How to Sew Shorts/Pants Tutorial

Get your pattern cut out. (I used infant shorts as an example.

Here is mine, (fabric folded on the left side)
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...yshorts001.jpg

Open pieces up and put RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER flat on table. Pin as shown in picture: (Excluding top; I just did this to hold it together more.)
You're going to sew down from the top down and around the curve. Using seam allowance called for in pattern. Repeat to otherside.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...yshorts002.jpg

Should look like this: Serged if you wish. 3 years ago I didn't know I had that option on my machine!
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...yshorts003.jpg

Here is a tricky part, but easy once you learn it!
You are going to 'flip' the pants to look like actual pants at this point. This was *THE HARDEST* thing that I had to learn when making pants/shorts, and yes, I had to get out Mr. Ripper quite a bit....
The seam that you just made was actually the front and back seams (Not the side seams)
So you need to grab one side on the seam and push it down and make it at the middle. You now have seamless sides. See picture. Just might have to do a video for this.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...yshorts004.jpg

Next you will need to open up the leg part and pin in place. I pinned over things down just to have them not move around on me. Now you have a straight seam to sew across.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...yshorts005.jpg


Lay flat on the table, they should 'fall' like this:
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...yshorts006.jpg
(Note: I like to clip the intersecting seam in the crotch, but I've noticed in children in diapers that it doesn't matter much)

Finish the bottom edges how you wish.

Make casing on the top for the elastic or finish as you wish.

I got lost when you said to push the seam down. Can you explain how to do that or take pics of that portion step by step. A video sounds like a great idea.

The two seams you have sewn are the front and back rise so to make the inside leg look like it should you hold up the trousers by the waist with a hand on each seam then move fabric round between your hands until you have one seam in the middle in front of you and the other seam in the middle at the back.

Now they should look like trousers and you can sew the inside leg seam from one bottom leg hem up to the crotch and down again to the other hem on the other leg.

SWEET. I have been wanting to do infant shorts! Although, DH wants me to make him some too... thats coming later. Im a newbie!!!! TY

I just used your tutorial. I love your inseam method. I had been really struggling to do my inseam correctly before now. thank you so much for making this.