Navy Ripstop Pants – Itch to Stitch Sequoia

The heat took its time arriving in Adelaide this summer, but it finally hit mid-December and I needed some more warm-weather pants. I wanted them to be a quick make so I went with an elastic waist and no fly using some material left over from another pair of summer pants.

Pants Pattern Used

Fabric

I used a navy ripstop in 100% cotton from The Fabric Store that I bought in 2019 (currently not in stock) that was left over from another pair of 3/4 pants. Those pants only lasted a few years, before I wore out the fabric between my thighs. I did repair them once but it didn’t prolong their life too much. So I know these won’t last for long I just want to put the fabric to work.

The ripstop has some weight to it, but its one downfall is that it has no stretch whatsoever.

Cutting Out

I only had about a 1 metre length of the ripstop, but it was 160cm wide. With a bit of manipulation of pattern pieces, and some inventiveness I was able to cut it out.

The waistband was the first to be cut out. As this is a fully elastic waist I didn’t use the pattern’s waist pattern piece. I was using 32mm wide elastic so I cut out an 11cm high cut along the width of the fabric. It could then be trimmed later to fit my waist.

The Front and Back leg pieces were next. They were cut so that the pattern pieces were in opposite directions on the fabric, ie without a nap, which was fine as this was not a directional fabric.

For the back pockets, I was able to get about 90% of the pocket cut out. For the remaining 10% I cut two strips of denim ticking stripe, in a similar weight to the ripstop, to cover the missing sections plus about 5cm.

This left no fabric for the front pockets so I used the denim ticking stripe instead.

I didn’t want stripe fabric to be visible on the slant pockets so I created my own Front Pocket Facing. I traced off the hip area of the front pocket, then I placed the Front pattern piece on top of this and drew where the pocket opening would be (the diagonal line below). I then drew a parallel line 5cm away to be the cutting line for the facing. This allows for the 12mm seam allowance on the Front piece, and a 1cm turn on the facing to give 28mm of overlap. The lining should not be seen, even if pulled in this area.

Sewing the Pants

These were quick to sew, just as I planned. I have made so many pants recently that I don’t even have to look at instructions anymore, I just get on with it.

For the back pockets, I used a flat felled seam to attach the strip of denim ticking to the ripstop. Creating an enclosed finish of the seam, inside and out.

For the front pockets I pressed under 1cm along the diagonal line of the front pocket facing. Pinned this to the right side of the front pocket and topstitched the diagonal fold line. The top and side seams were basted in place. This was then treated as one.

On to sewing back pockets to back, front pockets to front, and the inner seam.

This is when I needed a refresher. I wanted side slits at the hem. They add ease to walking, and as the fabric has no stretch the pants shouldn’t shift around the leg as I walk. It had been a while since sewing one. Fortunately I’d saved the method in Evernote which came from Wardrobe Dysfunction. I highly recommend following these instructions. To get the wide triangle split, rather than straight down as per the instructions, I sewed from the folded hem at a 3cm seam allowance to the 12mm seam allowance at the top of the triangle.

The rest of the pants were pretty straightforward.

Pants Review

I have worn these ripstop pants quite a few times in the weeks since making them, usually when walking the dog. They fit nicely around the waist and throughout the length. I like the look of the back pockets (even though I don’t really want to attract attention there), and the front pockets don’t gape at all. But as I knew from the outset the fabric is quite stiff, with no give at all. If I’ve been sitting for a while and I get up I do need to pull the hem down so it goes back over my calf.

I don’t think I’ll use this sort of stiff ripstop fabric again. I prefer to have just a little bit of comfort ease across the thighs. But I’ll wear these, and repair them, until I can repair them no longer, knowing I’ve put this fabric to good use.

Below I am wearing the Navy Ripstop pants with my Sinclair Patterns Daisy blouse.

Pattern: Itch to Stitch Sequoia Cargos and Shorts, Size 20 | Pattern Review
Fabric: 1m Navy 100% cotton Ripstop from The Fabric Store in Adelaide – AU$9.00
Lining Fabric: 30cm Denim Ticking Stripe from Spotlight – $AU3.00
Elastic: 32mm Black Non-Roll Elastic from my stash – AU$2.00
Sewing Machine Thread: Rasant 120 colour 3356 (Navy) – approx AU$0.20
Overlocker Thread: 2x Charcoal Serafil, 2x Black Woolly Nylon (for loopers) – approx AU$0.50
Cost of Pants: AU$14.70

Sewing Machine Settings on my Janome Memory Craft 3500:

• Sewing Machine Needle: Schmetz Universal 90
• Seams: Tension of 4.0, Stitch Length of 2.6, Width of 6.0 (to get 12mm seam allowance)
• Topstitching: Tension of 4.0, Stitch Length of 3.0, Width of 1.0
• Hem: Tension of 4.0, Stitch Length of 3.5, Width of 3.5

Overlocker Settings on my Janome 644D:

• Needle: 2x Schmetz Super Stretch HAx1 SP 90
• 4 Thread – 2x Charcoal Serafil in needle, 2x Black Woolly Nylon in loopers
• Thread Tension: 3.0 5.0 3.0 3.0
• Stitch Length: 2.5
• Differential Feed: 1.0

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