POPPY HIGH

WAISTED SHORTS

ADVANCED
BEGINNER
HIGH WAISTED SHORTS
WITH FRONT POCKETS,
ELASTICATED WAIST AND
BELT LOOPS

UK SIZES
4-18

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 OVERVIEW A NOTE ON COPYRIGHT
ABOUT NOT FOR RESALE.

The Poppy shorts are designed for woven fabrics and feature a straight fit with a
slight flare, high elasticated waist with belt loops, deep hem and front pockets. The pattern and instruction files:

SEAM ALLOWANCES No part of this pattern or its instructions can be photocopied, re-produced,
re-sold, or altered to sell patterns of your own.
Seam allowances are included in this pattern, and are 1cm on all seams, unless oth-
erwise indicated in the pattern instructions. If you use the imperial system, 1cm is Any images or information within this pattern file and pattern instruction
closest to 3/8’’. I recommend adding a small piece of tape to your machine to mark file cannot be shared under any circumstances.
where 1cm is. You can then use this tape as a seam guide while sewing.
Front cover image is produced by photographer Codie Hobbs, and the
SUGGESTED FABRICS model in the photo is Emma.
This pattern has been designed for light-medium weight woven fabric with little Items made using the pattern:
to no stretch. You should use a fabric that has a little structure in order to hold the
shape of the shorts. You could use a lighter weight fabric, however this will change
the overall look of the shorts and create a more flowy style. - This pattern is intended for your personal use, and cannot be used to
create garments for sale on a LARGE commercial scale.
I would always recommend making up a sample in cheap fabric, similar to that of
your final fabric before making your final garment. This will help you to understand - Items made from NH PATTERNS may be produced on a SMALL scale
the fit of the shorts and how they will sit on the body and allow you to make any from a home-based setting. Items made using this pattern CAN be used
alterations needed. by small-scale businesses to make finished products from the patterns in
order to sell on in their business.
Fabrics that works well are polycotton, cotton poplin, linen, lightweight cordorouy
etc. The fabric used in the main image on the front cover, is a washed cotton fabric. - Small-scale businesses are defined as a retail business selling finished
garments, with 2 or less employees/owners and in which manufacturing
SUPPLIES LIST or production is done entirely in house. You cannot use these patterns to
outsource manufacturing of any kind and this pattern cannot be shared
- Main fabric. outside of your business.
- 38mm/1.5” elastic.

Fabric requirements are detailed on pages 6 & 7. If you have any questions, please get in touch at: nhpatterns@outlook.com

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 SIZING
Please see the sizing table to determine your size. The pattern is written in UK
sizing and measurements are provided in inches and cm.

Please use the measurements provided to determine your size and please remem-
ber – sewing patterns are created to a standard size and the measurements given
here are intended to be used as a guideline.

Every person and their body shape is different, and so you should work from the
size that is closest to your body shape and measurements, even though it may not
match exactly to your measurements.
I always recommend sewing a test garment in a similar weight to your final fabric,
and adjust the pattern accordingly if needed.

UK SIZE UK 4 UK 6 UK 8 UK 10 UK 12 UK 14 UK 16 UK 18
(US 0) (US 2) (US 4) (US 6) (US 8) (US (US (US 14)
10) 12)

BUST 79cm 81cm 84-86 89- 94- 99 - 104- 109-

cm 91.5 96.5 101.5 107 112
cm cm cm cm cm

31” 32” 33-34” 35-36” 37-38” 39-40” 41-42” 43-44”

Bust – To take your bust measurement, keep your measuring tape level and
measure around the fullest part of your bust.
WAIST 61cm 63.5 66 cm 71 cm 76 cm 81 cm 86.5 91.5
cm cm cm Waist – To take your waist measurement, wrap the tape measure around the
smallest part of your waist. If you’re unsure, your waist measurement should
be taken in between the bottom of your ribcage and the top of your hip bones.
24” 25” 26” 28” 30” 32” 34” 36”
Hip - You should measure around the fullest part of your bottom. “Hip”
measurement is deceiving, as your hips and bottom are different things, but
HIP 84cm 86cm 89- 94 - 97 99 - 104 109- 114- hip measurement for NH patterns should always be taken around the widest
91.5 cm 101.5 - 107 112 117 point of the bottom.
cm cm cm cm cm

