After diving deep and researching 116 maternity patterns (!), we shortlisted the best on offer for pregnant mums, including 7 free PDF gems! This list is focused on bottoms (pants/trousers, shorts, and skirts). We included useful information like sizing, design features, fabric recommendations, and suitability for beginners.
You can find more maternity-friendly sewing patterns in our articles for maternity tops and dresses, and general maternity patterns.
Button-up shirts, loose t-shirts, t-shirt dresses, and jersey wrap dresses are also popular options for breastfeeding and pregnancy, so make sure you check out these roundups.
Contents list:
Maternity leggings:
“Peg Legs” classic leggings with rise and leg style variations
Download now from Patterns for Pirates – FREE
- Sizes: XXS – 5XL. Hip: 34” – 64” (86 – 160 cm).
- Design: Classic’s tight-fitting leggings. Options for low/medium or high rise. Four leg length options. A maternity add on pack is available for free here.
- Fabric: Medium-weight 4-way stretch knit fabrics with good recovery like spandex or lycra-blend jerseys, or activewear fabrics.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Projector files are available. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. Some experience sewing with knit fabrics would be helpful, but the leggings are a very simple style and can be made in a more stable jersey, which would make the sewing process easier.
“Avery” classic leggings with no side seams
Buy now from Helens Closet – $16
- Sizes: US 0 – 34. Hip: 33” – 62” (152 – 157 cm).
- Design: High-waisted leggings with no side seams. Crotch gusset. Waistband and waistband facing with enclosed elastic. View B features an ultra-high waist and extra-long legs. You can find a tutorial for how to sew a hacked pair for maternity wear here.
- Fabric: Light to medium-weight knit fabric with at least 50% 4-way stretch, such as spandex, lycra or elastane blends, rayon or bamboo jerseys, activewear knits, stretch velvet, or performance fabrics.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included. There are also some additional tutorials on Helen’s Closet’s Instagram account, saved in their highlights: waistband, gusset, and pockets.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. I think a beginner could have a go at this pattern, but some experience sewing with knit/stretch fabrics would be an advantage. The leggings are a simple style and should be easy to sew. Helen’s Closet patterns come with detailed, beginner-friendly instructions and additional tutorials on Instagram, which would be really helpful for beginners.
“Ninja” leggings with multiple length and rise options (+Video)
Download now from 5 Out of 4 Patterns – FREE
- Sizes: 2XS – 5XL. Hip: 34” – 61” (86 – 155 cm).
- Design: Athletic leggings. 7 length options with inseams ranging from 2”-30” (5-76 cm). 4 rise options: High, mid, low, or extra low rise for maternity. Self fabric or exposed elastic waistband options. Includes gusset for comfort. Optional key pocket.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabric with at least 50% 4-way stretch and good recovery. For example, lycra and spandex blends such as cotton, polyester, or nylon, and performance knits.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Projector files are available. Instructions are included with links to video tutorials for the trickier steps.
- Suitable for beginners? No, I think this pattern would suit a confident beginner with some sewing experience. The leggings are a simple design and it’s suggested that they only take an hour to sew. However, a complete beginner may struggle with working with the recommended fabrics since they can be stretchy and difficult to handle. Sewing the gusset and the waistband could also be fiddly. Use a cotton blend knit fabric to make the sewing process easier, and use lots of pins or clips to keep any slippery areas together whilst sewing.
Maternity pants / trousers:
“Mountain Pose” slightly flared yoga pants with 2 waistband options
Download now from Hey June Handmade – FREE
- Sizes: XS – 2XL. Hip: 36” – 45” (91.5 – 114 cm).
- Design: Full-length yoga pants. Fitted at the thighs and then slightly flared. 2 shaped waistband options: cross-over and plain.
- Fabric: Medium to heavy weight stretchy knit fabric with 8%+ elastane/lycra/spandex content, and at least 50% 4-way stretch. Eg. supplex, ponte knit.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0/US copyshop sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? I think this suits advanced beginners who want to start sewing stretchy knit fabrics. It’s a simple design with only a few pattern pieces. The designer recommends using a thicker knit which will be more stable to sew. And good sewing instructions are included with illustrations.
“Bump hugger” fitted maternity pants and leggings with high rise (+Video)
Buy now from Yawning Mama – $8
- Sizes: 2XS – 5XL. Finished waist: 35” – 88” (89 – 244 cm). Note: These measurements are based on ease preference and not actual body measurements.
- Design: Fitted maternity shorts, trousers or leggings. Option for wide or legging style leg. No horizontal seaming for comfort. High, over-the-bump rise. 1” elastic waistband. Option for one, two or three piece leg patterns. Optional pocket.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabrics with 60% horizontal stretch and 40% vertical stretch. For example, bamboo/spandex, merino/spandex, cotton/spandex, ponte, yoga knit, denim-look knit, or double brushed polyester.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Photo illustrated instructions are included with links to video tutorials for the trickier steps.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. The designer suggests that the leggings can be made in 30 minutes and that they are suitable for beginners. I think some sewing experience would be very helpful for sewing these as stretch fabrics can be difficult to handle. However, comprehensive instructions and video tutorials are included with the pattern to make the sewing process easier, and there are very few pattern pieces involved.
