How to Sew Pajama Shorts: Your First Wearable Garment

You have stitched straight seams, conquered zippers, and wrangled elastic into scrunchies. Now it is time for the milestone every new sewist dreams about: your very first garment. Pajama shorts are the perfect gateway — just two pattern pieces, no zippers, no buttonholes, and a forgiving elastic waist that fits even if your measurements are slightly off.

This is the final project in our First Stitches series. By the time you finish these shorts, you will have completed ten projects and earned the skills to tackle any beginner pattern with confidence.

Why Pajama Shorts Are the Perfect First Garment

Garment sewing can feel intimidating when you are used to straight-line projects like pillowcases and tote bags. Clothing involves curves, fit, and the pressure of actually wearing what you make. Pajama shorts remove almost all of that anxiety. They are loose-fitting by design, which means a quarter-inch of imprecision will not ruin the final result. The elastic waistband eliminates the need for darts, zippers, or closures — the three features that trip up most beginners on their first garment attempt.

Construction is beautifully simple: you sew two tubes (the legs), join them at the crotch curve, fold down a casing for elastic, and hem the bottoms. That is it. Five major seams and two hems. If you can sew the straight seams you practiced on your cloth napkins and the curved seams you tackled on your round cushion cover, you already have every skill this project requires.

There is also a deeply satisfying psychological shift that happens when you put on something you made from scratch. A pillowcase lives on your bed; a tote bag hangs by the door. But a garment moves with your body, and wearing it reinforces the reality that you are now a person who makes clothes. That confidence boost is worth every pin prick and tangled bobbin thread.

Materials and Tools

Taking Your Measurements

Accurate measurements are the foundation of any garment, even a loose-fitting one like pajama shorts. You need three numbers, and you should take them while wearing the undergarments you would normally sleep in — not over jeans or thick leggings.

Waist: Tie a piece of string or elastic around your natural waist (the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above the belly button). Let it settle, then measure the circumference. For pajama shorts the waistband will sit slightly lower, but we use the natural waist as a starting point and add ease later.

Hips: Measure around the fullest part of your hips and buttocks. Keep the tape parallel to the floor and snug but not tight. This is the most critical measurement because the shorts must pass over your hips to pull on and off.

Inseam: Measure from the crotch point down the inner leg to your desired hemline. For classic pajama shorts, 4–6 inches is standard. If you prefer a longer "Bermuda" style, go to 8–10 inches. Remember that you will add 1 inch for the hem and 1.5 inches for the waistband casing, so your cut inseam will be longer than the finished inseam.

Cutting Layout and Pattern Pieces

Pajama shorts require only two pattern pieces — a front and a back — each cut twice from your fabric (four pieces total). The back piece is slightly wider and has a deeper crotch curve than the front to accommodate the shape of your body. If you are drafting directly onto fabric (no paper pattern), use the measurements above and add half an inch of seam allowance on every edge.

Fold your pre-washed fabric in half lengthwise, right sides together, aligning the selvedges. Lay the pieces along the fold as shown in the cutting diagram below. The grainline should run parallel to the selvedge on every piece — this ensures the shorts hang straight and do not twist on your legs after washing.

Step-by-Step Construction

Cut Your Fabric

Using your measurements and the cutting layout above, mark and cut two front pieces and two back pieces. Transfer any notch marks or fold lines with tailor's chalk or a fabric marker. Double-check that you have four pieces total and that the grainline runs parallel to the selvedge on each one. Set the scraps aside — you may want them later for patch pockets or matching scrunchies.

Join the Two Legs Together

This is the step that transforms two tubes into actual shorts, and it is the one that confuses most beginners. Here is the trick: turn one leg right side out and leave the other leg inside out. Nest the right-side-out leg inside the wrong-side-out leg so that the two crotch curves are aligned, right sides facing each other. Pin the entire crotch seam from the front waist, through the crotch point, to the back waist.

Sew the crotch seam in one continuous pass from front waist to back waist using a half-inch seam allowance. Go slowly around the curve and pivot as needed. For extra durability on a stress point, backstitch at the crotch point and consider sewing a second row of stitching one-eighth inch from the first. Turn the shorts right side out and press the crotch seam to one side.

Common mistake: Sewing the crotch seam with both legs right side out (or both inside out) will result in twisted legs that are impossible to wear. If the shorts look like a Möbius strip after this step, you have nested them incorrectly. Rip the seam, flip one leg, and try again.