33” 34” 35-36” 37-38” 39-40” 41-42” 43-44” 45-46”

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 PRINTING & PATTERN AMOUNT NEEDED FOR A FABRIC WIDTH OF 150cm/59”

ASSEMBLY Sizes UK 4-10 100cm/1.1 yards

Sizes UK 12-18 120cm/1.3 yards
Please be careful to follow these printing instructions before printing your pattern,
to ensure that your pattern is not distorted and is to the correct proportions.
AMOUNT NEEDED FOR A FABRIC WIDTH OF 137cm/54”
The pattern is set to print on a standard A4 home printer or US letter home printer
depending on the file you chose to print. When printing your pattern, first only Sizes UK 4-8 100cm/1.1 yards
print the test square page of the pattern. Check that the scale for printing is set to
100% or “actual size” and do not scale, fit to page, or zoom on the pattern. The test Sizes UK 10-12 110cm/1.2 yards
square on the pattern will include instructions as to what the dimensions should Sizes UK 14-18 140cm/1.6 yards
be.

Once you have printed your pattern at the correct scale, you can then proceed to AMOUNT NEEDED FOR A FABRIC WIDTH OF 115cm/45”
assemble the pattern.

The pattern pages contain a black border around the edge of the pattern. Cut all
Sizes UK 4-8 120cm/1.3 yards
the printed pages along the right hand side and bottom edge along the border and
tape together the pages, so that the numbered and lettered joining circles match. Sizes UK 10-14 150cm/1.7 yards
(It doesn’t matter if you cut the wrong side of the border, but if you only cut the Sizes UK 16-18 Not recommended
right edge and bottom edge on all pages, it will make it easier to tape together!)

Following the sizing chart, choose your desired size, and cut this size following the For 115cm/45” fabric, sizes UK 16-18 are not recommended in this fabric width
line types printed on the pattern. due to the waistband being too long to fit on the fabric width. If you are confident
If you want to make multiple sizes, I would recommend not cutting the pattern in your ability to do so, you could split the waistband into multiple pieces in order
after taping and instead, trace off the size you wish to make onto tracing paper, and for it to fit on this width fabric.
keeping your printed pattern as a hard copy for future projects.

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
When determining your fabric requirements, please remember that the require-
ments provided are only a guide. There are fabrics of all different widths supplied
across the world and how much fabric you will need will depend on the fabric width
and in some cases, the pattern of the fabric. (If you wish to pattern match!) For the
purpose of providing fabric requirements in this booklet, I have chosen a narrow
and a wide with fabric to give you an idea of both, and the requirments stated do
not take into account pattern matching.

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 CUTTING PLAN
CUTTING PLAN FOR
The cutting plans provided show a suggested cutting plan for the width fabrics 150cm/59” WIDTH -
mentioned above in the fabric requirements section. SIZES 12-18
When cutting fabric, pattern pieces have been placed to use the least amount Fold fabric in half with right

Selvedge
Folded edge
of fabric, while keeping the fabric the right way around throughout. You may be side of the fabric facing
tempted to turn pattern pieces upside down or put them cross-grain to use less inwards and matching
fabric, but please remember this doesn’t always work. Colours and fabric types can your selvedge edges. Your
look different when sewn against another piece of the same fabric that is the other grainline marked on your
way around. This being said, my cutting plan is just a guide and you can cut your pattern should run parallel
pattern however you wish! with the selvedge of the
fabric.