“Eva” jogger style maternity pants with pockets and drawstring waist
Buy now from FabricoPatterns on Etsy – $9
- Sizes: 2XS – 3XL. Hip: 34” – 45” (86 – 114 cm).
- Design: Jogger style maternity pants. Low rise waistband with built in belly band. Drawstring waist. Slanted front pockets with rib trim. Back patch pocket. Ankle length.
- Fabric: Medium weight knit fabrics. For example, sweatshirt knits, merino knits, French terry, light sweater knits, or stretch velour.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. US copyshop files are available on demand. Illustrated instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? No. I think this pattern would best suit an intermediate sewist with some previous experience. The pants are more involved than other leggings patterns since they include pockets and a drawstring waist which a complete beginner might struggle with. The instructions don’t appear to be super detailed and clear, so some previous sewing experience would be helpful.
Drawstring tapered leg maternity pants with integrated belly band
Buy now from Grasser – $3
- Sizes: RUS 38-56. Hip: 33”-47” (84-120 cm). Three height ranges.
- Design: Casual, tapered leg pants. Low rise drawstring waistband with built-in over the bump belly band. Slash pockets on the front. Cuffed hems.
- Fabric: Stretch or non-stretch medium weight woven fabrics for the pants, such as denim, twill, or suiting fabrics. Medium weight knit fabric with good stretch and recovery for the belly band.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and large scale plotter size. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? No, I think this pattern would be better suited for very advanced and confident beginners or intermediate level sewists. Sewing the pockets, the drawstring waistband and the belly band could prove challenging for a complete beginner.
“Bravado” bootleg and flood jeans with maternity add on pack
Buy now from DIBY Club with the maternity add-on pack – £9+£3 (approx. $11+$4)
- Sizes: US 00 – 20. Hip: 34” – 48 ¾ ” (86 – 124 cm).
- Design: Traditional five-pocket jeans with classic jeans details like a zipper fly and belt loops. Floor length bootleg or cuffed flood. Mid and high rise options. The maternity add-on pack features an extra low rise with full coverage belly band or wide elastic waistband.
- Fabric: Bottom weight stretch woven fabrics with at least 40% two way stretch, such as stretch denim or twill. An athletic knit fabric for the belly or waist band with at least 40% four way stretch, like cotton or bamboo jersey or a lycra blend polyester.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? No. The pattern level is rated intermediate and beyond. I think a beginner would struggle to sew this pattern since there are a lot of details involved in the jeans, such as sewing the zip fly and attaching the pockets and rivets. Some previous garment sewing experience would be helpful for sewing these jeans and for getting the fit correct.
Maternity shorts:
“India” maternity shorts with built-in belly band
Buy now from Koenigin Mutter – €6.90 (approx. $7.50)
- Sizes: EU 34 – 56. Hip: 37” – 53” (95 – 134 cm).
- Design: Comfort fit maternity shorts. Mid thigh length. Side pockets. Ultra low rise. Wide waistband with built-in belly band.
- Fabric: Medium weight woven or knit fabric with some stretch. For example, sweatshirt knits, French terry, Ponte, jacquard, or stretch denim.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? I think this pattern would best suit an intermediate level sewist or beyond. Although the shorts are a simple style, seam and hem allowances have not been included in the pattern pieces and need to be added on separately which a beginner might struggle with. Attaching the pockets and belly band could also be tricky without experience.
Maternity skirts:
“Erin” knee and midi length high rise maternity pencil skirt
Buy now from Megan Nielsen – $12
- Sizes: XS – XL. Hip: 36” – 44” (91 – 112 cm).
- Design: Close fitting, maternity pencil skirt. Ruched side seams. High waistline with full stomach coverage. Knee or midi length options. Optional ruffle hem.
- Fabric: Medium weight knit fabrics good stretch and recovery. For example, lycra blends, sweater knits, rib knits, or cotton/bamboo blends.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, this skirt is very simple in style with minimal pattern pieces, making it a great maternity pattern for a beginner to sew. Choosing a fabric which isn’t too slippery, such as a cotton blend or a rib knit, will help to make the sewing process easier.
“Ravinia” flared maternity skirt with gathered pockets and length options
Buy now from Love Notions – $12.50
- Sizes: XS – 5XL. Hip: 35.5 – 59.5” (90 – 151 cm).
- Design: Full, flared skirt. Gathered, curved, slash pockets. Over the belly wide maternity waistband. Options for knee, calf, or maxi lengths. 3 waistband options: yoga, contoured, and maternity.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knits with some drape. For example, viscose, bamboo or Tencel jersey, lycra/polyester blends, light sweater knits, or light French terry.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes, I think a beginner with some garment sewing experience could enjoy sewing this pattern. Some experience sewing with knits would be helpful since the fabrics suggested are drapey and can be difficult to sew. Choose a stable fabric such as a cotton blend or a French terry to make the sewing process easier. More information and tips on fabric choice is available on the Love Notions blog here.
