Perry Paper Bag Shorts Pattern

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Timeless summer style has officially arrived! Sew yourself a pair of lightweight, comfortable shorts with this pattern from Aishat Sulaiman. Featuring an elastic, paper bag waist, this shorts sewing pattern also features a delightful scallop hem in a contrasting color, so it’s a great way to dress up a plain summer tee or tank. Looking chic doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort, and these scalloped shorts are ideal for a casual and sophisticated outfit.

Pattern Overview:

The shorts pattern is an elastic waist, paper bag short with a decorative stitch hem.

Materials:

All calculations are on a single layer. If you want to cut your fabric on the fold, increase consumption by 1/2 yard. When purchasing fabric, please account for shrinkage and purchase 5% more than required.

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS – YARDAGE:

Recommended fabrics: Light denim, twill, canvas, gabardine, medium-weight duchess, medium-weight linen or medium-weight wovens such as cotton or wool flannel, chambray, and poplin.
All-purpose polyester thread
Sewing machine (capable of a straight stitch and scallop stitch)
Machine needle
Elastic, 1” or 3cm width (the length of the elastic should be equivalent to your waist length measurement)
Tear-Away Firm stabilizer
PDF Pattern – This is located at the bottom of this page. See printing instructions below.

Tips: All-natural fibers and some synthetic materials undergo shrinkage during their first wash, which can change the texture and hand feel. (The designer prefers the look and feel of washed fabrics.) Pre-washing is necessary if you want your garment washable after sewing (without shrinking). Giving the washed material a light press before cutting will ensure your paper pattern pieces can lay smoothly on top.

SELECTING YOUR SIZE:

Body Measurements: Start by taking your body measurements. Measure the circumference of your bust, waist, and hips by pulling the measuring tape snugly; it should fit tightly around your skin but not too tightly. Measure directly over bare skin or typical-for-you undergarments. Keep the tape parallel with the floor, and ensure it is not twisted. Compare your measurements to the “body” measurements in the chart above to see your recommended size.

PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS:

Note: To download the pattern, click on the pattern download button at the bottom of the page. We recommend opening your pattern download using Adobe Acrobat.

First, determine if you will print your pattern at home or have it printed by an online or local copy shop. This pattern includes a file for both printing options. Download the pattern file for the printing option you’ve chosen.

Once your file is open, you can proceed to print. You may also use the “Layers” panel to toggle on or off pattern lines for various sizes. Toggle off the pattern lines for any sizes you do *not* wish to print. You should now see only the lines for the size you did not toggle off displayed.

NOTE: Pattern lines may overlap; you are advised to print one size at a time. It is easiest to cut out the pattern when only one size is printed at a time.

Print at a Copy Shop: A0

Online pattern printers and local copy shops can print a large-format paper pattern economically.

Print at Home: Letter Size or A4 Paper

Each “Print at Home” file can be printed on letter- sized or A4 paper. You will need a PDF viewer to print this pattern. You can download Adobe Reader for free if you do not have a PDF viewer already.

PATTERN PREPARATION:

Ready to cut? Check out the pattern inventory.

PATTERN INVENTORY:

PATTERN LAYOUT:

Play around with the pattern placement to minimize fabric wastage but ensure the grainlines remain parallel to the selvedge or your preferred cutting direction. Transfer all markings to the main fabric and cut out patterns.

Sewing Instructions:

The image below shows how all patterns should look after cutting in main fabric.

Since the slant pocket lines are not cut on fabric grain, the designer suggests using fusible interfacing stay along the slanted lines to prevent stretching.
Place pocket lining on front short, right sides together. Sew along the slanted line using 1/2” seam allowance.
Unfold the pocket from the short and understitch in place.
Take your pocket pouch piece and place it on the pocket lining, with the right sides facing each other. Pin the edge of the pocket and sew along the edge using 1/2” seam allowance.
Baste the top and the sides of the pocket to the front short piece.
Repeat all previous steps for the second front piece.
With right sides together, match up and sew from the waistband to the crotch using 1/2” seam allowance.
Repeat the steps on the back pieces.
Open up and iron both the front and back sides of the short.
Sew the sides and the inseams using 1” seam allowance.
Fold the waistband and sew the sides together using 1/2” seam allowance.
Fold the waistband in half along the long side and press.
Attach the waistband: unfold the waistband, match the center back seam of the waistband to the center back seam of the short and pin, starting at the center front.
With the right sides together, sew the waistband to the short using 1/2” seam allowance.
Fold in 1/2” on the non-stitched side of the waistband and press, then fold the waistband along the original pressed line to cover the inside waistband seam.
Now topstitch the waistband leaving about 2 inches unsewn.
Sew 1/2” down from the folded end of the waistband to create the paper bag effect.
Cut an elastic band 1 inch smaller than your waist measurement. Inset the elastic through the opening at the waistline using a safety pin or bodkin. Join the elastic using 1/2” seam allowance, then close the opening.
Fuse a Tear-Away firm stabilizer onto the wrong side of the scallop extension.
Turn on your sewing machine and select the scallop stitch from the stitch selection panel. This stitch is typically represented by a series of wavy U-shapes, sewn with zigzag stitches. Attach the recommended stitch foot to your sewing machine (see your manual). You may wish to adjust the length and width of your scallops, test it out on a scrap first. Ideally the stitch length will be set between 0 and 1.
After sewing the scallop stitch, carefully cut off the excess fabric so that the hem has a nice wavy shape. This type of stitch acts like an overlock or zigzag stitch, so the fabric should not fray.
Fold the scallop extension in half vertically and sew using 1/2” inch seam allowance. Attach the extension to the hem of each short leg with 1/2” seam allowance.