CUTTING PLAN FOR

150cm/59” WIDTH -
SIZES 4-10

Fold fabric in half with right

CUTTING PLAN FOR
side of the fabric facing 137cm/54” WIDTH -
Folded edge

inwards and matching SIZES 4-8

Selvedge

your selvedge edges. Your

Folded edge
grainline marked on your

Selvedge
Fold fabric in half with right
pattern should run parallel side of the fabric facing
with the selvedge of the inwards and matching
fabric. your selvedge edges. Your
grainline marked on your
pattern should run parallel
with the selvedge of the
fabric.

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 CUTTING PLAN FOR
137cm/54” WIDTH - CUTTING PLAN FOR
SIZES 10-12 115cm/45” WIDTH -
SIZES 4-8
Fold fabric in half with right
Fold fabric in half with right

Folded edge
side of the fabric facing

Folded edge

Selvedge
Selvedge
inwards and matching side of the fabric facing
your selvedge edges. Your inwards and matching
grainline marked on your your selvedge edges. Your
pattern should run parallel grainline marked on your
with the selvedge of the pattern should run parallel
fabric. with the selvedge of the
fabric.

CUTTING PLAN FOR

137cm/54” WIDTH -
CUTTING PLAN FOR
SIZES 14-18
115cm/45” WIDTH -
Folded edge

Selvedge

Fold fabric in half with right SIZES 10-14

Folded edge
side of the fabric facing

Selvedge
inwards and matching Fold fabric in half with right
your selvedge edges. Your side of the fabric facing
grainline marked on your inwards and matching
pattern should run parallel your selvedge edges. Your
with the selvedge of the grainline marked on your
fabric. pattern should run parallel
with the selvedge of the
fabric.

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 SEWING INSTRUCTIONS Then, take your front shorts pieces
and lay one on top of the other with
right sides facing and all raw edges
matching. Sew the crotch seam. (The
Before you start sewing crotch seam here is the longer, deeper
curve and is labelled on the pattern
Before you start sewing your final garment, I recommend sewing up a sample piece).
beforehand in cheap fabric that is similar in weight and drape to your final fabric.
This allows you to test for sizing and make sure the final garment will be exactly Overlock both the front and back
how you want it. You can try on your sample, and then make any alterations to the shorts crotch seams. *Remember,
pattern that you may need. if you don’t have an overlocker you
can use an alternative. Zig-zag stitch
All pattern pieces include seam allowances. Seam allowances are all 1cm unless works well!
otherwise indicated in the instructions. (Slightly smaller than 1/2”).

In this tutorial I will refer to overlocking/serging the raw edges, if you don’t have an Step 2:
overlocker, you can use whichever method of neatening you prefer. Zig zag stitch is
a good alternative! Put your back shorts aside for the moment while we work on the pockets for
your front shorts.

Open your front shorts, so that you have the right sides facing you. Take one of
your pocket lining pieces and match it up to the short curve on the front shorts,
with right sides facing.

Pin in place and stitch together along the curve. Then repeat for the other side.

Stitch to-
Step 1:
gether here,
along the
First, take your back shorts pieces. Lay curve.
one on top of the other with right sides
facing so that all raw edges are match-
ing and sew together at the crotch
seam.

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 Step 3: Step 4:

Now we need to understitch the seams we have just sewn. With understitching Once you have understitched both pockets, lay your front shorts out in front of
you are essentially stitching your seam allowance onto your lining. you with the right side facing you and the pockets out to the side. (You should have
In this case, you will be stitching your seam allowance down onto your pocket something that looks a little like elephants ears!) See photo below.
lining.
This stitching will be visible on the inside of your garment, but won’t be visible from Then, take one of your other pocket pieces and lay on top of one of your pocket
the outside and will help to keep your pockets to the inside of the garment when lining pieces, with right sides facing. Match up the curves of the pocket lining and
worn. main pocket piece the entire way around.

You can do this from the right side or the wrong side of your garment. The wrong
side is a little easier, because you can see the seam allowance you’re stitching
down!

