Little Boy Pajama Pants Pattern

Don't you just love that farmers tan?

I had some extra cotton knit fabric from a couple blankets that I made a while ago and I wanted to put it to good use. I do not have much experience sewing clothing, but I thought some cute pajama shorts were the perfect place to start. I think pajamas are so cute and so comfortable, especially summery boxer-looking jammies. I wish Ande could wear them all day every day (and he wishes he could too). 

 I created a pattern all by myself using an existing pair of pajama shorts. I didn't make my shorts the same way as the existing pair, I just used them for a starting point. It actually turned out to be such an easy project. And thanks to my sis-in-law for an "Ande free" morning yesterday (it was my birthday), I was able to sew these up real quickly.

Here is how I did it!

1. Fold your existing pair of pajama shorts in half. Fold your fabric over as well. Place the shorts on the fabric, with the longer non-crotch side of the shorts along the folded edge of fabric. Cut out this shape. You will need to do this 2 times, for the front and back of the shorts.

(There has to be a better, less offensive word for "crotch" but I just can't think of it)

2. This is what your pattern piece should look like when the fabric is unfolded. Again, you should have 2 of these.

3. Serge along the bottom of each pattern piece. The bottom is the longest edge.

After you serge, fold the bottom over about 1/4 inch and iron.

After ironing, sew a straight stitch down the length of the bottom edge. 

The bottom of your pattern pieces are now hemmed.

4. Place each pattern piece with right sides facing together. Pin along part of the sides, as shown in the top picture below. Serge ONLY along this pinned section.

5. Now, open up your pattern pieces and match the two edges that you just serged in step 4 together in the middle. Now you will pin the "crotch" together and serge along the entire section, as shown in the top picture below.

Serge around the top edge of the pants, shown in the bottom picture below.

 6. Measure and sew yourself an elastic waistband. Now, attach the elastic to the top of the shorts. If your child's waist is smaller than the shorts, pin on four equidistant places.

As you sew the elastic to the shorts, you will need to stretch the elastic as you go to fit the size of the shorts. It may gather a little, but not much.

That's it! 

I sewed the elastic on with a zig-zag stitch just for fun. I'm not sure that I really like how it looks.

I probably should have used white thread and a bigger sized elastic, but this will do for now!

I made two pairs, and can't wait to make more!

I think I will fancy up a couple plain white t's (i love that band!) with the leftovers of these fabrics to make a matching Pajamas set. 

You know you've done good when your model doesn't want to take off the clothes you just made. Yesterday, I had him try on the safari print shorts and he refused to take them off the rest of the day.

Now, they are sitting in the sink because he already stained them with fruity chews. Silly kid.

He loved the pajama shorts, but he did not love posing for pictures so much...