Kids Mesh Pants Pattern FREE and Tutorial

inside: A free kids mesh pants pattern and tutorial. Download and sew the free athletic pants pattern for a loose fit athletic pants for your kids. Easy to sew and great to wear.

{updated 8/21} Looking for a great pair of pants for your active kid? Look no further!! The kids mesh pants pattern is FREE and easy to sew as well. These pants can be made with lined mesh or unlined athletic fabric, they are super comfy and my boys favorite kind of pants.  Since I made my Mesh Shorts in the spring, I’ve been thinking to make them into pants as well. I’ve also made this pattern for sizes 2-12, so all your kids big and small can enjoy them.

Join the Life Sew Savory Pattern Group for support on this pattern!

Mesh pants free sewing pattern

I don’t know about your boys… but mine never stop moving!!! And it’s a huge struggle to get them to wear anything but sportswear! They LOVE mesh pants…shorts… and getting them in jeans is pure torture! So they loved when I made them these mesh pants. {I wrote those sentences in 2014 and yesterday when I took photos the boys had grown, but my description of them is the SAME} {haha}

This is the best I could get from them…

They were happy, but getting them to smile at the same time is almost as hard as getting them to dress up! look at these two! Seven years old, same silly nonsense. Good thing I love them so much.

The light blue pants are a lined mesh version and the dark blue ones are a single layer of sportswear fabric. You can see some of my favorite athletic fabrics in the list below in this post.

The boys wanted to do a ton of action shots…. but it’s so hard to take a photo when they keep moving!! I told them I would take these if the ball wasn’t in motion. It always shows up blurry. So these photos are the result.

I’ve tweaked a few details on the pattern as well as added another larger size for this years update. I just love adding new photos to these older posts to see how much the kids have grown as well updating my patterns to make them better.

I did add side pockets to this version of the pants and you can add them as well with the sewing tutorial. I’ve included a new pocket template that can be used with any inseam pocket.

More free pants patterns to try –

• Slim fit joggers free pattern {2-12}
• Kids Sweatpants free sewing pattern {2-10}
• Family PJ Pattern – Free
• Girls Sassy Pants Pattern

How to sew athletic pants –

Here is the basic pants pattern layout and you can print the pocket pattern to add that as well. Download the free mesh pants pattern AND the pocket template using the buttons below.

Pants Supplies Needed:

• 1″ wide elastic
• pants pattern
• athletic fabric {see below}
• Kids measurements to determine size.

Print the free pattern in my shop here. Its free to sign in and free to print. Here’s how it should tape together. You will need a mesh fabric and a lining fabric with some stretch. See the links below for fabric suggestions.

How to sew mesh pants –

Find the size that works best. You can always add length when cutting, so go by the waist measurement. Measure the pattern length after printing to find out if you need to add or subtract length for your child. You need 1 yard of each fabric {mesh and stretch lining} less for the smaller sizes and more for the bigger.

The smaller sizes will need closer to a half yard, but the length determines how much fabric you need.

My Favorite Athletic fabrics –

• French Terry
•  Double Knit 100% Poly-Sportswear, Micro Mesh and Dimple Mesh/Bird’s Eye Light 100% Poly-Sportswear. I’ve bought it from Ronittextle.
• Stretch Wovens

 okay, now that your pattern is ready, cut your fabric and let’s get started! Cut out the fabric based on the pattern. You will need 2 fronts and 2 backs, cut of mesh and lining. If your fabric isn’t see through you don’t have to add a lining.

Tips for cutting out –

Measure your child’s inseam to determine if you need to add or subtract length to the pants. If your child is quite a bit taller than the size they fit into {example- your 8 year old measures a size 5 pants} You will also need to add length to the top as well. A 8 year old has a taller inseam than a 5 year old. My son fits the size 12, but I had to add 3″ to the bottom. I knew that if I needed to add that much to the bottom I would also need to add to the top. I added 1″ to the top on both the back and front.

We will start by sewing the main and lining separate, then put them together. You will need the lining to be shorter by 1″. Start by chopping off the top inch of the lining pieces. Both front and back. This will reduce the bulk in the elastic casing.

You can make this unlined as long as it is thick enough fabric. Just cut two fronts and two backs. 

Sew all seams with a serger or stretch stitch.

Sewing the lining-

Sew the crotch seams, front to front, back to back.

 open up these two pieces and sew them together. Sew the outer side seams, then the inseam.

Now we will do the same thing with the mesh part of the pants. Sew the crotch seam.

You can top-stitch the seams as you sew them for added design. I used a three needle coverstitch machine here to stitch, but a double needle on a sewing machine would also give a nice top-stitch detail.

{optional pocket instructions}

Cut out the pocket {you will need 4 pieces. Place the top of the pocket 3″ down from the top of the pants on the side seam. The clips here show the top and bottom of the pocket tab.

With right sides together, sew the pocket to the side of the pants. Open the pocket out and away from the pants and top-stitch the seam allowance towards the pocket.

Pin top of pants together at the side seam and then down the side and around the pocket. Sew the side seam including around the pocket. I sewed the side seam with a serger, so I went back over the sharp corners with a zig-zag stitch as well to reinforce. It’s hard to make sharp turns with the serger.

Sew both side seams like this. Next sew the inseam, matching the center crotch seams and then working down each leg.

Now you have two pants…Let’s put them together! Again, if you are working with jus a single layer, you don’t have to use all these details.

Turn the mesh pants right side out and the lining right side in. Place the wrong sides together and place the lining piece INSIDE the mesh. Give the pants a couple of good shakes, holding onto the top. This will help the layers to lay nicely. We will now turn down the top to make a casing for elastic. Your mesh pants’ top should extend above the lining like this.

Fold the mesh over the lining where the lining stops. Pin all around the top of the pants. The mesh should be folded over about 1.3″.

Sew 1/8″ from the top and then at the mesh edge to create the elastic casing. Leave a 2″ opening in the back. Measure your child for the elastic fit and thread it through the casing.

Sew the elastic together and pull inside. Sew the opening closed.

I like to tack the elastic in place at the side seams as shown below.

Add a tag to the back. I like to put a tag so that the kids can tell the back and front.

Okay, on to the hem. Trim up any uneven edges and make the lining and the mesh the same length.

Match the inseam and outer seam.

Fold the two layers over together 1/2″ and pin.

I used a zig-zag to give it a stretchy hem, but you can use what ever stitch you want for the hem. And that’s it!! Now sew up several.

Don’t let these faces fool you… they really did like these pants.

Please let me know if you have any questions! I’m happy to help!

Again, you can print your kids mesh pants pattern free here. 

Here are a few other great free patterns to sew..

Sweat Shorts Pattern

Raglan T-Shirt

Mesh Shorts Pattern

1 Hour Pjs