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Effortlessly chic and endlessly wearable, these relaxed Bermuda short shorts are cut mid-thigh with a drawstring waist and pockets discreetly inserted in the side seams, perfect for everyday wear. Designed with beginners in mind—no trims needed—they shine in crisp linen or fluid viscose. The ultimate beach cover-up or summer staple with a minimalist edge!
Download the FREE PDF sewing pattern, and sew your own handmade shorts now!
1 cm (3/8″) seam allowance included!
Material
- FABRIC: 1.2 m (1 3/8 yd) chambray, crêpe, linen, satin, silk, or viscose
- INTERFACING: Fusible woven interfacing
- All-purpose thread
- Universal needle or Microtex needle, depending on the fabric
- Safety pin
Important: Fabric requirements are based on a fabric width of 150 cm (59″). If your fabric is narrower, additional yardage may be required.
Download the free PDF sewing pattern…
… and once you’re done, share a photo of you wearing proudly your new handmade shorts with #unfetteredpatterns or tag us @unfetteredpatterns!
Need help to print your pattern? Check our detailed tutorial here! Also, find out how you can customize your pattern for A0 printers and projectors here.
Need help completing the project?
Visit our Ko-fi store to get a printable version of this project, complete with sewing illustrations, cutting instructions, and a pattern piece list.
Sizing Guide
This pattern is drafted according to the following body measurements. Standard height is 1.64 m (5.4 ft). Check this tutorial if you want to add sizes to your pattern!
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Bust | 85 cm (33 1/2″) | 89 cm (35″) | 93 cm (36 1/2″) | 97 cm (38″) | 101 cm (39 1/2″) | 105 cm (41″) | 109 cm (42 1/2″) |
| Waist | 64 cm (25 1/2″) | 68 cm (27″) | 72 cm (28 1/2″) | 76 cm (30″) | 80 cm (31 1/2″) | 84 cm (33″) | 88 cm (34 1/2″) |
| Hips | 92 cm (36 1/2″) | 96 cm (38″) | 100 cm (39 1/2″) | 104 cm (41″) | 108 cm (42 1/2″) | 112 cm (44″) | 116 cm (45 1/2″) |
Finished garment measurements
Keep in mind that the final measurements have a significant amount of ease built in to create a more relaxed silhouette.
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Waist MAX | 90 cm (35 3/4″) | 94 cm (37 1/4″) | 98 cm (38 3/4″) | 102 cm (40 1/4″) | 106 cm (41 3/4″) | 110 cm (43 1/4″) | 114 cm (44 3/4″) |
| Hips | 100 cm (39 1/2″) | 104 cm (41″) | 108 cm (42 1/2″) | 112 cm (44″) | 116 cm (45 1/2″) | 120 cm (47″) | 124 cm (48 1/2″) |
| Rise | 28 cm (10 3/4″) | 28.5 cm (11″) | 29 cm (11 1/4″) | 29.5 cm (11 1/2″) | 30 cm (11 3/4″) | 30.5 cm (12″) | 31 cm (12 1/4″) |
| Inseam | 22 cm (8 3/4″) | 22 cm (8 3/4″) | 22 cm (8 3/4″) | 22 cm (8 3/4″) | 22 cm (8 3/4″) | 22 cm (8 3/4″) | 22 cm (8 3/4″) |
Sewing Notes
Here are some tips I recommend for a successful sewing project:
Fit and style
- Choose a size based on your hips. Take a look at the body measurements chart to guide you.
- To get your hip size, measure around the fullest part of your buttock. Just make sure the measuring tape isn’t too tight. You want it snug, but not squeezing you.
- On the finished garment measurements chart, you can also see how long the garment is and if it’ll work for your height. It’s a good idea to compare the length with something similar you already own. Just keep in mind this is a Bermuda short, so the hem should sit above the knee, but not mid-thigh.
- Because this is a pull-on fit, the waist of the finished garment needs to be as wide as your hips. If it’s not, you’re going to have a hard time getting it on.
- If you want to adapt the length of your garment to your height, check this helpful tutorial here!
Fabrics
- Choose from a wide range of fabrics, from fluid and silky to more structured and crisp. The choice depends on the silhouette you want to achieve, but avoid fabrics that are too heavy, as they can make the seams bulky.
- Choose a lightweight interfacing so it doesn’t add bulk to the fabric. Also, grab a color that’ll blend right in with light-colored fabric!
Cutting out
- Before you start cutting your fabrics, wash and dry them like you’d do for the finished piece. Keep in mind the fabric type and what it’s made of so you choose the right cleaning method (like how hot the water should be or what kind of cycle to use…). Plus, the dyes used on certain fabrics tend to bleed when washed, so wash yours separately, or with similar colors.
- After you wash and dry the fabric, give it a good press to get rid of any creases. Just make sure your iron is set to the right temperature for the fabric. Generally, synthetic fibers like acrylic, spandex, or polyester should be pressed on low heat, while natural fibers like cotton, wool, or linen can handle higher heat.
- When you’re set to cut the fabric, just fold it lengthwise right sides together. Make sure the fold is straight and doesn’t twist up. If it does, unfold it and refold until it’s nice and flat. Then, lay out the pattern pieces so the grainline runs parallel to the selvages.
- Make sure you don’t cut the notches too long; aim for them to be around 0.3-0.4 cm long (1/8″). Also, be sure to also trace all the pattern markings on the fabrics with a tailor’s chalk or a fabric marker.
Sewing
- Before you start sewing, grab a scrap piece of fabric and try out a few stitches to see how the tension and stitch length look. If the seam isn’t turning out great, try re-threading your machine first. Still not working? Then go ahead and adjust the tension. As for stitch length—thicker fabric usually needs longer stitches, so adjust that as needed. And if your stitches are skipping, switch to a new needle or to a bigger one.
- If you’re unsure how to sew buttonholes, just take a look at your sewing machine manual. The process can differ from one machine to another.
Good luck with your sewing project!
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I tried to download the pattern thru my iPad. That didn’t work. The scale was slightly too large. So I had my husband try it on his lap top. The scale was spot on. But it said that because of borders- I would lose some of the details. Tried till we were blue in the face. Gave up and opened a bottle of wine. Still don’t have a pattern-but we are much happier than when we began.
Weird! Try changing the border width in the print settings. To get there, you need to click on “page setup” button.
These are soooo cool!
Thanks 😀
I do not understand your method for the pockets. Pockets are not complicated, but these are, I have had to unpick twice, I am just going to skip the pockets and move on.
Bonjour, je ne trouve pas où télécharger ce patron ? est il vraiment gratuit ? Merci
Just click on the “download” button in the blog post.