover clips
• Elastic for the waistband
• Sewing machine
• Co-ordinating thread
• Pattern

Cut the pieces

Use the diagram here as a reference to cut all the pieces to your measurements.

Pin and sew the seams

You will need two layers of the back and two layers of the front. Open up both front and back pieces and lay them with the right sides of the fabric touching. Pin and sew the side seams as well as the inseams.

Place one leg inside the other

Turn the left leg inside out, place it inside the right leg with the right sides of the fabric touching, and then line up the seams. 

Sew the crotch seams

Pin and sew the crotch front and back seams. Once done, feel free to try it on at this point.

Sew the waistband

Fold the waistband in half with the right sides of the fabric touching, pin the side and sew.

Attach the waistband seam

Line up the center back seam of the pants to the waistband seam with the right sides of the fabric touching and sandwich it inside. Pin and sew all the way around.

Insert the elastic

Fold over the waistband to create the casing for the elastic. Pin and sew all the way around but remember to leave a 2-inch opening to insert the elastic! Use a safety pin to feed the elastic through that 2-inch opening. Sew the two ends of the elastic to close it up. Tuck the elastic inside and close the 2-inch opening by sewing across it.

Hem the pants

The last step is to hem the bottom of the pants, and you’re done!

And voila! I’m so happy with how they turned out. The wide-leg silhouette is really on-trend right now, and these culottes give me a tomboy vibe as well. The fact they’re black means that you can style them however you want! I’ve styled mine here with a crop top, a long necklace, and a pair of booties. I guarantee you’ll get a lot of wear out of your culottes; this DIY is so worth it!