I love the Ellie and Mac Patterns Feel Pretty Shorts! They are so easy to make – no darts, no zippers, no buttons – and you can use all your woven fabrics for them.
The sewing pattern is well loved, it has over a 100 reviews on the website and all 5 stars! (read them HERE)
I’ve sewn this pattern 4 times all with different fabrics/looks.
From Left to right fabric types are – Light Weight Denim, Double Brushed Polyester, Linen, Ponte.
This is a great beginner sewing pattern since it comes with detailed instructions, a video sewing tutorial, and no complicated sewing techniques. Simple. Easy!
The only downfall to the pattern is that has no pockets. But if you look in the photos above, you’ll see that two of the shorts HAVE pockets. I just added them!
The light blue linen shorts have slat pockets which I added using the Ellie and Mac Paperbag Skirt Pattern pieces and instructions.
The Sunflower Shorts have patch pockets added to them. I got this idea from a sewist friend on Instagram.
How to Sew Patch Pockets
There are a few different ways to sew patch pockets:
- Single Layered Patch Pocket – Cut 2 pockets. Fold and iron the raw edges 3/8″ to the wrong sides around the bottom and sides. Fold and iron the top edge down 1/2″ and sew across the top. Then sew the sides and bottom of the pocket directly to the front of the shorts/pants.
- Double Layered Patch Pocket – Cut 4 pockets pieces (2 for each pocket). Sew each set of pockets Right Sides Together leaving a 1 inch gap at the top for turning. Turn pockets right sides out and press well. You can top stitch the top closed, or just put the side with the opening at the bottom and top stitch the pockets onto the shorts/pants.
DIY Shorts Details – Sunflower Fabric Pair
Don’t feel limited to only use woven fabrics for this pattern. The sunflower fabric is ponte (a stable knit fabric).
For these shorts I used the Double Layered Patch Pocket Method. The pocket was 7.25″ Wide x 7.5″ long. Each pocket was placed 2.5″ from the top of the front short pieces.
I also added length to the shorts when I cut the pieces out. The final inseams were 2″ long. You can cut the length to whatever you find comfortable. I recommend finding a pair of shorts you already own that you love the length of. Measure the inseam (from the crotch down to the hem). Be sure to account for the hem allowance when deciding the length to cut.
I made the waistband just a tad different on this pair too. Instead of sewing 3 lines for the waistband and inserting elastic into the casings, I just sewed a line of stitch 3/8″ from the top of the waistband. Then, inserted a 2″ piece of elastic and topstitched across the middle. You can do this before or after sewing the waistband onto the shorts/pants pieces.
Where to Find this Sewing Pattern
If you want to sew this pattern yourself, you can find the PDF pattern on the Ellie and Mac Patterns website, tap the title! – Feel Pretty Shorts & Pants Pattern
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments or join me on Instagram (which I check more often) – www.instagram.com/sewletsgohobby
Happy Sewing!
