Jogger pants are pull-on trousers with a tapered leg that ends in a ribbed cuff, an elastic waist and pockets in the side seams. You sew the pockets into the side seams, close the inseams, join the two legs along the crotch curve, fold a casing for the elastic, then stretch the ribbed cuffs onto the ankles. In French terry with a stretch needle, a first pair takes four to five hours including the pockets.

The pattern pieces for size EU 38 / US 6, drawn by Sewly's drafting engine (seam allowances included). Pull-on trousers →

What do you need to sew joggers?

The pieces of a pair of joggers with in-seam pockets:

  • Front leg, cut as a mirrored pair, with the waist casing extension at the top.
  • Back leg, cut as a mirrored pair, with a longer crotch curve than the front.
  • Pocket bags, cut four times, two for each pocket, from the main fabric or a lighter cotton.
  • Ankle cuffs, two rectangles of ribbing, given as cutting dimensions.
  • Waistband elastic, 3 cm (1 1/4 in) wide, cut to your waist minus 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) depending on how firm the elastic is.

Full-length joggers in a women's medium take about 1.9 m (2 1/8 yd) of 140 cm (55 in) wide French terry; a men's large takes 2.2 m (2 3/8 yd). The ribbing for the cuffs is a piece about 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in). You also need a stretch or ballpoint needle in 90/14, polyester thread and a large safety pin for threading the elastic.

Which fabric works best for jogger pants?

French terry at 250 to 320 g/m² (7 to 9 1/2 oz/yd²) is the standard: smooth outside, looped inside, enough body to hold a tapered shape without clinging. Sweatshirt fleece makes a warmer winter pair. A cotton sweat with a little elastane recovers best at the knee, which matters on a tapered leg that is pulled on and off every day.

The cuffs should be rib knit, so they stretch over the heel and then grip the ankle. For the pocket bags, the main fabric works but adds bulk at the hip; a lightweight cotton jersey or a woven lawn is thinner and keeps the pockets from printing through. Pre-wash the terry and check which way the loops run before you cut, so both legs match.

How long should the ankle cuffs and the elastic be?

The cuff is cut shorter than the leg opening so the leg gathers slightly into it. Measure the leg hem on the pattern without seam allowances and cut each cuff at 70 to 75 percent of that measurement, plus 2 cm (3/4 in) for the joining seam. For a finished cuff 6 cm (2 3/8 in) deep, cut the ribbing 14 cm (5 1/2 in) wide. Check that the loop stretches over your heel before sewing it on.

For the waist, cut the elastic shorter than your waist so it holds the trousers up without being tight. A firm woven elastic needs to lose only 5 cm (2 in); a soft knitted elastic needs 8 cm (3 in). The elastic length calculator gives a starting figure; wrap the cut elastic around your waist and adjust before you sew the ends.

How do you sew joggers, step by step?

Seam allowances are 1 cm (3/8 in). Use a narrow zigzag or stretch stitch on every seam, or a four-thread serger.

  1. Sew the pocket bags to the side seams. Place one bag right sides together on each front and back leg at the pocket notches and sew along the seam line between the notches. Press the bags away from the leg and understitch the seam allowances to the bags so the pocket does not roll out.
  2. Sew the side seams. Match a front and back leg right sides together and sew the side seam from the waist to the top notch, pivot around the pocket bag, and continue from the bottom notch to the ankle. Press the pocket toward the front. The in-seam pocket guide shows the pivot in detail.
  3. Sew the inseams. Fold each leg right sides together and sew from the hem to the crotch. The back inseam is often a little longer than the front; ease the difference in over the back thigh.
  4. Sew the crotch seam. Turn one leg right side out and slip it inside the other, right sides together, matching the inseams and the side seams at the waist. Sew the crotch curve in one pass from the front waist to the back waist, then sew the curved section again 2 mm (1/16 in) inside the first line for strength. Clip the curve and press the seam open above the clips and to one side below.
  5. Make the waist casing. Finish the top edge, fold it to the inside by the elastic width plus 1 cm (3/8 in), and stitch close to the lower edge with a stretch stitch, leaving a 6 cm (2 3/8 in) gap at the center back. The elastic waistband casing guide covers the fold and the gap.
  6. Thread the elastic. Push it through with the safety pin, overlap the ends by 2 cm (3/4 in), sew them in a square, then close the gap. Distribute the gathers and stitch in the ditch at the side seams and center back so the elastic cannot twist.
  7. Attach the cuffs. Fold each cuff strip in half across its length, right sides together, and sew the short ends. Fold it in half along its length and divide it in quarters. Pin the loop inside the leg hem with raw edges together, the seam at the inseam, and sew while stretching the ribbing to fit the leg.
  8. Press the cuff seams up toward the leg and the casing flat. Topstitch along the top edge of the casing with a twin needle if you want the elastic to stay flat in the wash.

What are the common mistakes when sewing joggers?

  • Cuffs too tight. A cuff at 65 percent of the leg opening looks sharp on the table and will not pass over a heel. Stay at 70 percent or more, and test the loop.
  • Pocket bags cut from thick fleece. They bulk up the hip and show as a ridge. Use a lighter fabric for the bags.
  • A crotch seam sewn once. It is the seam under the most strain. Two rows of stitching on the curve, or a serged seam with a straight stitch beside it, keeps it closed.
  • Skipping the casing stitch-in-the-ditch. Without it the elastic rolls over on itself inside the casing after a few washes.

If you prefer a drawstring with the elastic, add two eyelets at the center front and thread a cord alongside the elastic before the casing is folded.

Can the jogger pattern be drafted to your measurements?

Sewly's pull-on trousers pattern has a jogger leg with ribbed cuffs among its options, with in-seam or patch pockets and an elastic width from 1 to 5 cm (3/8 to 2 in). The crotch curve is drafted from your hip, waist and seated crotch depth, which is what makes joggers comfortable to sit in, and the guide gives the elastic length, the cuff dimensions and the fabric for 110, 140 and 150 cm (45, 55 and 60 in) wide fabric. Measure the crotch depth sitting on a hard chair, from the waist down to the seat, since that number decides the rise.