Create the Waistband Casing

Try the shorts on (they will fall down without elastic, so hold them up at the waist). Check the length and the overall fit. If the waist is dramatically too large, you can take in the side seams slightly before creating the casing. If the fit looks reasonable, proceed.

Finish the raw top edge with a zigzag stitch to prevent fraying. Then fold the top edge down by half an inch and press. Fold it down again by one full inch and press, creating a clean casing channel that is one inch wide. Pin all the way around, making sure the casing width is even. Edgestitch along the bottom fold of the casing, but leave a two-inch gap near one of the side seams for inserting the elastic.

Insert the Elastic

Cut your elastic to the length specified in the measurement chart (your waist minus two inches). Attach a large safety pin to one end of the elastic and feed it into the casing through the gap you left. Use your fingers to guide the safety pin through the channel, gathering the fabric as you go. Be very careful not to let the trailing end of the elastic disappear into the casing — pin it to the fabric at the opening if necessary.

Once the elastic has traveled all the way around and both ends are poking out of the gap, overlap them by one inch and stitch a secure rectangle (or several rows of zigzag) to join them. Release the elastic into the casing, distribute the gathers evenly, and stitch the gap closed. Stitch in the ditch at the side seams to prevent the elastic from rolling inside the casing during wear and washing.

Pro tip: Before closing the gap permanently, try the shorts on and check the elastic tension. If it feels too tight, trim a small amount off the overlap. If it feels loose, shorten the elastic by an inch. Getting this right now saves you from unpicking later.

Hem the Leg Openings

Try the shorts on one final time and mark your desired hemline with chalk. For a standard pajama short, fold the bottom edge of each leg up by half an inch and press, then fold up another half inch and press again to enclose the raw edge. Pin or clip in place and edgestitch around each leg opening. The double-fold hem gives a clean finish and adds a little weight to the hem so the legs hang nicely.

Give the entire pair of shorts a final press with your iron, paying special attention to the waistband casing and the crotch seam. Trim any stray threads. Step back and look at what you have made.

Final Fit Check and First Wear

Put on your finished pajama shorts and do a quick movement test: sit down, stand up, walk around the room, and do a deep squat. The shorts should feel comfortable in every position without riding up excessively or digging into your waist. If the elastic twists inside the casing after movement, add a few more "stitch in the ditch" anchors at the quarter points of the waistband.

Wash the shorts on a gentle cycle and tumble dry low (or hang dry) to set the stitches and remove any chalk marks. After the first wash, check the seams for any puckering or loose threads and trim as needed. Your pajama shorts will only get softer and more comfortable with each wash.

Customization Ideas

Once you have mastered the basic construction, pajama shorts become a blank canvas for personal expression. Here are six easy variations you can try with your second or third pair:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even the simplest garment can go sideways if you rush. Here are the pitfalls we see most often from beginners sewing their first pair of shorts, along with how to sidestep each one.

Skipping the pre-wash. Cotton and flannel shrink significantly on their first trip through the washer and dryer. If you cut and sew before washing, your finished shorts may shrink a full size after the first laundry cycle. Always pre-wash and dry your fabric using the same method you plan to use for the finished garment.

Cutting the elastic too short. It is tempting to pull the elastic taut and think "snug is good," but elastic that is too tight will dig into your skin and create uncomfortable red marks. Start with waist-minus-two-inches and adjust from there. You can always shorten elastic later, but you cannot lengthen it without unpicking the entire casing.

Twisting the elastic inside the casing. If the elastic flips or rolls as you thread it through the channel, the waistband will bunch unevenly and feel lumpy against your skin. Keep the elastic flat as you feed it and use your fingers to smooth it through the fabric. Stitching in the ditch at the side seams anchors the elastic and prevents future twisting.

Ignoring the grainline. Cutting pieces off-grain causes the legs to twist around your thighs after washing, which is both uncomfortable and visually distracting. Take the extra minute to align your pattern pieces parallel to the selvedge before cutting.

Rushing the crotch curve. The crotch seam bears a lot of stress during movement. Sewing it too quickly with long stitches can lead to popped seams after a few wears. Use a shorter stitch length (2.0 mm) around the curve and consider a second reinforcing row of stitching.

Frequently Asked Questions

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