I realized a couple of months ago that I had inadvertently started a healthy collection of jogger pants patterns. It’s actually one of my most redundant pattern styles, right up there with dolmans (7: EYMM Kymy, P4P Pumpkin Spice, Love Notions La Bella Donna, Shwin Carol, Shwin Day Tripper, SUAT Flora, WBM Daisy Drop-Shoulder Tee. Yikes, I didn’t know it was THAT bad) and raglans (just 3 – P4P relaxed, Greenstyle Centerfield, and Terra’s Treasures Riviera). I am the proud owner of 5 joggers patterns, though I’m only reviewing 4 here. I’m omitting the Go To Knit pants because I just haven’t seen a ton of interest in that pattern in the groups I participate in. I’m also not including the EYMM Freestyle Harems because the style is much more relaxed than a jogger. This review includes (in alphabetical order by designer):

• Greenstyle Brassies as the generally acknowledged favorite and gold standard
• Halla Lounge Pants as the new kid on the block (disclosure: I received this pattern free from the designer)
• Papercut Animas as the underdog
• Wardrobe By Me Urban Sweats as the dark horse (disclosure: I was a tester when this pattern was released)

I know any good joggers review should also include the True Bias Hudsons as the alternate gold standard but I just couldn’t bring myself to buy another pattern, and I’m not quite bold enough to start asking designers for freebies in exchange for reviews. If anyone has another pattern to suggest, I’ll cover the Go Tos, pick up the Hudsons, and do another post.

Here’s my process:

• Buy fabric (duh) – the main fabric for all joggers is French terry from PurpleSeamstress; accent fabrics detailed below
• Figure my size and cut all pattern pieces & fabric
• Check my seat seam curve with a flexi ruler and trace onto plastic; compare with paper seat seams (want more info on seat seam adjustment? Go see Becca). I’m not going to show that comparison here because I think it’s information overload. I will plan on a separate post when I make my frankenjoggers
• Sew all 4 patterns AS DRAFTED. Seat seam comparison was for information only- it won’t help anyone else if I alter the patterns to fit just my butt. I think these will be close enough for now, and I’ll adjust whichever pattern turns out to be my favorite)
• I followed the same basic construction for all patterns to keep things easy: install pockets per pattern instructions, make each leg by sewing inseam and side seam, tuck one leg in the other to sew seat seam/ faux fly; add cuffs; waistband per pattern instructions. Halla and WBM are written this way; Greenstyle and Papercut have different construction steps/ order
• Check fit hot off the sewing machine (everyone does this, right?)
• Launder, then check fit and take pictures including squat shots (ha!). Please don’t critique my form- I never have any idea if I’m doing squats right. But I did a bunch for these pictures, so I’m feeling good today!

Greenstyle Brassies (Join the Greenstyle Facebook group HERE)

Black French Terry, Znok beetles from Halla Fabrics, short pants length

Summary: These are the only full-length pants I made and I like them! The fit is a little long through the seat, with a mid-fit everywhere else- just your basic, classic jogger. Really comfy and easy to wear. The pants bag a bit over the ankle cuff, but that is intentional. Even though I made a mistake and  installed my waistband inside out (my buttonholes face my belly), this is also my favorite waistband of all 4 patterns; this is the low rise. I really like that the pocket doesn’t add any bulk to the hip area BUT it’s really shallow and not all that functional for actually retaining things while moving. I wore these to the park and my Samsung Galaxy (not a huge phone) fell out a bunch of times, though my keys stayed in the other pocket Ok.

Definitely my favorite waistband of the bunch. And it was cold and rainy today AND I need to shave my legs… so these are what I wore after all the pictures were done.

	Greenstyle Brassies
My size	Medium
Seam allowance	3/8″
Pocket Style	Inset patch
Waistband style	Knit +elastic + drawstring
Lengths	Shorts, capris, pants
Pattern extras	Shorten/ lenthen lines
Design extras	low rise/ mid rise options; pockets add almost no bulk
Overall fit	Moderately slim
My mods	Shortened 1″ at mid-thigh shorten line
The Good	Stabilized pocket opening, awesome waistband
The Bad	Pockets are really shallow

Halla Lounge Pants (Join the Halla Facebook group HERE)

Heather French terry and skulls from Piccadilly Textile Corp; pedal pusher length

I was really expecting these to be my favorite because I’ve loved everything I’ve seen posted on facebook, but this pattern was a little hit-or-miss for my body. I really like the fit through the seat- for a looser sweatpant, this fits my butt like yoga pants, and I count that as a win.But they are really loose from there, with a lot of fabric around the knee. I’m guessing they are awesome as full-length pants, but as capris they feel too baggy on me. Because of all the fullness, I had a hard time stretching my waistband and cuffs to fit the main fabric without puckers. I know it doesn’t really matter since it’s all stretchy anyway, but I like a smooth finish for the best stretch. These are the only joggers that didn’t include elastic in the waistband so they are very comfy, but if you don’t use good knit, you might get sagging after some wear. I like the idea of exposed patch pockets (who doesn’t want to show off awesome fabric?). In execution they are a little bulky and hard to get perfect, but I like them a lot better after running through the laundry. The good? Seriously these are perfect Princess Jasmine/ Cosplay/ belly dancing pants. Just leave the side seam open, finish your edges, and these would be amazing in a really lightweight knit with more stable bands. These are also probably the best pattern if you have full/ muscular thighs and a small but round butt.

