How to Sew Shorts in 45 Minutes or Less

Are you tired of mass-produced shorts that fall apart after only a couple of washes?

Or maybe you found a lovely pair, but for some reason, they just didn't make one in your size.

We've all been frustrated by store-bought shorts before. This is why knowing how to sew one yourself is one of the most rewarding skills to have.

The good news is that sewing shorts is easy.

In fact, you can sew shorts from scratch in as little as 45 minutes — even if you're a beginner.

This article will go over the 8 easy steps you can follow to go from a piece of fabric to a lovely pair of shorts that you can be proud of. 

For beginners, we usually recommend using a woven fabric that isn't slippery and doesn't stretch too much. Some fabrics for shorts you can use include:

• Cotton - Cotton is our go-to fabric for beginners. It's easy to sew, doesn't slip, and isn't too stretchy that you need to use a different type of stitch. It's also very easy to tell the right side from the wrong side in cotton. Finally, cotton is cool and comfortable to wear, making it perfect for warmer weather.

• Chambray - If you want a pair of denim shorts, chambray is an excellent option. It not only looks like denim, but it's lighter and softer. This makes it easier to sew for beginners than denim, which can be tricky due to how hard the material is.

• Linen - Linen is a lightweight and cool material that's perfect for summer. It also has a flowy texture, which some people prefer over cotton. However, you may want to avoid lightweight linens since they can be slippery and tricky for new sewists to handle.

Aside from your fabric, you'll also want to prepare your basic sewing tools:

• Sewing machine
• Fabric scissors
• Measuring tape or ruler
• Iron
• Seam ripper
• Pins
• Marking tool
• Elastic waistband (depending on your shorts pattern)

For shorts, you'll want to measure your:

• Waistline
• Hip
• Distance from waist to hip
• Stride (crotch length)
• Desired length

Before you begin, it helps to wrap an elastic band around the smallest part of your waist.

To measure your waistline, wrap your measuring tape loosely around the band on your waist. Remember to keep the measuring tape parallel to the floor. 

Then, turn to the side and measure the fullest part of your hips. Depending on the pattern you choose, you may also want to take the distance from your waist to the hip.

Next, you'll want to measure your stride, or crotch. Start measuring at the bottom of the elastic band on the center back of your waist, and measure around your crotch to the elastic band on the center front.

Then add 1" to this measurement for ease. 

Lastly, you'll want to measure how long you want your shorts to be. From your waistline, measure up to the point on your legs you want your shorts to reach.

​Next, you'll want to select a simple pattern with few details. Once you've selected your pattern, use your measurements to correctly fit the pattern to your size. You can check out our full pattern fitting guide to learn how to do this.

Here are a few of our favorite patterns you can turn into shorts:

• West End Pants
• Hudson Pants
• Chesney Pants

Simply shorten the pant pattern to your desired length. You can even reference a favorite pair of your own shorts, measure that length, and apply that length to the pattern.

Or, as a hack, you can also take shorts that you love and use it to create your own pattern.

First, take your shorts and fold them in half along the center so that the front side is facing out. Make sure to pull on the crotch area so that it sticks out and you can see the seamline. Then, place your shorts on top of your pattern paper, and use a marker to trace the shape. This will be your front pattern.

Then, fold your shorts the other way so that the back side is facing out, and mark this on your pattern paper as well. Trace it on your pattern paper, and this will be your back pattern.

Finally, add around ⅝" of seam allowance to your pattern.

Note: If you're doing this with gartered shorts, make sure to stretch the garter as you trace it. 

Before cutting, you may want to wash your fabric first. Some fabrics tend to shrink when they are first washed, so doing this before sewing will prevent your shorts from being the wrong size. Washing also prevents distortion while sewing, gets rid of chemicals, and checks for color bleeding.

Most patterns have two or four pattern pieces. Spread your fabric out on a nice, flat surface, and place the pattern pieces on top. Then, take your marking tool to transfer the pattern to your fabric. If your pattern doesn't have seam allowance, remember to add about ½" - ⅝" on all sides.

Using sharp fabric scissors or a rotary cutter, carefully cut your fabric. If you made your own pattern using the hack in step 3, you'll want two pieces of each pattern piece. 

