Tutorial: How to Make Cute Shorts with Pockets (pattern and sewing tutorial)
Learn how to make your own pair of elastic waist shorts by following along with this tutorial. First, I’ll walk you through how to use your measurements to create your own unique pattern that fits your size. Then I will show you how to put it all together. I’ve included a pdf for the pocket pattern that you can use for these shorts, but you can choose to design your own pocket if you prefer.
This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. That being said, I encourage you to use your local sewing shop whenever possible, or to look for supplies second hand.
Supplies Needed:
Pattern PIeces
Pocket Pattern
How to Make your pattern:
First, take your measurements:
Make your grid. Use your length measurements from above to draw horizontal lines for the length between the waist, hip, crotch , thigh, and bottom length of the pants. Then draw a straight line down for your center front.
Add your full hip point according to your calculations above. The measurement around your hips divided by 4, then add 1.5 inches.
Draw a line straight up from the hip to the waist line.
Draw the crotch line and connect it to the center front with a curve. Take your full hip measurement and divide it by 4 again. Then measure that distance out from the center front on the crotch line.
Don’t worry too much about this curve, you’ll can fine-tune it in a later step.
Draw a vertical guideline halfway in between the center front and the side of the pant leg.
Draw the base of the pant leg (the front knee calculation from earlier). Make sure the center of this line connects with the guideline.
For me, the base of the shorts comes out farther than the center front and past the hip point. Yours might not and that’s okay. It just depends on how thick your thighs are compared to your hips.
Connect the base to the sides of the pants. Try to make right angles at the bottom of the pant legs.
At this point, you also want to check the thigh measurement. Make sure the length from one side of the pant to the other on the thigh line is bigger than the calculation for the front thigh you made earlier.
Trace the side and bottom of the front pant to the back.
Move the side seams over half an inch. Keep the same shape, just scootch the side over half and inch on the outseam and inseam.
Make a line straight down from the waist to the hip half an inch in from the center back line.
Draw the crotch line and connect it to the hip with a curve. Take your full hip calculation and divide it by 2 again. Then measure that distance out from the center back on the crotch line.
Draw the inseam on the back of the pants the same way you did on the front.
Check to make sure the thigh line from side seam to inseam is greater than your back thigh measurement from earlier.
Check the crotch curve. This part is a little bit tricky, but you want the seam to create a straight line through the front and back crotch. Place the points of seams together as they would be if you are sewing them. If it’s not straight, just draw a straight line and adjust the point of both sides.
You’ll also need to make sure the inseams of the front and back are the same length. It’s totally normal if you need to adjust the crotch points a couple of times as measure, to make sure the front and back will fit together.
Measure the front and back waistlines of your pattern and add them together. Create a waistband using that measurement. Make the waistband 4 inches thick and cut it out with one side on the fold.
Don’t forget to add seam allowance to your pattern pieces!
Step 1
Get the pockets ready
Hem the diagonal side of the pockets. Then fold and press the seam allowance (1/2″) on the two sides that are opposite the diagonal. You may want to baste them in place to keep them folded under.
Step 2
sew the pockets to the front shorts
Place the pockets face up on the front shorts pieces. Line up the top of the pocket with the top of the shorts. Line up the side of the pocket with the side of the shorts (it’s okay it some pocket hangs over the edge).
Topstitch the pocket along the bottom and inner side. Then baste the pocket to the top and side of the shorts. Only the diagonal side is left open.
Step 3
clip the overhanging part of the pocket
The side of your shorts probably won’t line up with the side of the pocket. Just clip off any excess overhanging parts of the pocket so it lines up with the side of your shorts.
Step 4
Sew front and back of shorts
With right sides together, sew the front shorts and the back shorts together on both side seams.
Step 5
sew the crotch seam
Turn one pant leg inside out and place the other inside it so they have right sides together. Then sew the crotch seam. Turn the shorts to the right side.
Step 6
hem the bottom of the shorts
Double turn the bottom of the shorts to hem them along the bottom of both pant legs.
Step 7
fold the waistband in half and sew into a loop
Fold the waistband in half with right sides together. You want to sew the short side to form a loop, but you also want to leave a gap for inserting the elastic into the waistband later. To do this, sew only half of the waistband. Leave the other side unsewn, except for the seam allowance.
Step 8
fold the waistband in half
Fold the waistband in half lengthwise. The side without the gap at the seam is the ‘right side’
Step 9
sew the waistband to the shorts
Place the raw edges of the waistband in line with the raw edges of the shorts, then sew all the way around. Sew with right sides together, so the small gap in waistband will end up on the inside of the shorts.
Step 10
insert the elastic
Cut a piece of elastic that is a couple inches longer than the size of your waist. Using the gap in the back of the waistband, insert the elastic through the casing. Try on the shorts and pull the elastic until the waistband feels secure and comfortable. Then cut off any excess elastic and sew it into a loop. Hand sew the gap in the waistband closed.
Finished!
