I have enough expired memberships under my belt to finally admit that I am not a gym person. Although you may not find me sweating on an elliptical, I haven’t completely abandoned the idea of a workout regimen. I’ve just redefined the whole concept!
My StairMaster is countless flights of stairs scattered throughout my daily subway commute; my weights come in the form of two wriggling girls (often carried up the aforementioned stairs); and my hot yoga is just about anything I do in New York’s sweltering summer heat. My gym is the city itself, and my gym clothes are these City Gym Shorts!
Designed with a classic tulip hem and an easy elastic waist, these shorts have all the comfort and ease of traditional exercise gear but with way more style! I used Robert Kaufman’s Chambray Union in Slub Indigo for the back, a fabric that is soft, comfortable and so versatile it was easy to match it with a range of prints in Liberty of London’s exquisite Tana Lawn.
With so many beautiful Liberty prints to choose from and with sizes for kids and women, it looks like my sewing machine may be getting a workout too! -Corinne
Materials
Kids
- 1/2 yard of Liberty of London’s Tana Lawn Classics. We used, shown above from top to bottom, Katie & Millie Peach, Strawberry Theif Gray and Lodden Lavender.
- 3/4 yard of Robert Kaufman’s Chambray Union, Slub Indigo
- 1 yard of Braided Elastic – 1 inch, White
- A 110-yard spool of Gutermann’s Cotton Thread, color 9280
- An 18mm Bias Tape Maker
- A free Kids’ City Gym Shorts Template available here.
Women
- 1/2 yard of Liberty of London’s Tana Lawn Classics. We used, shown above from top to bottom, Katie & Millie Peach, Strawberry Theif Gray and Lodden Lavender.
- 3/4 (3/4, 3/4, 1, 1) yard of Robert Kaufman’s Chambray Union, Slub Indigo
- 1 (1, 1, 2, 2) yards of Braided Elastic – 1 inch, White
- A 110-yard spool of Gutermann’s Cotton Thread, color 9280
- An 18mm Bias Tape Maker
- A free Women’s City Gym Shorts Template available here.
Sizes
Kids
- To fit ages 2 (3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10, 11) with finished waist sizes 19 (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) inches in circumference
Women
- To fit hip sizes 33-34 (35-37, 38-40, 41-43, 44-46) inches in circumference
Notes
Pre-wash all fabrics before starting.
To print the PDF template, be sure to first download the pattern and then print it. This means rather than simply clicking the link and opening the PDF in a browser window, you should click on the pattern link using the “right click” or “control click” option on your mouse or keyboard. This will give you the option to “Download the linked file.” Once the file is downloaded, it should print like a charm!
For the sake of clarity our instructional photos use Robert Kaufman’s Botanics + Architextures in Tangerine Hatches, a fabric with a clear right and wrong side, for the front panels (instead of the Tana Lawn). When you are working with a fabric without a clear right or wrong side, choose either side as the right side for the first seam and follow this precedent for all subsequent steps.
Pattern
Cut
Front Pieces
Use the prepared Template to cut two Front pieces from the Liberty. Cut one Front with the right side of the fabric facing up and one with the wrong side facing up. The two Front pieces should be mirror images of each other.
Back Pieces
Use the prepared Template to cut two Back pieces from the Chambray Union. (If you are using a fabric that has a right and wrong side, be sure to cut the pieces as described above so that the two Back pieces are mirror images of each other.)
Waistband
Cut one 4 ¾-inch wide piece for the Waistband from the Chambray Union. For Kids it should measure 23 (24 ¼, 26 ¾, 28 ¾, 30 ¾, 32 ½, 33 ½) inches long; or for Women, 36 ¼ (38 ½, 41 ¾, 45 ½, 48) inches long.
Bias Strips
Cut two 1 5/8-inch strips on the bias from the Chambray Union. For Kids each strip should measure at least 30 (33, 36, 39, 42, 45, 48) inches long; or for Women, at least 48 (50, 53, 56, 60) inches long.
You may need to piece the strips to get the appropriate length. For detailed instructions on how to piece binding strips, please visit our Making Bias Tape Binding Tutorial.
Elastic
Cut the Elastic. For Kids it should measure 19 ½ (20 ½, 21 ½, 22 ½, 23 ½, 24 ½, 25 ½) inches; or for Women, 30 (32, 35, 39, 43) inches.
