The Twist Pants
a step-by-step tutorial
Step 1
Fuse the pocket edge of both front leg pieces lining up the top edge of fusing with the notch and the bottom edge will overlap towards the leg panel by 1cm. Fuse all 4 waistband pieces. Fuse fly shield and fly facing.
Step 2
Pin back darts in place and stitch. Press dart toward centre back.
Step 3
Place pocket bags over pocket extensions on both front and back leg panels with right sides facing. Stitch together along edge. Neaten seam. Press seam allowance toward pocket bag.
Step 4
Pin front and back leg pieces together along side seam and around pocket bags with right sides facing. Stitch. Neaten seam. Match up pocket fold notch on both front and back and stitch down a couple of stitches from this point to secure.
Step 5
Fold pocket bag toward centre front and edge stitch to front panel along top edge. Press seam allowance of leg toward centre front then top stitch down starting your stitch line at pocket opening.
Step 6
Trim off 1cm flap from LEFT trouser crotch seam (note: left side when wearing garment). Neaten centre front seams of both front pieces.
Step 7
Fold fly shield in half lengthwise with right sides out and neaten the side and bottom edges. Press. Place Zipper right side up onto the neatened edge of fly shield, making sure zipper teeth start 1.5cm / 3/4” down from top edge and baste in place.
Step 8
Fold back the centre front flap of right crotch seam and press in place. Place folded edge along the edge of zipper teeth. Top stitch in place with a zipper foot so you can get nice and close.
Step 9
Fuse and neaten curved edge of fly facing. Pin to left trouser front at centre front seam with right sides together. Stitch from top edge down to notch. Fold bottom of fly facing up and clip, with your scissors, where the stitching only on the trouser. Trim seam allowance back and under-stitch seam allowance toward fly facing. Turn fly facing over to the inside and press.
Step 10
Stitch crotch seam below fly zipper together. Clip a small notch into seam allowance below fly facing where stitching starts.
Step 11
Folding the right side of pant front and fly shield completely out of the way, fold the crotch seam allowance toward the left pant front and top stitch from crotch to the top edge, right along the edge.
Step 12
Place left side over right, overlapping the zipper by 1cm at the top. Pin securely in place along centre front.
Step 13
Now that it’s pinned securely in place, from the inside, fold fly shield out of the way and stitch the other side of the zipper to fly facing where it lies.
Step 14
Top stitch fly facing in place with a single row of stitching, making sure to keep fly shield out of the way. It may help to draw this line with chalk first.
Step 15
Fold fly shield back behind zipper and stitch a couple of bar tacks through all layers at bottom of curved stitch line (where we’ve placed pins) to secure in place.
Step 16
Pin back crotch seams together with right sides facing and stitch. Neaten edges. Press seam allowance toward one side.
Step 17
Pin front and back inside leg seams together with right sides facing and stitch. Neaten seam.
Step 18
Trim off end of one pair of waistband pieces at notches as pictured.
Step 19
Place one long and one trimmed waistband piece together at centre back with right sides facing and pin together. Stitch. Press seam allowance open. Repeat for other waistband pieces.
Step 20
Pin your waistband pieces together with right sides facing aligning centre back seam and stitch along top edge. Trim seam allowance in half and clip around curve being careful not to cut through your stitch-line. We’ll come back to press and under-stitch this soon.
Step 21
Pin the waistband around the top edge of waist opening on wrong side of pants, making sure the trimmed end of the waistband is positioned on the side of the fly facing, not the fly shield. Make sure that the waistband overlaps the fly opening by 1cm on each side. Stitch in place. Press seam allowances up toward waistband.
Step 22
Fold open edge of waistband up by 1cm and press. Press the seam allowance that you created in step 20 away from your 1cm edge. Under-stitch.
Step 23
Fold your waistband in half with wrong sides out at the seam-line between waistband and waistband facing. Stitch edges together to be in line with edge of fly facing and outer edge of fly shield. Clip top corners of seam allowance then turn through to the right side. Press well.
Step 24
Pin remainder of waistband down so that the folded edge slightly overlaps the stitch-line and top stitch down from the right side all the way around waistband. Press.
Step 25
Stitch buttonhole and button in place. For this pair we instead used a hook and bar set.
Step 26
Neaten hem edges. Fold hems up at notches, pin in place and stitch.
Voilá!