“Chloe” A-line skirt with maternity friendly fold-over waistband
Buy now from Made for Mermaids – FREE
- Sizes: Hip: 33” – 54 ” (84 – 137 cm).
- Design: Simple A-line knit skirt. Fold over, high waisted waistband worn over the bump or regular waistband that can be worn under the bump. Knee or maxi length options.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knits with good stretch, recovery, and drape. For example, rayon, cotton, lycra, scuba, or cotton jersey.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. The designer suggests that this would be a great pattern for beginners since there is only one pattern piece and four seams and a hem to sew. Be careful not to choose a fabric with too much drape and fluidity for your first go as this type of knit can be tricky to sew. A cotton, scuba or ponte would be an easier choice.
“Cress” Wrap Skirt with Frill and High-Low Hem
Download now from Mood – FREE
- Sizes: US 2 – 30. Hip: 34.5” – 63” (88 – 160 cm).
- Design: Midi-length wrap skirt. Waist tie. Curved fronts with a high-low hem. Ruffled them.
- Fabric: Light to medium-weight woven fabrics with some drape like lightweight linen, cotton or silk voile, viscose, rayon, or crepe.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included in the blog post, but they are rather sparse with few photos.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. I think an advanced beginner could have a go at this pattern, but some previous garment sewing experience would be helpful with sewing the frill and curved hemlines. Use a stable fabric such as cotton or linen to make the sewing process easier. The instructions aren’t very detailed or thorough, so some prior experience would come in handy.
“Shenanigans” maternity friendly skort (+Video)
Buy now from 5 Out of 4 Patterns – $12
- Sizes: XS – 5XL. Hip: 34” – 61” (86 – 155 cm).
- Design: Slim fit skort (skirt and shorts combined). 3 length options: above the knee, mini and sports length. Optional flounce. Four inseam lengths. Shorts gusset. 3 rise options including a scooped out, low rise front with high rise back for maternity wear. The shorts and the skirt can be made as separate garments. Optional tennis or ID/key pockets.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabric with at least 50% 4-way stretch. Lycra blends, cotton, polyester or nylon are suggested.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes and A0 copyshop size. Instructions are included with links to video tutorials for the trickier steps.
- Suitable for beginners? No, I think this pattern would best suit an advanced beginner with some previous garment sewing experience. A beginner might struggle with the construction of the shorts and skirt as one and there are some fiddly parts to the pattern such as sewing in the gusset and pockets (optional). Some experience sewing with knit fabrics would be helpful here. For your first try, I’d recommend sewing the skirt and the shorts separately and not including the pockets.
Belly bands:
A belly band is a tube of fabric made from material with good stretch and recovery. The band provides mild support to the hips and lower back and can also be worn as extra coverage whilst wearing shorter tops or low rise pants or shorts as your bump expands.
Mid coverage belly band tutorial with custom sizing
Read tutorial now on Make It Love It – FREE
- Sizes: The pattern is drafted to your own waist/hip measurements. The suggested fabric width is 35”.
- Design: Basic belly band tube. Mid coverage for wearing tops/pants for coverage while your bump grows. Can also be worn for breastfeeding coverage.
- Fabric: Light to medium weight knit fabric with good stretch and recovery. Using scraps of jersey and knit fabrics from previous projects is suggested.
- Format: Instructions for drafting the pattern pieces based on your measurements are included in the blog post.
- Suitable for beginners? Yes. Belly bands are super easy to sew since they are simply a rectangle of fabric sewn into a tube with only one seam and occasionally a hem. This would be a great project for a beginner to practise sewing with knit fabrics and since scraps of fabric can be used there is minimal cost involved too.
Belly band pattern hack for adding to existing jeans or pants
Download now from Rebecca Page – FREE (with email subscription)
- Sizes: 2XS-5XL. Exact measurements are not provided.
- Design: Belly band pattern for adding to your existing or new ready-to-wear jeans. High “over the bump” waistband for full coverage.
- Fabric: Any light to medium weight knit fabric with good stretch and recovery. Scraps of jersey and knit fabrics from previous projects can be used.
- Format: PDF digital download in A4 / US letter sizes. Instructions are included.
- Suitable for beginners? I think this pattern would be a great one for a confident beginner with some previous sewing experience. The belly band itself is easy to construct, but some experience sewing with knit fabrics would be helpful for achieving a neat finish. The difficulty will be in removing the waistband from the existing pair of pants and attaching the belly band. A complete beginner might struggle with this.
What to read next:
- 32 Maternity & Nursing Dress Sewing Patterns (4 FREE)
- 37 Maternity Sewing Patterns
- 29 Shirt Sewing Patterns for Women & Men (8 FREE!)
- 41 T-Shirt Sewing Patterns for Women, Men & Kids (24 FREE!)
- 34 T-Shirt Dress Sewing Patterns – Women & Kids (9 FREE)
- 36 Sewing Patterns for Wrap Dresses (11 FREE PDF’s!)
This article was written by Sally Gauntlett, and edited by Nisan Aktürk.
Sally Gauntlett (author)
Sally started sewing as a child. In 2008, she started a handmade business selling personalized gifts and homeware. She then became a sewing content creator, sharing her makes on Youtube and Instagram. Read more…