If you have four fabric pieces (two front and two back), you'll first want to sew the left front piece with the left back piece (and the right front with the right back).

Place the left front piece on top of the left back piece with the wrong sides facing out. Carefully align the outseams and pin them together. Then, align the inseams and pin them together.

Take your sewing machine and slowly stitch both the outseam and the inseam. You may start with a small backstitch to prevent unraveling before using a straight stitch along the seams.

If you have any raw edges, you may use a zigzag stitch or serger to clean them up.

Repeat this process with the right front and right back, and you should have two leg pieces ready for sewing. 

Take one leg piece and flip its right side out. Then, carefully insert it into the wrong-side-out leg piece so that you can align the U-shaped crotch seam.

Starting from the center of the inseams, start pinning the crotch seam together. Once that's in place, sew it carefully.

If you're using a stiffer fabric, you may want to make small snips along the seam allowance to give your shorts more flexibility. To do this, take your scissors and cut small triangles along the seam allowance at the most curved part of your shorts. 

There are many types of waistbands you can use for your shorts, but one of the easiest waistbands for beginners to sew is an elastic waistband.

Measure and cut the waistband to your waist size. Make sure to slightly stretch the waistband as you measure, so it'll give a snug but not tight fit once it's on your shorts. Then, follow these steps:

1. Clean up the raw edges of the top of your shorts by using a serger or zigzag stitch
2. Fold the top edge down by about ¼" and press with an iron
3. Fold it again, making sure it's wide enough to fit your elastic with a little extra room for movement
4. Press the fold once more
5. Sew close to the lower edge of the folded casing, leaving a 1-2" gap for inserting the elastic
6. Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and guide it through the casing
7. Once both ends of the elastic meet, sew them together using a zigzag stitch
8. Finish by stitching the remaining opening closed, securing the elastic in place

There are several ways you can add a hem to the bottom of your shorts. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using a double-fold hem.

To do this, fold the raw edge up by about ¼"–½" and press it with an iron. Then, fold it up once more and sew along the inner folded edge to secure it.

Once that's done, you can now try on your shorts. If you find any parts are too tight or too loose, simply remove the stitches and adjust as needed.

Finally, clean up any loose threads, and your shorts are done! 

beIf you want more functional shorts, then why not add pockets?

The great thing about pockets is that even if your original pattern didn't have pockets, you can easily insert them into any shorts that you have.

You can grab our free pocket template to learn how to do this, or check out this quick video: 

With the paper still on your leg, place your hand over it, imagining that you're placing it inside your pocket. Then, take your marker and draw around your hand. This will be your basic pocket pattern.

Remove the paper from your leg and clean up your markings. Don't forget to give yourself some seam allowance.

2. Cut and finish your fabric

Use your pocket pattern to cut two pieces of fabric for your pocket. Use a serger or zigzag stitch to finish the raw edges.

3. Rip the seam

Use your pocket template to determine where you want to insert your pocket, then notch or mark that area.

Next, use a seam ripper to open the seams of your shorts big enough to insert your pocket. Finish the raw edges of your opening using a serger or zigzag stitch to prevent unraveling.

4. Sew the pocket pieces in place

Place your pocket piece on the seam of your shorts and use pins to hold it down (make sure to align the start of your pocket hole [without the seam allowance] with the marking or notch on your shorts' seam).

Then, carefully sew your pocket in place.

After that, tuck your pocket pieces inside your shorts.

5. Sew in the pocket bag

Flip your shorts inside out, then pin your pocket pieces together.

Start sewing straight from the top of your ripped seam to the top of your pocket. Once you reach there, pivot and begin sewing your pocket pieces together.

Finally, once you reach the end of your pocket pieces, pivot again and sew straight down to finish sewing the ripped seam. 

Sewing a simple pair of shorts is not only easy and fun, but it's also a very rewarding project that leaves you with a sturdy pair of shorts you can wear anytime.

But if you want to take your sewing to the next level…

If you want to learn how to sew more fashionable pieces like shirts, skirts, and dresses…

If you want to be able to take any clothing idea of yours and turn it into a beautiful reality…

Then you should join our Sew Confident Workshop, where we provide you with tons of projects you can pick up, big discounts on patterns, and a lively community of beginner and experienced sewists alike.

Check it out here!