DIY Baby Pajama Shorts!
I went to Joanns and found some super cute fabric but wasn’t sure what project to make. It was on sale, so I had to buy some! 🙂 I came home and decided to make some pajama shorts for my son. I think they get an A+ for how cute they turned out!
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They were super easy so I thought I’d put together a little tutorial for them.
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You will need:
- 1″ elastic
- about 1/4 yard of fabric. I did the middle panel a separate color, but you can use the same fabric if you want
- serger and sewing machine
- double needle
How To:
CUT
- First, start by cutting out your fabric. This is going to be tricky, I had a pattern lying around for this style of short. Until I can figure out how to get that pattern uploaded, the best I can think of will be to take some existing shorts that your child already fits into and use those as a guide.
- Start, by laying out those existing shorts front seam to back seam (not side to side like we would normally lay them down). they will look funny, but that’s okay. Trace onto your fabric this shape, following the seam as best as possible. Make sure to leave a seam allowance of about 1/2″. Â Add 2″ to the top seam allowance so you can fold over the elastic.
- Fold your fabric in half and cut out the piece you traced.
- You should have two pieces of fabric.
- Last part of cutting – Cut a 4″ panel on the front and back seams (this will end up being your middle crotch piece). Obviously, if you want this a different color, then make sure to cut that piece into a different color.
Serge
- You will start with four pieces of fabric. Two “thigh” (side – in my shorts it is the print) pieces, and two pannel pieces (the middle turquoise color)
- Take one of your pannel pieces, and your side pieces and with right sides together serge them
- Now you are going to continue around the shorts; serge the other side of the pannel to the other side piece and continue around until it looks like this.
- Now serge the bottom, that will be the leg hole
- The reason you are doing this now is because since these shorts are going to be so little, when they are in a circle (for the leg) it won’t fit around your serger.
- It will look like this
- Repeat on the other side
Sew
- Now we are going to switch over to our sewing machine to top stitch down the middle pannels. Use your double needle for this
- You are going to fold the serged edge (which is on the inside of the shorts) to one side so that you can top stitch.
- I lined my needles right up to the edge of the pannel. Note, the serged edge is folded underneath.Â
- Make sure you dont catch the rest of the shorts while you are top stitching
- At the end, lock/back stitchÂ
- It will look like this
- Now repeat on the other side, as well as on the back pannel
- Here is a pic of when I was done top stitching
Serge
- Switch back to your serger, and serge the top edge with the elasticÂ
  - Make sure to pull the elastic slightly.
- When you are done, cut off the rest of the elasticÂ
  - You can trim it so there isn’t extraÂ
  - Now serge the bottom. Line up your two pieces with right sides together.Â
- Make sure to line up your panel pieces as even as possible, it will look really nice if they are lined up
- Turn the shorts right sides out, this is what it will look like
  - Now, go back to your sewing machine for the last two parts
Sew
- Start with your waistband. Fold over the elastic so you can top stitch. This is what it looks like when I don’t pull on the fabric
- This is what it looks like when I pull on the fabric
- Make sure to pull on the fabric when you are top stitching. It will allow the thread to stretch when you pull on the elastic
- Now, hem the legs
- I had a hard time with this because the leg holes were so small, it barely fit around the neck of my sewing machine.
- Here is your finished product!! Super cute!
- Now all you have to do is iron!
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My little boy wears these all the time! They turned out way cute. Let me know how yours goes! I’d love to see your results!
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