Lay your front shorts out in front of you with the wrong side facing you and press
your pocket seam allowance (the seam we just sewed) towards the pocket lining.
Then, stitch your seam allowance down onto your pocket lining, parallel to the
seam line. You should be stitching fairly close to the seam line, no more than a few
millimetres away from it! Repeat for the pocket on the other side.

Elephant ears! Pin the pocket to the pocket lining,

This side is the
front shorts around the curved edge and stitch
Pocket lining. where black line shows.
leg. The seam Seam allowance
allowance should is being stitched
be pressed away Once you have stitched the pocket to the pocket lining, repeat for the other side.
onto the pocket
from this. lining here. Then, overlock both seams to neaten the raw edges.

Step 5:

Now, here is where the pocket can get a little confusing. At least, it was for me
when I first made a pocket like this!

We now need to fold the pocket back into its correct position. First, simply push
your entire pocket and pocket lining back behind the front of the shorts, to the
wrong side. Then match up your pocket lining, main pocket and front shorts top
edges. Pin this in place and then do the same for the side seams. (See photos on
next page)

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 Step 6:

Now, repeat step 5 for your other pocket and then press both of your pockets so
they’re nice and flat and so that the understitching is sitting neatly to the inside of
the pocket.
Once this is all nice and pressed flat, overlock your front shorts side seams. Then,
take your back shorts and overlock both of the side seams here too (we will be
creating open seams here, so you need to neaten the edges before sewing the side
seams together).

Step 7:

Once all of the side edges are over-locked, we are going to attach your front and
back shorts together.
This is the top edge of your shorts. You can see This is the side seam edge of the
here that the pocket lining and main pocket shorts. You can see here, the layer I So, lay out your back shorts in front of you with the right side facing you.
match up behind the rest of the shorts. am holding is the main shorts and the
Then place your front shorts on top of your back shorts with right sides facing. Pin
You need to match up the top edge of the pocket layers below are the pocket pieces.
together both side seams and the inside leg seam.
and pocket lining with the top edge of the
shorts. Make sure that your understitching
is facing slightly inwards towards the Sew your inside leg seam together first, making sure to match up your front and
There should be 3 layers of fabric along the top pocket and not poking out onto the back crotch seams. Then, move onto the side edges and sew both side edges
edge. right side of the shorts. together. Overlock your inside leg seam to neaten and press your side seams open
and your crotch seam towards the back of the shorts.

This is how your pocket should

look when it is correctly folded into
position.

The pocket lining should be hidden

behind the main shorts leg, and the
main pocket bag should form the
rest of the front shorts leg.

Place front shorts on top of back shorts Match up your front and back crotch
right sides together. Match up side edg- seams. Match up the raw edges of the
es and sew together. Press seam open. front and back inside leg seams and
Pin in place at the top edge and side seam. Then stitch these together at around 5mm (1/4”). sew together. Overlock this seam.
(This stitch will keep the pocket in it’s correct position while we work on the rest of the
shorts. We will use 5mm instead of the standard 1cm so the stitching won’t show when the
shorts are finished).

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 Step 8:
Now the shorts are all attached, we’re
going to move onto hemming the
shorts. First, make sure your shorts
are wrong side out. Starting with one
of the legs, turn up the hem of the
shorts by 1cm and press into place.
Repeat this for the other side.

Then, turn up both of the hems again by 3cm (1 1/8”) and pin in place. Sew both Step 10:
hems in place as close as you can to the edge.
Take your shorts and turn them so that they are right sides out. Then with one
of your waistband pieces turned wrong side out, slip the waistband over the top
of the shorts. Right sides of the shorts and waistband should now be together.
Make sure to match up your waistband seam with the centre back of the shorts,
and match that small notch you made in the previous step with the centre front of
shorts.

Turn up by 3cm Pin and stitch this in place the entire way around then press this seam up towards
(1 1/8”) and stitch the waistband and away from the shorts.
in place as close
as possible to the
top edge you just
turned up. Then
repeat for the
other leg.

