Easy sewing patterns: The Coyoacán Loose Pants

Hey friends! I’m Aya – the one-woman band behind Aya Mana, your go-to sewing pattern wonderland! It’s been a hot minute since my last post, so I thought it was high time to pop back in and reintroduce myself. Life got busy, but here I am… better late than never, right? So let’s crack on with one of my favourite easy sewing patterns…

I’ve been seeing a lot of chatter in sewing communities about the need for easy, quick patterns – you know, the kind that won’t have our lovely, newly-purchased fabrics gathering dust in storage for the next year (or… decade). We all want to make something that we can actually wear right away, not wait for another season to roll around. Because let’s face it, finishing a cozy winter sweater in the middle of summer doesn’t exactly help our wardrobe situation, does it? 🧶

So, for this edition of Easy Sewing Patterns, meet the Coyoacán Pants! (FYI – I am wearing my most recent make of the Coyoacán pants, and I’m standing next to one of my favourite flowers in Mexico, these cute button-shaped orange flowers. They’re called the Black-eyed Susan vine…so cute!!).

Things we will cover in here:

How the Coyoacán Pants were born

Back to the trousers… I first spotted these breezy, loose, and oh-so-comfy pants in Coyoacán, Mexico City – they’re perfect for those hot days when you want to feel like you’re wearing nothing, but still, you know, wearing something. But here’s the twist: they’re also totally versatile for cooler weather, depending on the fabric you pick. As I’m writing this in early December from a cozy café in Roma, Mexico City, I’m actually using them with a matching jumper on top. Proof they work for both sides of the temperature spectrum, right?

The first version I made was whipped up right in my Airbnb at the time – who says you can’t get things done in a tiny living room with a coffee in hand?

So the first version I made was from this amazing pink-purple striped boho fabric I picked up in the fabric district near Zócalo. At the time, I didn’t have a sewing machine, so I had to SEW IT ALL BY HAND. That’s when I realised I needed to make life easier for myself – fewer seams, please! So, I designed the front and back pant legs as one continuous piece, saving me two long seams. Major win, right?

To keep things secure, I added an elastic band instead of a string tie. And yes, the pockets are optional, but oh well… pockets are always a good idea. They give these pants that perfect mix of practical and cute.

How to Cut the Sewing Pattern Fabric

Okay, let’s talk about the magic behind these pants. Normally, pants sewing patterns are made up of two front and two back leg pieces – but let’s be real, cutting all those pieces is nobody’s favorite part of sewing (mine included, haha). So, to make things easier on all of us, I decided to simplify things by combining the front and back leg pieces into just one! Only two pieces total to cut out for the pants. Easy peasy!

Now, if you really love pockets (who doesn’t?), they’re optional, but if you want them, here’s the deal: the top pockets require two extra pieces to cut, and the knee-height pockets need four extra pieces. So, in total, you’ll need about 1.5 meters of fabric to make the whole pattern.

The top pockets are patch pockets, larger than the knee pockets which will also have flap pockets. On this green Coyoacán pair I didn’t add buttons, but you are of course welcome to add on yours.

Recommended Fabrics to use

The first version of these Coyoacán pants I made was from a striped polyester-cotton blend fabric that’s medium-weight and woven. It’s got zero drape, but you know what? It was perfect for the early and mid-autumn vibe I was going for. Not everything needs to flow like a dreamy silk, right?

For round two, I went for a linen-viscose blend in a gorgeous warm olive green. I’m pretty sure there’s some polyester sneaking in there too, because it barely wrinkles! I picked it because the drape just seemed to match this pattern so perfectly. And even though it’s the same pattern as the striped version, these pants feel like a whole different design – the fabric really makes the difference.

Since I was suspicious, I did a burn test when I got home. Turns out, the artificial fiber might actually outweigh the natural fibers in this one. I was a little bummed about that, but hey, I still finished the pants, because well I already committed, so why not!

I originally planned to wear them in Mérida (where it’s like 30°C every day)…but then I ended up using them in chilly Mexico City instead, and they were perfect. They kept me warm and cozy, exactly what I needed.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with my fabric choices for the Coyoacán pants – but honestly, just go with whatever your gut says will bring that perfect vision in your head to life! After all, t’s all about trial and error!! The only thing I’d note is that this pattern is made for woven fabrics, so I wouldn’t recommend trying it with knits. But hey, if you’re itching to work with knits, don’t worry – I’ve got you covered! Check out these sewing patterns for knits: …

Easy Sewing Patterns Instructions: The Coyoacán Pants

First, assemble the pockets separately from the pants.

1. Flap pocket: fold in half with right sides together along the longer edges and sew on the sides. You will need to turn it inside out, so these seems won’t need to be overlocked.

2. Large pocket: you will need to fold in once and secure with a straight stitch along the curvy edge. Then the rest of the edges need to be folded in and pressed with an iron.

3. Small pocket: Essentially you will need to do the same as you did with the larger pocket. Fold and secure with a straight stitch the top edge. All other edges fold inwards and press.

4. Secure pockets on the pants: place the small pocket and the large pocket on the the right side of the pants, where marked on the pattern. Now secure the yet-unstitched sides of the pockets to the pants with straight stitches, as shows in with blue dashed lines here.

5. Secure flap pocket: now add the flap pocket 2cm above the top edge of the small pocket and secure the raw edge with a straight line, just like in the illustration. Once that’s done, you can fold the flap pocket down and you’re done with your pockets!

6. Sew the crotches: now put the two main pieces of pants right sides together (yes, they already have the pockets on them that you’ve sewn on them) and sew with a straight stitch just along the crotches, like in shown in the illustration. Not further than the peak of the crotch!

7. Sew the inner legs: now rearrange the pants in a way so you lay it out with the two legs next to each other in front of you, like in the illustration here. Match the pants legs and secure both with one single straight stitch, starting from the bottom of one leg, up, all the way through the crotch point and down till the bottom of the other leg.

8. Elastic waist band: now add the elastic waist band to the WRONG side of the pants. The band should be about 3cm shorter than your waist measurement (adjust as necessary). First sew the ends of the band together to make an elastic ring out of it. Then pin to the waist of the pants evenly and secure to the pants along the top of the band with straight stitch

9. Finally finish hems: finish the hem of the waist and legs the same way: fold inwards (towards wrong side) twice and secure with a straight stitch. And you’ve got yourself a good looking pair of pants in under 10 steps! 🙂

A few outfit ideas with the Coyoacán Pants

Pair these pants with a stretchy t-shirt for that effortless, casual vibe. 👀 Or, if you’re feeling fancy, try pairing them with this boat neck top that I love to wear with them – it’s got options! You can go short sleeve or long sleeve, depending on your mood (or the weather, obviously).

For the striped version, I loved teaming it up with the mint Paralia boat neck top (yep, I’ve got the pattern for that too!). This was the short sleeve version, and I added a long golden necklace with a white crystal pendant I picked up in Coyoacán, Mexico.✨

The olive green Coyoacán pants, though, got a makeover with the long sleeve version of the same boat neck top design. I made it from a nice thick white cotton knit that’s been perfect for the chilly weather we’ve been having.

And for accessories? Lately, I’m obsessed with crescent moon underarm handbags and my John Lennon-style oval sunglasses – very boho style. And if you’re in the mood for a little extra Mexican flair, add a headscarf – it really ties the whole look together!

And hey, don’t forget to share your sewing adventures and final looks with us on instagram! Tag us in your photos and reviews – I love seeing what you create! ☺️