By Esi Hutchinson
Making a pants fly can always be a bit tricky. And the 250 Hollywood Pants has a faced buttoned fly that sometimes causes a little head-scratching for customers. So we here at Folkwear thought it would be a good idea to show how to make the fly and little tips to make the process smoother. This tutorial will focus on the pattern pieces A (Pants Front), C (Right Fly and Facing), and D (Left Fly and Facing).
To make the fly, you will need to cut one Right Fly C and one Right Fly Facing C. These pieces should be cut as mirror images. For the Left Fly D, you need to cut one with the pattern piece face-down on the fabric for the main fabric. You also need to cut two of Fly Facings D so you have mirror images of each.
Below you can see the pieces I cut. I cut the facings from muslin so you can see the difference between the fly pieces and the facing pieces. However, you can cut all your facings from your main fabric if you wish. I also just cut the pants front with short legs so it is easy to see the fly.
I have three pieces for D, the Left Fly (one main fabric fly and 2 facings); two pieces foe C (one main fabric and one facing). It helps to label each piece and note which side is the right side/wrong side so you don't get confused. Note that below, I did not always label the right side of the fabric, so don't let that get you confused.
Lets begin!
Right sides together, stitch Knickers Fronts (piece A) together from box to bottom of the crotch seam, backstitching at box. Press the seam open; you may finish the seams using a serger, overcast or zig-zag stitch.
If your fabric is light-weight and your need more structure, interface your Fly pieces C and D (main fabric). Do not add interfacing to your facings.
Now, we start by working with the Fly and Facing C for the right side of the pant.
Right sides together, stitch Right Fly C to Fly Facing C, matching notch 1 and backstitching at the box.
Right sides sewn together.
Trim the seam, turn and press. Clipping to the box and trimming this seam is helpful before you sew the fly to the Front Right Pant crotch.
Press under 1/2 in. (13mm) along the remaining long raw edge (double notched side) of the Right Fly Facing C.
Right sides together, stitch Right Fly C (main fabric) to the right-hand side of Right Front A (as you wear it), matching notch 2. Backstitch at the box to secure.
It is helpful to clip to the box on the pant seam after your have sewed down the Fly C to the pant. This will keep the rest of the seam flat when folding over the Fly C.
Press the seam toward the Fly C. Then pin the pressed-under edge of Fly Facing C over the seamline to the inside. Slipstitch Fly Facing, or topstitch on the right side of garment, to finish.
Now put aside this right side of the pants, and let's start working on Left Fly and Facing D.
A Left Fly and a Left Fly Facing
With right sides together, stitch Left Fly D to a Facing along the unnotched edge, and backstitch at the box.
Clip into the seam to the box and trim this seam. Then turn right side out (i.e. put wrong sides together) and press.
Transfer the buttonhole markings to right side of Left Fly Piece (main fabric). Make the buttonholes, stitching through both Fly and Facing. It is best to make the buttonholes now because it is hard to maneuverer to make the buttonholes after the fly has gone in.
With right sides together, stitch the remaining Facing D to the remaining raw edge of Left Front A opening (again, ignore the double notches on Left Front A). Stitch from the waist to the box. Backstitch at the box to secure.
Clip into the seam to the box and trim the seam. Then turn Facing D around to the wrong side of Left Front A (wrong sides are now together) and press.
Right sides together.
Wrong sides together.
Now, trim 1/2 in. (13mm) off of both Left Facings D -- the one sewn to the Left Fly and the one sewn to the pants leg.
Then press under 1/2 in. (13mm) on the long single-notched edge of Fly D (main fabric), clipping curve as necessary to help press under.
You now have the Left fly ready to assemble.
Open out the Facing D that is stitched to the Left Front Pant A. Place the Left Facings D with right sides together and pin, matching the seams. The Left Fly D (main fabric) will have its folded-under seam allowance go around both Facings. Trim off a little more from the Facings if needed.
Now stitch a few stitches between buttonholes, through FLY and both Facings, as marked on the Pattern.
You can see here that the folded-under seam of my Left Fly D was not yet folded around the Facings. It is probably better to do this before taking the stitches in case you catch the folded-under seam in the stitching.
Now turn the entire Left fly D to the inside, and pin the pressed-under edge of Fly D over the trimmed Facings. Topstitch through all the layers, close to pressed edge.
Overlapping bottom ends of both Flys, stitch Right and Left Fly together at bottom edge by topstitching on right side of the Left Front A as shown on the Pattern Piece for Right Fly C.
Now your are finished! I hope that cleared some things up. To me, the most confusing part is making sure you cut your Left Fly D (main fabric) with your pattern piece faced down.
August 08, 2024
Fantastic tutorial! I bought this pattern for these knickers, can’t wait to try it! Thank you !
Wendy
October 29, 2024
Thank you! I was just thinking of making my second pair of knickers. I was one of the head-scratching customers that you mention and actually called Folkwear and got excellent help over the phone describing exactly what is in the pattern and illustrated! All I can say is it was a “deer in the headlights” kind of thing and I needed some hand holding to figure out that fly! These instructions will definitely help future knicker makers! (my first pair are made of a lovely chocolate brown narrow wale corduroy with a fun calico facing and copper toned metal buttons)