Step 9:

The main body of the shorts is now complete and it’s time to move onto the
waistband! Firstly, make a small notch (a little snip in the fabric) on the fold of each
waistband piece. This will just help us to line up the centre of the waistband with
the centre front of the shorts later.

Then fold one of your waistband pieces so that right sides are together and the
short edges are matching. Stitch together at the short end, and press seam open.
Repeat for the other waistband piece. You should now have two loop pieces for
waistbands.

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 Step 11:
Front belt loops lined up
just next to where the
Now we need to sew up your belt loops and get them ready to be inserted into
pocket opening is
your waistband.

Start by taking one belt loop piece and with the wrong side of the fabric facing you,
fold the top edge down by 1cm. Press in place.

Then fold the piece lengthways with the wrong sides facing and press.

Open out and and fold each long edge into the centre, similar to the method of
creating bias tape, and press into place.
For the back belt loops, I like to match
Lastly, fold this in half lengthways again, so that all of your raw edges are enclosed, these up with where the front belt loops
and stitch down the full length as close as possible to the open edge. Repeat for all are and then I place my final belt loop at
4 other belt loops. the centre back, just next to the waist-
band seam (place is just off to the side
and not directly on the waistband seam
to avoid bulk).

Step 13:

Once all your belt loops are pinned in place, put aside for just a moment and take
your other waistband piece. With the wrong side facing you, fold one of the long
raw edges up by 1cm and press in place.

Step 12:

With the front of your shorts facing you and the right side out, we now need to
place your belt loops. You will be placing the raw edge of the belt loop to the raw
edge of the waistband. You will need to place the belt loops so that 1cm extends
past the waistbands raw edge (see photo on next page).

You can place your belt loops wherever you like, but here is where I place them as
standard. Start on the front of your shorts and line up your first belt loop just next
to where the pocket opening begins (see photo on next page). Then repeat this for
the other side and pin in place.
Turn up one of the long edges
by 1cm and press in place

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 Then take your shorts again and with the wrong side of the waistband facing you
and the right side of your shorts facing you, slip the waistband over the top of your
shorts and belt loops, matching up the raw edge (not folded edge) of your waist-
band piece with the other attached waistband piece, sandwiching the belt loop
in between the two layers. Stitch these two waistbands together the entire way
Step 15:
around, trapping the belt loops in the seam as you go.
Almost finished! With the right side of
the shorts facing you, we’re now going to
stitch those belt loops in place. Take each
belt loop and place the loose edge of the
belt loop onto the right side of the shorts.
Stitch each belt loop into place, following
the waistband seam you just sewed.

Step 16:
Step 14: Cut your elastic to size. To get your elastic measurement, refer back to the size
chart for the size you are making and cut your elastic 1.5” or 4cm smaller than the
Now, turn the folded edge of your waistband to the inside of the shorts and match
waist measurement. For example, if you are making a UK size 10, you will want to
the folded edge up to the waistband stitching. Making sure your belt loops are
cut your elastic to 26.5” or 67cm.
out of the way, pin in place the entire way around and then stitch in place as close
as you can to that folded edge. When you get towards the end, stop stitching
From the inside of your shorts, find the small gap that you left when sewing the
4-5cm/2” before your start point. We will be leaving a hole here to insert the elas-
waistband. Attach a safety pin to the end of your elastic and use the safety pin to
tic through later! TIP: Try and leave your gap before the back belt loop, as when we
feed the elastic through the channel in the waistband. Be careful not to twist your
sew the belt loops down in a second, you don’t want to accidentally sew your gap
elastic when you’re doing this and make sure you’re leaving a small amount of elas-
closed!
tic poking out the hole. You don’t want to thread it all through, otherwise you won’t
be able to attach the two ends!

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 Step 17:

Once you’ve threaded the elastic through, take both ends of the elastic, place one
on top of the other by about 2cm/1” and stitch together.

Give the waistband a few gentle tugs until the elastic is all enclosed within the
waistband again and then from the inside of the waistband, sew up the hole you
left to insert the elastic through.

That’s it! You’re done!

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