I feel the need to clarify that is NOT a frontal wedgie in pic 2 – that’s an excess of fabric in the front curve that I need to adjust out. If you have muscular thighs, this could be a good base pattern for you.

	Halla Lounge Pants
My size	6/8
Seam allowance	1/4″
Pocket Style	Optional patch
Waistband style	Knit- regular and foldover
Lengths	Shorts, pedal pusher, pants
Pattern extras	Printed inseam ruler, band measurements included, layers
Design extras	Tapered cuff, patch pockets
Overall fit	Fitted rear, roomy everywhere else
My mods	None
The Good	Beautifully drafted- easy to assemble and cut; bands and pockets are in a separate file so it’s easy to not print them
The Bad	Pattern comes in multiple files and can be cumbersome if printing all; line drawings online but not in pattern

Papercut Animas  (Like the Papercut Facebook page HERE)

Charcoal-Black Two-tone French Terry, yarn-dyed stripes from Michael Levine’s Loft, capri length

I had high hopes for these based on the recommendation of a fellow seamstress. The modeled pictures looked like the perfect Goldilocks fit of not-too-tight, not-too-loose, and I liked the structured waistband that looked like it had RTW detailing, especially with the shorts length. As I got going, I liked the pocket construction and faux fly, but things sort of came apart from there. The waistband just did not work for me, though I possibly could have done something wrong? The 2″ elastic gets stitched into the waistband seam, then the waistband wraps over it and then top-stitched down. Mine looks pretty ugly up close, and that makes me sad, especially with the fabric distribution across the front. It looks like I will need to significantly adjust the front to clear my hips better. The cuffs also feel really long, so if I come back to this pattern I’ll shorten them probably by an inch or two. Otherwise, the fit felt OK through the seat, thighs, and knees, and I like the pockets. Also, this two-tone charcoal French terry is the MOST delicious fabric- definitely the softest of the bunch.

The cuffs really are even- the stripe fabric was really flimsy so I added some elastic to the cuffs, but that made them sit a little funny on my calves. That’s easily fixed though

	Papercut Animas
My size	Small
Seam allowance	1 cm (3/8″)
Pocket Style	Set-in slant
Waistband style	Knit + elastic + drawstring
Lengths	Shorts, capris, pants
Pattern extras	Notches
Design extras	Faux fly
Overall fit	Mid-roomy
My mods	Top-stitched pocket opening
The Good	Stabilized pocket opening, understitched pocket bag
The Bad	Waistband construction is squirrely

Wardrobe By Me Urban Sweats  (Join the Wardrobe By Me Facebook group HERE)

Oatmeal French terry and floral ponte from LDG Show Room, capri length

I mentioned I was a tester for this pattern, so I already have 3 pairs of these in my regular rotation. That’s why I sized down- I know I like a slimmer fit through the seat, which is intentionally a little long and relaxed. If you want a more typical looser jogger fit, go with your size according to the chart. Overall, I really do (still) love this pattern. The fit works for me, and I especially like the slight easing in the upper inseam that keeps the pants from drooping over time. I also like the thoughtful design details like the side stripe and faux fly. The only downside is that the 2″ elastic is REALLY snug in the waistband if you go over the 1/4″ seam allowance at all. I usually add 1/2″ in height to the waistband to help it clear the elastic, but I didn’t do that for this pair. I also didn’t think about blending in with my wall when I made these.

I like the overall fit of these the best with a slimmer leg, deep pocket and slightly dropped crotch. I could probably stand to deepen the curve a bit through the back seat.

	Wardrobe By Me Urban Sweats
My size	6 (I really should have done an 8, I know, but I chose to size down)
Seam allowance	1/4″
Pocket Style	Set in slant
Waistband style	Knit + elastic
Lengths	Shorts, capris, pants
Pattern extras	Notches; easy to print in b/w with dashed lines; layers; no-trim pages
Design extras	Faux fly, side stripe
Overall fit	Moderately slim, and I sized down from my measurements
My mods	Included side stripe, lengthened cuff slightly to account for ponte; widened cuff for mid-calf
The Good	The upper inseam just below the seat has some easing to improve fit
The Bad	The 2″ elastic in the waistband is snug; would be OK if you used a 4-way stretch knit for the band.

Master Comparison:

My personal ideal is a frankenjogger: WBM as a base pattern with the Brassies waistband, pockets constructed like the Animas, and maybe a cargo pocket or back patch pocket inspired by the Hallas to show off fabric.

Did I miss anything? If you have any questions or suggestions for a follow-up post, drop me a comment! I’m giving my joggers tons of wear for MeMadeMay – check me out on Instagram @DoodleNumber5.