Piece the Front and Back Pieces
With right sides facing, stack the two Front pieces on top of each other. Pin along the concave edge of the inseam.
Sew along the pinned edge with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
Sew along the seam allowance with a zigzag stitch.
Press the seam to one side.
Repeat with the two Back pieces.
With right sides facing, match up the short crotch ends of the Front and Back along the raw edge, making sure that the center seams line up, and pin in place. Sew along the pinned edge with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
Sew along the seam allowance with a zigzag stitch.
Press the seam to one side.
Attach the Binding
Following the manufacturer’s instructions, use the 18mm Bias Tape Maker to press the bias strips into single fold bias tape.
Fold in half lengthwise, aligning the folded edges and encasing the raw edges. Press.
Pin the bias tape around the outside edge of the shorts, following the raw edge all the way from the top corner of the Front side, around the bottom hemline, and up the Back side, or vice versa. Use one strip for each side. With the right side facing up, sew the tape to the shorts with an edgestitch, making sure to catch both sides as you stitch.
Sew the Side Edges
With the right sides of the Front and Back both facing up, bring one Front side edge over one Back side edge so that the two bound edges are stacked on top of each other. Push the outer edge of the front about 1/8 inch towards the Back so that the sewn line of the Front bias tape runs roughly through the center of the bias tape on the back.
Working from the waistline down and using the line of stitching on the Front bias tape as a guide, sew the Front to the Back along this side edge. stop sewing when you reach the top of the curve of the bottom hem. Backstitch at the end of the seam.
Repeat with the other side.
These are now the Shorts.
Sew the Waistband
Fold the Waistband piece in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and press to create a crease. Open up the fold. Now, fold the two long raw edges in towards the wrong side to meet at the center crease. Press the folds. Refold in half lengthwise, aligning the folded edges and encasing the raw edges. Press again.
Open up the folds at the two short ends. With right sides together, stack the ends together, matching up their raw edges. Pin in place. Sew along the short edge with a 5/8-inch seam allowance.
Press the seam to one side and sew it down with an edgestitch.
Turn the Shorts inside out.
Open one side of the waistband. With the right side of the Waistband facing the wrong side of the Shorts and matching up the seam of the Waistband with the center seam of the Shorts Back, pin the open raw edge of the Waistband to the raw waist edge of the shorts.
Sew the Waistband to the Shorts with a roughly 1 1/8-inch seam allowance, using the crease as a guide.
Now, turn the Shorts so that the right side is facing out. Fold the Waistband over the Shorts’ raw waist edge and pin in place.
Edgestitch along the bottom of the fold of the Waistband, leaving a 1 1/2-inch gap.
Attach a safety pin to one end of the Elastic. Insert this end into the gap. Pull the pin through the Waistband, exiting out the other side. Make sure not to pull the Elastic’s other end into the channel.
Checking that the Elastic isn’t twisted, overlap the two ends by 1/2 inch. Sew the ends together widthwise with a zigzag stitch.
Tuck the Elastic into the Waistband and close the gap with an edgestitch.
Your shorts are ready to wear!
PRINT
Good morning from Spain!
I’m just excited for sewing your pattern… just couple of doubts!
Are seam allowances included or I should add them?
After soooooo many people having sewn them, do you think they tend to fit as the size says, or it is better to go upsize or downsize? Of course it depends on each one preferences but for a “proper” fitting as it shows in your pictures?
Thanks in advance!!
Hi Laia,
Thanks for writing in! Seam allowances are included in the pattern so there is no need to add them. There have been many people to make these lovely shorts with varying results as far a fit; from they fit perfectly as is, to a larger size needed to be made based on their measurements. I would suggest making a muslin with some scrap fabric to see how they fit you. You can always go up or down a size if the fit is not perfect for you!
Best,
Cassy
Just finished my first pair! The fit was perfect, thanks so much for this super pattern.
Hi! I can’t wait to try this, but I can’t see the pattern link, am I blind? thank you!
Hi Barbara,
If you are doing the women’s or the kids pattern the link to the pattern is the 6th bullit point down.
