How to Sew Shorts in 7 Steps

Making your own pair of shorts requires basic sewing tools that you likely already have on hand, including:

1. 1. Elastic: You’ll need elastic to make the slip-on waistband of your shorts. Refer to your chosen pattern to find out how much elastic you’ll need.
2. 2. Fabric: You can choose from various fabrics to make shorts, but a lightweight, comfortable material works best for first-time sewists. Be mindful of using stretchy or thick fabrics, which can be challenging to work with. For example, if you use denim, use a denim needle to ensure it can effectively pierce the fabric.
3. 3. Iron: Use an iron to press seams and remove wrinkles as you sew, which will help you make crisp lines and sew straight seams.
4. 4. Sewing machine: Using a sewing machine for this project enables you to sew straight lines quickly, guaranteeing a fast and polished result. Learn how to use a sewing machine.
5. 5. Shorts pattern: Choose a shorts sewing pattern with your preferred silhouette. You can even find a free sewing pattern online or browse options at your local fabric store.
6. 6. Sewing supplies: You will need basic sewing supplies—including tailor’s chalk, pins, fabric scissors, a sharp needle, and thread—to make DIY shorts.

Making clothes is a fun, rewarding DIY project. Follow these step-by-step instructions to make a pair of simple shorts at home.

1. 1. Set up your workspace. Lay all of your tools out on a clean workspace. Be sure to lay down a mat underneath your fabric to protect your surface from scissors and needles. Make sure that you have a surface large enough to lay your fabric out flat.
2. 2. Pin, mark, and cut out your pattern. Lay the pattern pieces flat on your fabric so they do not touch, pin them down, and use the tailor’s chalk to outline the edges. Next, cut the pattern pieces out of your fabric, leaving about a quarter-inch seam allowance on all sides.
3. 3. Sew the front pieces together. Lay the two front pieces of your shorts—left leg and right leg—on top of one another so that the edges line up. Make sure the wrong side is facing out. Pin and sew the center seam so that you can open the front of the shorts like a book. Stop at the crotch to leave the leg holes open.
4. 4. Sew the back pieces together. Repeat the above step for the two back pattern pieces of your shorts. Lay them on top of one another, pin, and sew. You will now have two pieces of fabric, representing the front and back of your pair of shorts.
5. 5. Add the crotch and side seams. Lay the top and bottom pieces of your shorts over one another so that the vertical seams in the center line up. Pin and sew the leg inseams. Use a zig-zag stitch to ensure the crotch seam stays secure. Pin and sew the side seams.
6. 6. Make the elastic waistband. Cut two strips of fabric according to your pattern’s dimensions. Fold the long edges under, and press with your iron to hide the raw edges of the fabric. Pin and sew the long edges together to make a tube. Sew the fabric tube to the top of your pair of shorts with a straight stitch. Feed the elastic through the tubular opening of your waistband until it comes out the other side. Attach a safety pin to the end of the elastic to help feed it through. Stitch both ends of the elastic band together and sew the opening in the waistband closed.
7. 7. Hem the bottom. To finish your shorts, fold the bottom of each leg under twice so that the raw edges are hidden. Press with an iron, and sew along the bottom edge to hem the legs, which will prevent fraying and lead to a polished finished product.

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