Flat Front Baby Shorts Tutorial

Hello Crafty Friends! I have finally put together the tutorial for making Flat Front Baby Shorts like the ones in Gray's Clemson Outfit!

She felt festive and cool in her little shorts on Game Day! Hers are more bermuda length, but you can make them any length you like. This would work for pants too! Just add length to the legs.

Let's get started...

Materials:

1/2 yard of material- cotton, linen, anything would work

1" elastic

Sewing things

Start by making your pattern. Grab a pair of pants or shorts that fit your baby or toddler well and fold them in half. Trace the seat of the pants onto a piece of paper, making it 1/2" too big for seam allowances.

If you've got a cloth diapered baby you MUST add room to the seat! You can see where I shaded in the extra room I added, about 1" all around the seat. This makes the shorts fit much better and allow room for crawling.

Make the legs of your pattern as long as you want your shorts. Add 1/2 to the bottom for a hem, and add 2" to the top for your elastic casing. 

Cut out your pattern, and cut 4 identical pieces out of your fabric. 

Pin the seats of your shorts together, right sides facing and sew together with a 1/4" seam allowance. This will give you two sides of your shorts.

Place these two halves right sides together and sew up the inseam. Make sure you catch the middle of the crotch when you do. You may want to reinforce this area because it will be the most stressed when being worn.

Now sew up the sides of your shorts.

I did a chunky hem, so I turned under 1/4" then 1". You can do any kind of hem you would like.

They're starting to look like real shorts!!

Now for the top. Fold the top of your shorts down 1/4" then 1 1/4" to make your casing. It will only be a casing on the back because these are flat front.

Sew all the way across the front and back, but leave holes at the sides seams. You need somewhere to put your elastic. Cut a piece of elastic 2-3" shorter than the back of your shorts.

Put a safety pin through your elastic so you don't loose it in the casing.

Pull your elastic through the back of your shorts. This will cause the fabric to gather.

Pin your elastic down outside the casing, and very carefully sew the end down. Try to sew in the side seam you made in the first couple of steps to hide the stitches.

Trim the ends of the elastic once it is securely sewn down.

Once the elastic is secure, sew the rest of your casing shut, finishing your shorts.

Pair them with an adorable top and your little one is ready to run (or crawl) and play! You can find the tutorial for the Baby Football Here.

I think she enjoyed them!

I hope your little one enjoys them too! If you make a pair I would love to see them in the Flickr Group!

Happy Crafting!