Boy Leg Shorts

Boy leg shorts as swimwear were not as popular a style as designers had hoped. The style seemed to come and go in as little as three years, which in swimwear terms is very short lived. You can still find them here and there, but these days specifically aimed at the younger surf market. I believe they failed because they were initially designed as something aimed at medium figures yet really that was never going to work for such a high leg line. It made the thighs of a medium figure look swollen. Had designers created something for a medium figure rather than for a small figure scaled up they might have been more successful. Medium figures really need shorts with a leg line that extends to at least the widest part of the thigh.

In the interests of completeness, this section will cover how to make the pattern for boy leg shorts where the legline is level with the crutch. Making patterns for longer leg shorts (at or below the widest part of the thigh) is simply a matter of cropping the center seam leggings block.

This pattern is based on the size 10 center seam leggings block. Before you start each step, click on the link marked "Illustration for this Step". A pop up window with an illustration for that step will help guide you through the instructions. At the end of each step your draft should match the illustration.

Step One

Illustration for this Step

Trace around the top half of your leg blocks. Draft in a suitable garment waist line that is mirrored front to back. It should be a little higher waisted than a standard bikini brief pattern. Around half way between the waist line and hip line or higher and form a right angle at center front/back and side seams. Straighten out the side seam by drawing a line between the garment waist and the hip line.

Step Two

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Rotate the blocks such that the new side seam is vertical and line up the panels against each other. On the back panel measure down 6cm along the inseam. On the front panel draw in a line 6cm long, but 2cm away from the in seam. This tightens the leg a little where it narrows above the widest part of the thigh and sets the correct angle for the front legline.

Step Three

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Draft in the legline starting at a right angle to the front inseam, crossing the intersection of the side seam and hip and finishing at a right angle to the back inseam. This should be a slow gradual curve dictated by the three points above. You will need to recurve the center front seam slightly to create a right angle with the front inseam.

Step Four

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Remove unnecessary guidelines. If necessary retrace the front and back panels as a single panel (there is no need for a side seam). Be sure to clearly label your pattern pieces with a title, panel name, size, cutting instructions, author’s name, date and revision number. Finaly, add seam allowance to the pattern based on how you intend to assemble it. I've shown this pattern with 10mm allowance for overlocked seams (8mm to blade, 2mm off cut) and 10mm allowance for folding over 9mm elastic.