I hope this helps,
Melissa
thank you!! ciao from Italy
patttern link for shorts.
thank you
Hi Maria,
Thanks for writing in! The pattern templates are linked above in the Materials section. I will also link them here for your convenience.
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/shortspattern_kids.pdf
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/shortspattern_women1.pdf
Happy sewing!
Cassy
These are so cute!! I love the fabric you picked for your example photos.
I’ve made several of these for my daughter who uses them for pajama bottoms. She has now outgrown the last set so I am making her bigger ones. Great pattern and fit.
Cute pattern! Can you tell me why the largest size (girls 11) is sized to a different grade rule than the other sizes? Thanks so much!
Hi Janet,
Thanks for writing in! You’re right, the grading is a little bit off! Hundreds and hundreds of people have sewn this pattern, but you’re the first person to point this out to us. We’ve been scratching our heads wondering how this is possible, but when we cut and assembled the pattern ourselves, we realized that the largest size is only off by 1/4 of an inch and only on the front panels. Within the margin of error, so to speak, this slight irregularity hasn’t adversely effected the outcome of the project as far as we’re aware, but we will definitely work to correct this mistake! Thank you so much for pointing it out and please let us know how your City Shorts turn out!
Best,
Cassy
Really love this pattern, just complete the short pant. Will make it more. Luv from Malaysia.. thanks..
Fab pattern & my new favourite sewing projects. The age 4-5 fit my (big) nearly 4 year old perfectly & he loves them.
I can’t seem to find the pattern to download. There is no link to pdf in the text. Is it no longer available?
Hi Margarita,
Thanks for reaching out! Are you looking for the pattern templates? If so, they are both linked in the materials section as the last item for each size. I will include the direct links here for your convenience!
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/shortspattern_kids.pdf
https://www.purlsoho.com/create/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/shortspattern_women1.pdf
Best,
Cassy
Hello, thank you for the lovely pattern. May I ask what height the women’s pattern is drafted for?
Thanks!
Hi Rhe,
Thanks for writing in! These lovely shorts were not drafted with a particular height in mind but rather with the hopes of fitting a wide range of heights and body types. I have seen these sorts on women from 5’1″ up to 5’11” myself and they look great on just about everyone!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you for this lovely pattern, I have been having a lot of fun playing around with it, adding pockets and the like.
I would love to know how you added pockets to these shorts! I’m in the process of making all the cuts for these shorts, and I am totally stumped on how to add pockets.
Hi Sarah,
Great idea! While I am not sure of the best way to add pockets to these lovely shorts, you can add them between the front and back panels when assembling them though it may take some trial and error to get things just right. I would suggest assembling the pockets and finishing the seams first and then pinning them in place before assembling the shorts.
I do hope that this helps!
Cassy
I just made a pair of shorts, and can see more in the future. I have not tried it yet, but just drafted a pocket “hack.” My plan is to cut two fronts: one will be the “true” front and one will be the pocket. From the true front I will cut out a scoop shape for where your hand will enter the pocket (like on a pair of jeans or khakis). I’ll bind it with bias tape. On the “pocket” set of front pieces, I’ll vertically cut off the crotch shape 6″ to 8″ from the side seam and serge (or otherwise finish that cut edge). I’ll lay the true front pieces over the pocket front pieces, matching the top edges, and the side curve. Topstitch the serged edge in place with a vertical line of stitching, and topstitch the portion of the scooped cutout that will be in the waistband so you don’t get the elastic stuck under there while inserting it. Then construct the garment per the pattern instructions. Hopefully this will work!
Hi, I love your shorts pattern and you did a great job with the tutorial. I want to try it, but I’m not sure which size to cut. Are the measurements for the hips the finished size of the shorts, or general hip measurements? Trying to choose between two sizes. Thank you so much for your help, Kelly
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for writing in and for the kind words! The finished shorts will include about one inch of ease over the larger hip size listed – for instance, for the 33-34 size, the finished measurement will be 35 inches. You can determine the exact finished measurement for each size by checking the length of the Waistband piece and subtracting a 5/8″ seam allowance.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Help, please! I’ve sewn up my shorts and am trying to add the waistband, but it’s much bigger than the shorts and ended up with ugly bunching. I’ve checked my pattern several times; what could I have done wrong? I have plenty of seam ripping in my near future.
