Operation Sleep Cute: Sleep Shorts

I actually took a picture of the giant pile of sweatpants that I usually sleep in, but it's too embarrassing to share.  Point is, I'm trying to cute up the whole sleep situation with some quick sewing projects.  It also makes lounging around the house feel sort of special and less, I don't know....gross.  I started with some sleep shorts in our beloved Nicey Jane (ooo, it's on sale right now at Fabricworm).  I also made a matching top which I will share with you once I get up the nerve to have my picture taken in it.

If you have any tips on sleeping a little bit cuter, tutes to point us to so we don't look like such slobs, or general whining about why it is that we have to look cute while we freaking sleep, leave them for us in the comments and you could possibly win the Heather Ross Double Gauze up there on the left.

Get the full Sleep Shorts Tutorial after the jump...

Operation Sleep Cute: Sleep Shorts

1.  Grab a pair of shorts that fits you (or you can use pants).  Fold them in half.  You can make a pattern on freezer paper or trace right onto the back of your fabric, laying fold to fold like so.  You want to make sure you stretch out the waistband (or approximate it) when you are going around the top.  Add about 1.5" at the top (waist) for your casing, and about 1" at the legs for your hem. I also made the sides of the shorts a little swoopy but you don't have too.:


2. Cut out your pieces.  You actually want the crotch of one side a little longer than the other.  These shorts fit me fine without because I made them bigger, but I thought I'd tell you that anyway.


3.  Unfold them and lay them right sides facing and pin the curved sides:

Sew them together and finish the edge by serging, sewing with a zig zag stitch, or cutting with pinking shears:


4.  Now pick up your piece and pull the seams to the middle.  Pin the leg seams together like so:

Sew them up and finish the edges:


5.  Hem the legs to your liking by ironing:

and stitching in place:


6.  Now at the top I attached two grommets.  You don't have to, but I like them:

Then I folded the top down 1/2" and ironed, another 3/4" and ironed, then sewed in place all the way around, leaving a hole for my elastic, back stitching at the beginning and end:

Then I fed my 3/4 elastic through with a safety pin.

Then just sew the ends of the elastic together so they lay flat, push it all the way into the casing, then sew hole closed and add a cute decorative tie.  I used some homemade bias tape!

Done!