Pajama bottoms are one of the easiest garments to sew because they have no closures, minimal shaping, and only four seams

A pair of pajama bottoms is essentially two rectangles joined at the sides and inseams, with an elastic waistband at the top. You do not need a pattern—you can draft one from a pair of pajamas you already own, or measure your body and add ease (extra room for comfort). The whole project takes two to four hours for a beginner, and the only skills you need are straight seams and basic elastic attachment.

This guide walks you through measuring, cutting, sewing the legs together, and finishing the waistband. You will end up with a wearable pair of pajama bottoms that fit your body and your fabric choice.

Key Takeaways

  • Measure your inseam (inside of your leg from crotch to ankle) and your waist, then add 1 to 2 inches of ease for comfort before cutting.
  • You need two rectangles of fabric: each one should be half your hip measurement plus seam allowance, and as long as your inseam plus waistband allowance.
  • Sew the two leg pieces together at the sides and inseams using a straight stitch, then attach elastic to the waistband opening with a zigzag stitch.
  • Pajama bottoms work best in knit fabrics like jersey or fleece, which do not fray and move with your body.

Measure your body and choose your ease

Start by measuring the person who will wear the pajamas. You need three measurements: waist (around the fullest part), hip (around the fullest part of the hip and thigh), and inseam (from the inside of the ankle, straight up the inside of the leg to the crotch).

Write these down. Then add ease—extra room for comfort and movement. For pajamas, add 2 to 4 inches to your hip measurement (so if your hip is 38 inches, your cutting width will be 40 to 42 inches). Add 0 to 1 inch to your waist measurement for the elastic casing. Do not add ease to the inseam; measure it as it is.

If you own a pair of pajama bottoms that fit well, you can skip measuring and instead lay them flat on your fabric and trace around them instead. Add half an inch on all sides for seam allowance, then cut.

Draft and cut your pattern pieces

You will cut two identical rectangles. Each rectangle should be:

  • Width: Half your hip measurement plus ease, plus 1 inch for seam allowances (so if your hip plus ease is 42 inches, each piece is 22 inches wide).
  • Length: Your inseam measurement plus 1.5 inches for the waistband casing, plus 0.5 inches for the hem at the ankle.

Fold your fabric in half lengthwise (so the fold runs along one long edge). Lay out your first rectangle along the fold, with one long edge against the fold. Cut it out. Unfold—you now have one long rectangle. Fold the fabric again and cut a second identical rectangle. You now have two leg pieces.

If your fabric has a direction (a nap, a print, or a pile), make sure both pieces face the same way before you cut the second one.

Sew the inseams and side seams

Lay one rectangle flat, right side up. Fold it in half lengthwise so the short ends meet. The fold is now one long edge. Pin along the open long edge (this will become the inseam—the seam that runs up the inside of your leg). Sew a straight seam 0.5 inches from the edge, using a stitch length of 2.5 to 3 mm. Backstitch at the start and end. Unfold. You now have a tube.

Repeat with the second rectangle. You now have two tubes.

Slide one tube inside the other, right sides together (so the seams face each other). Line up the inseams so they sit on top of each other. Pin along both side seams (the long edges that are still open). Sew both side seams 0.5 inches from the edge, backstitching at the start and end. Turn the whole thing right side out through the waist opening. You now have one pair of pajama bottoms with the legs sewn together.

Attach elastic to the waistband

Measure elastic around the waist of the person wearing the pajamas, pulling it snug but not tight. Add 1 inch and cut. (If the waist measurement is 30 inches, cut elastic about 31 inches long.)

Fold the top 1.5 inches of the pajama bottoms to the inside and pin all the way around. This creates a casing (a tunnel) for the elastic. Sew this fold down using a straight stitch 0.25 inches from the fold, leaving a 2-inch gap so you can thread the elastic through. Backstitch at the start and end, and at both sides of the gap.

Thread the elastic through the gap using a safety pin or bodkin (a flat tool made for this). Once the elastic is all the way through, overlap the ends by 0.5 inches and sew them together with a zigzag stitch or a small rectangle of stitches. Tuck the elastic back into the casing and sew the gap closed with a straight stitch.

Finish the ankle hems

Try on the pajamas and mark where the ankle should hit—usually at the ankle bone or just above it. Take them off and measure from the waistband seam to your mark on both legs. They should be the same length. If not, trim the longer leg.

Fold the bottom 0.5 inches to the inside all the way around one leg and pin. Sew this fold down with a straight stitch 0.25 inches from the fold. Repeat on the other leg. Try them on. If the hems curl or feel stiff, you can leave them as is (knit fabrics often curl slightly and relax with wear), or you can use a zigzag stitch instead of a straight stitch to give the hem more stretch.

Fabric and thread choices for pajama bottoms

Knit fabrics are the best choice for pajama bottoms because they stretch, move with your body, and do not fray. Jersey (a smooth knit), fleece (a warm knit), and interlock (a thicker knit) all work well. Avoid woven fabrics like cotton poplin or linen for your first pair—they fray at the edges and require a different finishing technique.

Use thread that matches your fabric color, or use a neutral gray or navy that blends with most colors. Polyester thread works on all fabrics; cotton thread works on cotton and cotton-blend fabrics. For knits, a ballpoint needle (size 70/10 or 80/12) prevents skipped stitches better than a universal needle.

If your sewing machine has a stretch stitch or a narrow zigzag, use it instead of a straight stitch on seams—this prevents the seams from breaking when the fabric stretches. If your machine only has a straight stitch, that is fine; straight seams on knits usually hold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a woven fabric like cotton instead of knit?

Yes, but you will need to finish the raw edges to prevent fraying. After sewing each seam, trim the seam allowance to 0.25 inches and sew a zigzag stitch along the edge, or use pinking shears to cut a zigzag edge. This takes extra time but works well for cotton pajamas.

What if the elastic is too tight or too loose after I sew it?

You can open the gap in the casing again, pull out the elastic, and replace it with a different length. Overlap the new elastic by 0.5 inches and sew the ends together, then thread it back through and close the gap. This is much easier than ripping out the entire waistband.

Do I need a pattern, or can I just cut rectangles?

You can cut rectangles without a pattern if you measure carefully. A pattern is helpful if you want to add features like pockets or a drawstring, or if you want to make multiple pairs in the same size. For your first pair, measuring and cutting rectangles is the fastest route.

How do I prevent the ankle hems from curling up?

Knit fabrics naturally curl at the edges. You can minimize this by using a zigzag stitch instead of a straight stitch on the hem, or by folding the hem to the inside and sewing it down (which you are already doing). After a few washes, the curl usually relaxes and becomes less noticeable.

Can I add pockets to pajama bottoms?

Yes, but it is easier to do this before you sew the side seams. Cut two pocket pieces from your fabric, sew them to the inside of each leg piece before you join the legs together, then sew the side seams as normal. This is a step beyond basic pajama bottoms; save it for your second pair.