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!
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