Beginner sewing help please

Question

I decided to practice sewing at home and need some help.

Was wondering how the bottom of these pants are done. Do I sew the material with the elastic band inside?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/mayclaire/pants.png

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Thankyou in advance!

Answer 1

The bottom of those pants (they're knit, btw) is called "ribbing".  There's no elastic inside.    Finding knits with matching ribbing is a bit difficult these days... socks are often a good source.  Here's the basic idea behind ribbing, though she's using a knit with some natural elasticity:

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/tvt...

If you're interested in doing elastic casings:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video-serie...

You'd use the same sort of elastic and casing techniques for the cuffs of pants (or cuffs of a jacket) as you do for a waistband.  Only the elastic width tends to differ.

More:

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00...

http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00...

Answer 2

The bottom of the pants is a strip of material that you buy seprately at the fabric store. You just sew it to the bottom of the leg. (The outside bottom of the leg to the outside bottom of the strip, then sew.) You can sew the elastic into the pants, that will keep the elastic from rolling when you wash the pants. When you cut out your material, be sure you put the pattern on the straight of the material, so that when you wear the pants they will be comfortable. good luck I hope this turns out well for you.