Make Your Own SKIMS Wide Leg Cozy Pants – Crochet Tutorial (Part 3 of 3)

Welcome back, crafters! If you’ve been following along with this series, you already know how satisfying this project is turning out to be. In Part 1 we built our foundation with the waistband and began shaping the hips, and in Part 2 we worked our way through the thigh section and started the leg split. Now it’s finally time to finish these gorgeous wide leg cozy pants and put together a pair of handmade loungewear that looks and feels just like the real thing — only made with your own two hands and a whole lot of love.

If this is your first time landing on this tutorial, I’d strongly recommend heading back to read Parts 1 and 2 first, since we’re building directly on the work done in those posts. But if you’re comfortable with the construction so far and just need to pick up where you left off, you are absolutely in the right place. Let’s get into it.

What You’ll Need for Part 3

Before we dive into the final steps, let’s do a quick materials check so you’re not scrambling mid-row.

You’ll need the same yarn you’ve been using throughout the project — a chunky or bulky weight yarn with a lot of stretch and drape works best for achieving that ultra-cozy SKIMS-inspired look. Something with cotton or bamboo content will give you a softer hand feel, but a high-stretch acrylic blend also works beautifully and tends to be more budget-friendly.

Your hook should match what you used in the previous parts. If you’ve been working with a 6mm hook for a tighter gauge or a 7mm for a looser, drapier fabric, stick with that same hook now so your tension stays consistent all the way to the hem.

You’ll also want a yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, stitch markers (especially if you’re working in the round), and a measuring tape handy for checking the leg length as you go. If you have a pair of wide leg pants you love the fit of, keep them nearby as a reference — it makes checking length and width so much easier than relying on measurements alone.

Quick Recap of Where We Are

At the end of Part 2, you should have two separate leg tubes started. We split the work at the crotch and began working each leg individually in the round. Both legs should be a few inches long already, and the shaping should give you a nice, relaxed wide leg silhouette that starts generous and keeps that ease all the way down.

If your legs look a little uneven right now, don’t panic. Wide leg pants have a lot of fabric in them, and any minor inconsistencies tend to disappear once the pants are blocked and worn. The wide leg style is wonderfully forgiving.

Step 1: Continuing the Leg Tubes

Pick up whichever leg you want to work first — it doesn’t matter which one you start with as long as you mirror the row counts on both.

You’re going to continue working in the round in your main stitch pattern. If you’ve been using extended single crochet throughout this project, keep doing that. It creates a fabric that’s just stretchy enough, substantial enough to hold its shape, and has that beautiful subtle texture that reads as high-end even though it’s completely handmade. If you’ve been using half double crochet for a slightly airier fabric, continue with that.

Work even — meaning no increases or decreases — until the leg reaches approximately 24 to 26 inches from the crotch join, or until it reaches the length that works for your body. Wide leg pants typically hit anywhere from just below the knee to the ankle or even a sweep length, so try the pants on periodically as you work to make sure you’re heading toward the length you want.

This section takes the most time of the entire project, but it’s also the most meditative. Once you’ve established the stitch pattern and you’re working in the round, it’s just row after row of the same thing. Put on a podcast or your favorite show and let your hands do the work.

Step 2: Adding the Leg Flare

This is one of my favorite details of the whole pattern, and it’s what really gives these pants that wide leg lounge pant silhouette instead of a straight leg look.

When your leg is about 4 to 6 inches from your desired finished length, it’s time to start the flare. This is done with a series of gentle increases that open up the hem and create that sweeping, drapey wide leg shape.

Here’s how to work the flare:

In the first flare round, place an increase (two stitches worked into the same stitch) every 8 stitches around. This adds width gradually and evenly. Work one plain round with no increases after this.

In the second flare round, place an increase every 6 stitches around. Work another plain round with no increases.

In the third flare round, place an increase every 4 stitches around.

By this point your hem opening should feel noticeably wider and the fabric will naturally want to flare outward. You can stop here if you want a moderate flare, or you can continue adding one more increase round — increasing every 3 stitches — for an even more dramatic, palazzo-style sweep.

Try the pants on or lay them flat and compare to a pair of wide leg pants you love before deciding how much flare to add. It’s easy to add more but impossible to take it back without frogging, so check before you commit.

Step 3: Working the Hem

For the hem, we’re going to do something simple and clean that gives a polished finished edge without any extra bulk. This is important for wide leg pants because the hem is often visible and it frames the whole silhouette.

After completing your final flare round, work one round of single crochet all the way around. Then work one round of reverse single crochet (also called crab stitch). This creates a slightly raised, rope-like edge that lies flat, doesn’t curl, and looks intentional and refined.

If you want a slightly sportier or more casual look, you can skip the reverse single crochet and instead work a simple slip stitch bind-off for a barely-there hem that keeps the fabric as soft and drapey as possible all the way to the edge.

Fasten off and leave a long tail for weaving in. Do not cut too close — you want enough yarn to weave back through at least four to five stitches in different directions to make sure the end is completely secure.

Step 4: Working the Second Leg

Now set the finished leg aside and pick up the second leg. This one is worked exactly the same way. Count your rounds on the first leg and match them exactly on the second. I cannot stress this enough — take the time to count. Nothing is more frustrating than finishing a pair of pants and realizing one leg is noticeably longer than the other.

If you kept track of your row counts as you went (which I always recommend, even just with a tally on your phone), this part is simple. Just match the numbers. If you didn’t keep count, lay both legs flat together, line up the crotch join, and compare lengths before you bind off.

