Boy’s Shorts Sewing Pattern, Easy Bermuda Shorts Tutorial, Free Pattern

Bermuda shorts are the most comfortable to wear and the easiest to sew. These shorts give a touch of comfort and add to the style quotient of your boy. The measurements given here are of my 12-year old son but you can follow this tutorial and sew these Bermudas in any size! You can even do them with or without pockets. This is my first tutorial of a boy’s wear and my detailed instructions and color photographs will make sewing these shorts a cakewalk for any beginner seamstress. So come on, what are you waiting for? sew these shorts and let your boy prance around in style!

1) Heavy to medium weight cotton fabric

* For 12 years, I needed 1 yard of fabric. You will need more or less depending upon age.

2) One-inch Elastic

* Hold the tape around your boy’s waist, not too tight or loose, take away an inch from that measurement and you will get the required length of the elastic. If you would want it to be a little bit tighter, reduce an inch more.

3) Quarter yard of lining fabric for the pocket lining.

Note that the seam allowance is 3/8-inch throughout.

Lets first do the template for the shorts.

Take one of the old Bermuda shorts of your boy, fold it in half lengthwise and keep it along the edge of a thick sheet of paper or preferably cardboard as shown above. Note that the elastic is kept stretched and a 3/8-inch for seam allowance and 1 & 1/2-inch for the hem is considered while drawing the template. Mark as shown in the picture and cut.

Now take the template and keep it along the edge of the fabric as shown in the picture. Mark and cut it.

Repeat the steps to get four such pieces; two for the front and two for the back.

Now before we go further, we need to do the pockets (if required).

Take the length and width of the pocket from your old shorts and add 0.75-inch to both the dimensions.

Cut four pieces with the above measurements; two from the main fabric and two from the lining fabric.

Take one pocket piece and its lining, layer them aligning the edges and draw a smooth curve on the upper right-hand corner with the measurements marked above (these measurements are for a 12-year-old, you might have to increase or decrease these measurements depending upon the age).

Cut along the curve and you will get one of your pocket piece and lining ready.

Repeat the steps with the other pocket and lining pieces, but this time on the upper left-hand side.

Now take one lining piece and pocket piece and keep them overlapping with the right sides together and sew along the straight edges and curved edge as marked above.

Turn over to the right side and press taut. Topstitch along the sewn edges to make it neat and crisp (picture not shown).

Now take two pieces of the shorts (front pieces) and keep them on their right sides, with the curved sides facing each other. Pin the pockets, aligning the edges as shown above. Note that the curved edges of the pockets are facing away from each other. Sew the pockets onto the shorts, removing the pins as you go (take care to leave the curved edge open).

Now take the front piece and the back piece and keep them layered with the right sides together, aligning the edges and pin. Sew the two side seams shut as marked in the picture, removing the pin as you go.

Now we need to do the lower hem of the shorts.

Fold the lower edge of the shorts by 1/2-inch and press. Fold by another 1-inch and press again. Sew down the hem. Repeat the steps on the other leg of the shorts.

Sew the crotch shut, along the marked line, carefully aligning the edges.

Let’s move on to the elastic waistband.

Take the width of the waistband as 3 inches, this would provide ample width to insert the one-inch elastic. To get the length, measure around the waist-line of the shorts as marked above and add 1/2-inch to it for the side seams.

Now take the waistband piece and fold it lengthwise in half and press (picture not shown). Open it and fold one of its longer edges towards the wrong side by 3/8-inch and press again.

 Open the fold and sew it shut along the shorter side as shown above. You will get the waistband like a tube.

Now keep the waistband on its wrong side, with its folded edge facing the shorts and the shorts with its right side up. Slip the shorts into the waistband.

Align the raw edges of the waistband and shorts and pin all around as shown above. Sew the waistband onto the shorts.

Now fold the waistband over to the wrong side of the shorts along its center crease, aligning the smaller fold with the edge of the shorts and pin all around.

Sew it shut as close to the edge as possible. Leave a two-inch opening in the waistband to insert the elastic.

Take the required length of elastic and insert it through the gap using a safety pin.

Keep the ends of the elastic overlapping and sew back and forth a few times to secure it (picture for illustration purpose).

Sew the opening shut and your Bermuda shorts are ready.

 Watch out for my shorts pattern with full-blown templates and complete measurements for all ages!