TUTORIAL: KID Shorts

We’ve been talking a lot about KID Pants lately.
So let’s chop them off and get ready for summer!
bye-bye to this:
Hello to this:
And now we’ve got simple Kid Shorts.
Owen’s gonna wear a lot of these come June, July, August (September, October, and November? You know what it’s like living in Texas….) And they’re gonna save on our clothing budget as well, since you only need about 1/2 yard of fabric!
Adjusting the pattern from pants to shorts is easy to do.
And if you’d like a very detailed pattern in sizes 12 months to 10 years old, you can find that HERE.

Along with a variety of KID SHORTS tutorials (click a button below):
https://www.madeeveryday.com/2013/03/sripes-checks-and-piping-oh-my.htmlhttps://www.madeeveryday.com/2014/08/kid-shorts-with-knit-fabrics.html

First print off the Basic Pants pattern found HERE (appx size 2-3T)
* You’ll automatically be prompted to open the 6-page pdf in Preview
* Save and/or print the doc to your home printer
* Make sure you print in LANDSCAPE!

We’ll be using the “flat front” portion of the pattern and using the Flat Front Pants tutorial to sew the shorts.

You’ll need about 1/2 yard of fabric (gingham fabric is from Joanns), 1-inch wide elastic, and your updated shorts pattern–which we’re going to make below!
To shorten the Pants Pattern you have options:
I like a Bermuda shorts length–as pictured above on my son–so I used the bottom of page 2 as the cut-off length. Then I traced the top of the old pattern onto new paper (tape a few pieces of white paper together) and drew the sides of the legs about 1/2 inch wider on each side. This keeps the shorts from tapering at the knee.
And you’re got the front of your pattern piece done!

Do the same for the back pattern piece. Use the pants pattern to trace the top of the pattern piece,
Then lay the new shorts front piece on top of that to trace the wider legs (so the front and back have matching leg widths).
Lay both pattern pieces on your folded fabric and cut two of each.
Then follow the Flat Front Pants tutorial to sew them up.
The only tricky thing with making shorts is that when ironing and turning things right-side out, it’s easy to confuse the top of the shorts with the bottom of the shorts. I know that sounds dumb. But trust me, I’ve done it a dozen times…twisting and turning, trying to remember which side is the top. But with the flat front pattern, you’ll always find the top of the shorts because one part is wider than the other (while the legs are the same width). This is how the top of the shorts should look:
When you’re done sewing, you’ve got a cool, fresh pair of shorts. Perfect for hanging out all summer.
And for a Saturday stop at the donut shop.
“Richard, do I have something on my face?”
“Right here. Not here or here so much. Right here.”
Nope. Nothing.

  1. 1) marie johnson

    boy clothes pattern

  2. 2) marie johnson

    sorry thought i was e-mailing this ! this is awesome ! nice to have a cool pattern for boys clothes! They are far and few between

  3. 3) Kristine Rickard

    Thank you for sharing this pattern! I’ve been making shorts for my son but my daughter has decided they all belong to her now. Can’t wait til winter over here so I can make them pants as well!

  4. I LOOOOOVE your site and all your amazing patterns and tutorials and pictures and AWESOME ideas! Thankyou so much. I saw some boy shorts yesterday on another blog but w/no pattern and so I was so happy to find your pattern and tutorial! I will be sewing up a bunch for my little guy with much appreciation! šŸ™‚

  5. 5) Debbie

    Does your pattern leave extra room needed for a toddler still in diapers?

    • 6) Dana

      It’s mostly for a 3 year old in undies. But you could extend the bum area a bit to accommodate for a diaper.

  6. 7) Liesel

    Dana, I have 3 boys and so appreciate your site that doesn’t just have things for girls. Thankyou for putting up free patterns. I love making my boys funky and different pants. so cool have make them something that no-one has. love love love the photos.

  7. I really admire your fabric choices. If I could find that blue striped fabric you got from Hobby Lobby, and the brown plaid, I would make those exact pants.

  8. I made these last year and they were awesome! I added some pockets to the sides, too, for cute cargo pockets. I was just wondering how much you extend a pattern to make a size bigger (my son is a 4)? I would love to make more of these, but I am woefully clueless with patterns.

    • 10) Dana

      I would use a pair of your son’s existing pants in a size 4 to gauge where you need to extend the pattern or widen it. That’s how I do it with my kids šŸ™‚

  9. 12) jessica

    fabulous!! thank you so much!

  10. 13) christy

    i cannot wait to try this pattern for my little guy! …and btw, i LOVE the tommy boy reference šŸ™‚

  11. 14) Renae

    Nice shorts but I found the sizing way out – a better fit on my 1yo daughter as pants.
    Thanks

  12. 15) Marie

    Hi, Thank you so much for the beautiful fabric ideas and boy’s patterns and tutorials. I love these shorts and wonder if you have made these with pockets. My 3 year old loves pockets and I wanted to add them to the shorts. I am pretty new to sewing so I just wanted to make sure that this would work out before I got started. Thanks!

  13. 17) niza

    Hi Dana,thank u so much for this pattern, u are very kind & generous, I just download it, will try to make for my 2 yo boy

  14. 18) naseem

    Thanks dear its good work…………………..

  15. 20) alice

    Dana i LOVE you patterns and have been making them as gifts for friends. I am really keen to make some shorts for my 1 yr old but she is in cloth nappies so the patt r n wont fit her. How do i go about modifying it for her and all her fluffy bum friends?

  16. 21) Maria Maese

    Thank you for the great pattern. I had all girls, so sewing for boys is new for me. I want to make some shorts for my grandson.
    Thanks again.

  17. 22) Jenn P

    I just made a pair for a friend’s son and they turned out great! I think I need to make some for my son with pockets. It was a bit confusing having to follow multiple links (one of which was broken) in order to get the full instructions. I didn’t have a lining on mine so I turned under the waist and cuffs twice.

  18. 23) Marney

    I am on your site and looking for your free pattern for the boys shorts and can not find it would you please send me a link so I can download it, thanks best regards Marney

  19. 25) Veronica Woll

    How do you finish the waist for the flat front look…I cant find the directions and I bought the pattern….love them for my grandson!!

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