Work the flare and hem on the second leg to match the first, fasten off, and weave in ends.

Step 5: Finishing the Waistband

If your waistband from Part 1 is already finished and attached, you may be able to skip this step. But many people prefer to add the elastic casing after the pants are fully constructed, so let’s go through that now.

The waistband on these cozy pants is worked to create a channel — a small tube of crochet through which you thread elastic. This is what gives the pants that comfortable, adjustable fit and eliminates the need for any drawstring or button closure.

If your waistband has a folded casing already sewn down, you just need to thread your elastic through it. Use a bodkin or a large safety pin attached to the end of your elastic to feed it through the channel. Cut your elastic to your waist measurement plus about an inch for overlap, feed it all the way through, overlap the ends, and sew them together securely with a needle and thread or with a sewing machine if you have one available.

Once the elastic is secured, ease the waistband fabric evenly around the elastic so it distributes without bunching, and use a few hand stitches to close the opening through which you threaded the elastic.

If you need to add the waistband casing at this stage, here’s a simple method: work a foundation row of single crochet along the top edge of the pants, then fold that band over and slip stitch it to the wrong side of the pants, leaving a small gap for inserting the elastic. Thread, secure, and close as described above.

Step 6: Final Blocking and Shaping

Blocking is the step that separates a finished crochet piece from a truly polished finished garment. I know it can feel like a lot of effort when you’re so close to being done, but please don’t skip this.

Fill a sink or basin with cool or lukewarm water — never hot, especially if your yarn has any acrylic content. Add a small amount of gentle soap or wool wash if you like. Submerge the pants, pressing gently to make sure the yarn absorbs the water fully. Let them soak for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove them carefully — don’t wring or twist, just gently press out the excess water. Then roll them in a clean dry towel and press to remove more moisture. Lay the pants flat on a blocking board or a clean towel on the floor, and use your hands to shape them. Smooth out the legs so they’re even in width, coax the flare to open up attractively, and make sure the waistband lies flat and even.

Leave them to dry completely — this usually takes 24 hours depending on the weight of the yarn. The difference between blocked and unblocked will surprise you. The stitches even out, the drape improves, and the whole garment looks more professionally made.

Fit Tips and Modifications

One of the best things about making your own SKIMS-inspired lounge pants is that you can adjust the fit in ways that a mass-produced garment never could. Here are a few modifications worth knowing about.

If you want a higher rise, simply work more rows on the waistband section before beginning the hip shaping. Adding two to three inches to the waistband height gives you that ultra-high waist look that’s so flattering and comfortable.

If you want a slimmer thigh before the flare begins, you can add a few gentle decreases in the thigh section and then increase back out as you approach the hem. This creates a more tapered silhouette that still opens up into a wide leg at the bottom.

For a longer length — think floor-sweeping lounge pants or a palazzo pant vibe — just work more rows before you begin the flare. You can also make the flare itself more dramatic by adding more increase rounds.

If the pants are coming out too wide overall and you’re finding the fabric lacks structure, consider going down a hook size for your next pair or switching to a yarn with a bit more body. Wide leg pants need drape, but they shouldn’t look shapeless when worn.

Yarn Substitutions and Color Ideas

The beauty of working from a tutorial like this is that you can absolutely make it your own. The SKIMS aesthetic tends toward neutral, earthy, muted tones — think warm camel, dusty rose, sage green, cream, slate grey, chocolate brown, and classic black. Any of these would produce a pair of pants that feel very true to that elevated, luxurious loungewear look.

That said, there’s absolutely no rule saying your cozy wide leg pants have to be neutral. A soft lavender or a deep terracotta would be just as beautiful, and if you want to try a striped version by alternating colors every few rounds, that would give you something really unique and eye-catching.

For yarn, if you want to stay budget-friendly, Lion Brand Pound of Love, Paintbox Simply DK, and Paintbox Simply Chunky all work well depending on the gauge you’re aiming for. If you want to invest in something more luxurious, a bamboo-cotton blend from a smaller indie dyer would take this project to the next level in terms of feel against the skin.

Caring for Your Handmade Lounge Pants

Handmade crochet garments need a little more care than store-bought items, but it’s nothing complicated. Wash on a gentle or delicate cycle in a mesh laundry bag, using cool water. Lay flat to dry rather than putting them in the dryer, especially if there’s any natural fiber content. If you used a fully acrylic yarn, tumble drying on low is usually fine, but air drying will always extend the life of the garment.

Store them folded rather than hung — hanging knit and crochet garments can cause them to stretch out of shape over time.

You Did It!

Finishing a crochet garment is one of the best feelings in the craft. Wide leg pants are genuinely wearable, genuinely comfortable, and genuinely impressive — people will ask where you got them and when you tell them you made them yourself, the reaction is always wonderful.

If you’ve followed along through all three parts of this series, I want you to take a moment to appreciate how much work went into this project. Garment crochet is not for the faint of heart, and completing a pair of full-length pants is a real accomplishment.

I would absolutely love to see how yours turned out. Share your finished photos in the comments, tag me if you post to Instagram, and let me know if you made any modifications — I always learn so much from seeing how others adapt these patterns to their own bodies and tastes.

If you enjoyed this series, I have more SKIMS-inspired crochet tutorials in the works, including a matching cozy top and a ribbed lounge set, so make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss those when they go live.

Happy crocheting, and wear your handmade pants with total pride — you absolutely earned it.