Tag: Sewing for men

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Sewing Adventures – Darcy Boxers Christmas Edition

Feeling the pre Christmas pressure? wanting to make something useful at the last minute? The Darcy Boxer Shorts have got your back!

This cute Christmas edition pair make for a great present and I know some families have the tradition of matching pyjamas for everyone to wear Christmas morning. Add a simple white tank top and Christmas themed Darcy Boxer Shorts and you will be picture perfect in no time.

To make these even more gift ready I’ve made a very simple drawstring bag to hold the boxers. I thought you could use the drawstring as eco wrapping or it would make a great alternative to hanging up a stocking?

Pattern: The Darcy Boxer Shorts from Measure Twice Cut Once

Fabric: Australian Christmas themed fabric from Spotlight, elastic from Prym, drawcord for bag from Pitt Trading, buttons from Rozelle Markets.

Alterations: none

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Sewing Adventures – Darcy Shorts Vroom Vroom edition

The Darcy Boxers are by far my most popular pattern, no doubt fuelled by the fact it’s FREE but also because it makes wonderful presents for everyone in your life.

I’ve been getting in some extra Christmas sewing with this cute animal on mopeds fabric I had left over from another project. Turns out I had enough to fit a pair of Darcy’s and my Prym elastic was the perfect colour match.

This Prym elastic is the business when it comes to making boxer shorts look and feel like professional ready to wear garments. Soft and super plush it’s a dream to wear. Sewing wise I’ve found it good but a few pointers. It does not like being unpicked. It’s so plush the stitches sink right in which is great for wearing, not so good for unpicking. It loves a twin needle or a coverstitch machine. I’ve done this one with my coverstitch and it was a dream to attach that way. With the elastic being quite strong I found that stretching it in place worked really well.

I’ve tried the butting together and zig zagging in place elastic method but have found that just a straight stitch then folding over and topstitching in place. Works just as well and looks neat. Also handy for when you don’t have matching thread to hand.

The finishing touch was these vintage red plastic buttons I picked up at Rozelle Markets.

Pattern: The Darcy Boxer Shorts by Measure Twice Cut Once

Fabric: from stash, originally from Pitt Trading, buttons from Rozelle Markets

Alterations: none

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Sewing Adventures – stripe jinbei shorts for the Englishman

I feel like I’ve made and documented this style of short I make for The Englishman so much that I have nothing new to add about them? Am really just putting them in as a blog post as a way to document all my makes.

Same pattern as normal, this time no elastic drawstring only.

Fabric that I’ve used for him before and this was the last of it. I’ve been conscious this year of trying to use all my stash. So if something has been set aside for a particular project then I’ve cut and made that project. Am not sure if it helps reduce the stash but it feels like it reduces the need to get new things when I can just use what I’ve got.

It gives an odd sense of satisfaction to see the stash diminishing so am hoping I can keep using up pieces and turning them into useful practical things like these shorts. I’d rather see the fabric being used than see it wasting away in the stash.

Fabric: From stash

Pattern: Jinbei shorts from Japan

Alterations: didn’t have any elastic so made them all drawstring

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Sewing Adventures – Bingley Boxers Destination edition

Isn’t this fabric just adorable? I feel like it should be wallpaper gracing the walls of a quaint travel shop where people would go to book holidays to far off destinations. It’s a 100% cotton print from Pitt Trading and I couldn’t resist it.

Made up in The Bingley Boxer Shorts it makes the best presents for someone you love or yourself!

These were going to be for someone else but quite frankly I fell in love with them and quickly switched to making them for myself. I’ve used the super plush Prym elastic (in bright pink no less!) for the internal elastic and it looks so good.

Make wise these are fast with the fly being the only even slightly tricky bit. I highly recommend them as a fast stash buster, great for presents and perfect for your first foray into making pants or shorts.

Now I just need to find the perfect buttons to finish them off.

Pattern: The Bingley Boxer Shorts by Measure Twice Cut Once

Fabric: Destination from Pitt Trading, elastic from Prym

Alterations: next time I could make the elastic a touch more firm for myself?

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Sewing Adventures – Jinbei shorts for The Englishman

These shorts have been made many times over the years and am sure will be made many times more. Other variations can be seen here,  here and here.


I’ve used the same pattern after rescuing the pattern from the fire we suffered December last year. The plastic sleeve the pattern was in, had gone black and bubbled but the pattern inside was ok after a good airing. Though somewhat dusty with ash.

The fabric was another survivor of the fire. Originally purchased at Pitt Trading and I think they have some more in stock?
It’s lovely, light and has the slightest of seersucker like wrinkles and yet the fabric is dense and not see through. A perfect summer fabric.


Apart from the usual construction I took the opportunity to keep practising with my coverstitch machine with the hems and the elastic all sewn in using it. I find it quite easy to use and the tips from Lauren at lladybird on how to tie off the ends to prevent the threads unraveling has been invaluable.

One happy Englishman, even if he had to be bribed with biscuits to get his photo taken.

Pattern: Jinbei
Fabric: from stash but purchased at Pitt Trading
Alterations: changed construction methods to use coverstitch more