Hi Bridget,
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear the waistband isn’t fitting correctly! The waistband should be the same size as the top of the shorts. Is it possible that your template did not print at the correct scale? Some printers or computers print at less than 100% scale by default, so I would measure the 1″ square on page one of the printed template to make sure it printed to the correct size. The other likely culprit would be the seam allowances – the shorts are sewn with 1/4″ seam allowances which is quite a bit smaller than most patterns, so if you are used to using a 1/2″ or 5/8″ seam allowance that would also have made the shorts turn out too small.
I hope one of those turns out to be the issue so you can finish your project! If you have any other questions please let us know!
Best,
Julianna
Where can I find the gymshort pattern to download
Hi Petra,
Thanks for writing in! If you scroll up to the Materials list, you will see that the last bullet point under the sections titled Women and Kids includes a link to the template for each size set!
Best of luck and happy sewing!
Julianna
Can these be made with a jersey (low stretch) using some ribbing instead of the bias binding?
Hi Sarah,
Great question! We have not tried using a knit with this pattern. It may well work but not having tried it, we cannot say for certain. You can certainly give it a go and if you do, do let us know!
Best,
Cassy
Hi Cassy, thnx so much for this free pattern! I lov’it!And so does my granddaughter for whom I’m sewing this. But I’m a bit puzzled with the length of the waistband : 30 3/4 inch? Now I am Dutch so maybe I’m converting inches wrongly to centimeters but I seems to me a very long waistband. Her waist measures only 56 cm and that’s 22 inches (according to my calculation 😊). What am I doing/reading wrong?
Best regards!
Hi Annelies,
Thanks for reaching out! I am happy to help! The ages for the sizes here are based on standard sizing, however, if you have your granddaughter’s actual measurements, this is a much better way to get a good fit! To fit a waist of 22 inches, you will want to pick the 4th size (ages 6-7) and cut a waistband that is 28 3/4 inches. When you sew the two ends together, the band will be shortened by 1 1/4 inches to 27 1/2 inches. The additional inches will be scrunched up with the elastic for the waist band to give a comfortable fit. Remember also that the elastic that you cut will be a lot closer to the actual waist measurement, allowing for a good fit without the shorts falling down!
I hope that this clears things up!
Cassy
Where is the link to download the pattern for the shorts. I can’t find it buried anywhere on this page! How annoying!
Hi Deborah,
I’m so sorry to hear you are having trouble finding the template! You can access by clicking right here, or for future reference, it is linked in the materials list for the pattern.
Best of luck and happy sewing!
Julianna
I just made these for my daughter who is incredibly hard to please. She LOVES them!!! Great pattern and great instructions! (You had me nervous aattaching the waistband!)
Hi ! Thanks for tutorial, it looks very good !! Sorry, but I have a question (I’m french and I never sew clothes that my first time ahah but, yes I did other things…) Ok, so I’m looking for the XS size, but I’m lost because it’s in us size… Could you help me? is it 34? or a kids size who correspond ton XS? thanks!
Hi Marylou,
Thanks for reaching out! There are two sets of sizes, Kids and Womens, both of which include either finished measurements in inches or what hip size in inches they should fit. Since an XS can mean different things across different brands, I would go by the given inch measurements and convert them to centimeters using an online calculator. You can then decide which size will be best for you!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Couldn’t get the link for the pattern which was just frustrating I’ve heard great things about this pattern but I’m very annoyed that it would not work
Hello Catie,
Thank you for reaching out! Are you having trouble downloading the PDF of the pattern or the template? For the Pattern PDF on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the date and tags. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. To remove images, click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%.
To print out the template, we have found that the secret is to first download the pattern and then print it. Rather than simply clicking the link and opening the PDF in a browser window, you should click on the pattern link using the “right click” or “control click” option on your mouse or keyboard. This will give you the option to “Download the linked file.” Once the file is downloaded, it should print like a charm!
I hope this helps and let us know if you continue to have issues!
-Marilla
Hi I’ve downloaded pattern from ur link , but it has 6 pieces , I’m unsure why I’ve tried link several times , looks like 2 pockets too , thank you Leia
Hi Leia,
Thanks for reaching out! Since the shorts pattern is too large to fit on a single piece of paper, it does print out on six pieces of paper, which you will have to piece together following the indications at the edge of each piece of the pattern. After assembling the pattern, you will have two pattern pieces, one for the front and one for the back of the shorts.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Oh dear me !!!
Yes i see now, I’ve cut out pieces selotaped together now have a front and back pattern , total beginner 🙂
Thank you
Thanks for the pattern! Do you think it’d work using lawn and tencel?
Hi Sonya,
Thanks for writing in! Any light to medium weight woven fabric will work for these shorts – since tencel fiber is used in a variety of fabrics, you will just want to make sure it is a woven fabric and not a knit.
Best,
Julianna
Hi from France,
I’m about to sew the short but can’t find the correspondance about the sizes … (33-34 looks like which size in EU? = 34?)
Thanks for your help!
Hi Constance,
Thanks for writing in! I am happy to help! For this pattern (and most of our patterns), the size is based on actual measurements rather than standard sizing. We find that this gives you a better fit! For this pattern, the sizes are to fit hip sizes 33-34 (35-37, 38-40, 41-43, 44-46) inches in circumference. To figure out your size, you will want to measure the fullest part of your hips in inches (or convert from centimeters to inches) and select the size that will fit your hips. This pattern does tend to fit a bit on the tighter side so if you want a looser fit, you may want to go up a size!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hello,
I want to make the shorts with one fabric. I will use different fabric for the bias binding and waist band. Could you tell me how much I will need? I will make a size 11 in kids and most likely the 1st or second of the women’s size. Thank you!! I tried to figure it out. I just want to be sure I order enough fabric. Thank you! Cant wait to make them!
Hi Erika,
Thanks for reaching out! I would suggest going by the yardage amounts used for our Lana Cotta Canberra version since they are made of just one fabric with a contrast band and bias binding, although you will be omitting the lining fabric. Keep in mind that the Lana Cotta fabric is quite wide, 54 to 56 inches, so you may need more if you are using a narrower fabric.
Best of luck and happy sewing!
Julianna
Thanks so much for this shorts pattern! Can’t wait to get started!
Hello!! I have made several shorts for me. Gone everywhere with them, and I have been ask to sew to sell for few people. But I wanna make sure you allow that. It’s your pattern And I wanna make things right! If I can do it, let me know, obviously your name for the pattern it’s gonna be share for each one I sell.
Hello Hilnerys,
Thank you for your interest in our patterns! While we’re happy you like our City Gym Shorts, our patterns and designs are copyrighted and are for home use only. This means that you can’t use our patterns to make things for sale. We hope you understand!
Thank you for getting in touch!
Best,
Marilla
Hi! Are the rise on these shorts low, medium or high? What is the average height made for this pattern? I can adjust accordingly. I am 5’11 and my daughters are 5’8″ and 6′. Thank you for your help!
Hi Lori,
Thanks for writing in! I would say that the rise on these lovely shorts is a medium rise. My own pairs come up to about 2-3 inches below my belly button but this may vary for you! We did not create these shorts with a particular height in mind. I am 5’5″ and they work well for me but you certainly can lengthen them if you feel they are a bit too short. You can print out the pattern template and measure the length from the top of the pattern piece to the bottom and add an inch for the waistband to get an idea if the length would work for you. To lengthen the shorts, you can add inches to the bottom, being sure to also move the side curve down!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Great pattern and template!! French speaker (and beginner) I could understand everything! I made one for my daughter (size 3yo) in jersey, it looks great! Can’t wait to try it on her! Thank you for your work, it really helps people like me, and it gives us more confidence in sewing! Surely, I’ll do the same for me!
Charlotte (Belgium)
Hi from Aotearoa New Zealand! Thanks for the pattern. I just made one pair for my nearly 7 year old using left overs and they are so cute. I think I’ll have to rustle through all my scraps and make more pairs.
Thanks for this pattern. Thought this would be a good project for my first go at bias binding. The parts came together very quickly, and instructions were clear. I went up a size and was glad I did so, as well as lengthening the shorts by 1″ (again, easy to do on your pattern – thank you!). The bound seams gave me an opportunity to add some pockets too, so the final product (made out of a 1970’s lilac and baby blue floral print vintage bedsheet!) was an adorable success. Thanks again!