Light as air and oh so charming, the Jade Shirred Shorts Set is cool enough to wear all summer long. Made with soft double cotton gauze from Mood’s Talamanca collection (with over 30 different colors to choose from!), this set feels like a cloud against your skin while still offering enough coverage and structure to wear with confidence. Whether you’re lounging at home, heading to the beach, or running errands on a warm afternoon, the Jade Set is as versatile as it is adorable.
Designed with simplicity in mind, this beginner-friendly pattern comes together with surprisingly few pieces. The top consists of just three pattern pieces, while the shorts require only two. With only a few yards of fabric, thread, elastic thread, and an elastic waistband, you’ll have everything you need to create this sweet matching set.
The construction itself is straightforward, but the real magic happens during the shirring process. While it takes a bit of patience and time, the beautifully textured fabric is well worth the effort. Watching the garment transform with each row of shirring is incredibly rewarding, and the finished result looks far more intricate than the pattern pieces would suggest.
Featuring soft ruffles, a relaxed fit, and endless styling possibilities, the Jade Shirred Shorts Set can be worn as cozy pajamas, a breezy swimsuit cover-up, or an everyday summer outfit all on its own. Easy to sew, easy to wear, and easy on the eyes, the Jade Set is sure to become a warm-weather favorite in your handmade wardrobe.
Essential Materials & Sizing Guide for the Jade Shirred Shorts Set
Continue reading for a breakdown of what knowledge and materials you need for creating your very own shirred shorts set! We’ve got you covered with the recommended materials we used—if you want to follow along exactly—as well as a curated list of alternative fabric type recommendations if you want to customize your own version. The Jade Shirred Shorts Set free sewing pattern download includes technical drawings for seam and shirred shorts set visibility, plus a size chart to help you find your perfect fit!
Purchase Products Used Below:
Quantities indicated are for sewing a size small shirred shorts set. Toggle the ‘SHOP THIS LOOK’ box to find quantity estimates for other sizes.
- 3 yards of Double Cotton Gauze – Mint – Talamanca Collection
- 6 each of Gutermann Elastic Thread 10m – 5019 White
- 2 each of Gutermann Sew All Thread 100m – 725 Lima Bean
- 1 yard of 0.5 inch White Elastic
- MDF538 – Jade Shirred Shorts Set Sewing Pattern (Free download below!
Additional Products Used:
*Quick Tip! The ‘SHOP THIS LOOK’ box defaults to full-yard quantities. To order an exact half-yard quantity for any fabric, simply use the decrease quantity button (-) to subtract by the half yard. Then click “ADD TO CART” to add all materials to your cart. (Our system can only display full-yard quantities initially.)
Alternative Fabric Type Recommendations:
The Jade Shirred Shorts Set sewing pattern is best suited for lightweight (or even featherweight!) fashion fabrics. Explore other fabric types or colors from our featured collections for your shirred shorts set with the links below.
Download Your Free Sewing Pattern
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© MoodFabrics.com / MoodSewciety.com – Mass production, resale, or distribution of this pattern in any form is strictly prohibited.
Find Your Perfect Fit
The Jade Shirred Shorts Set Sizing Guide is based on the suggested design & wearing ease for this style. You can also choose the size according to your desired finished garment measurements, blending between sizes as needed. Measure the printed patterns to make sure the dimensions are according to the desired fitting and adjust if needed before cutting the fabric. For best results, sew a test garment in a similar fabric to adjust your pattern.
Note: Always read all the instructions before cutting the fabric!
How to Sew The Jade Shirred Shorts Set
The instructions provided below are designed to guide you through sewing the Jade Shirred Shorts Set from start to finish.
3 Tips for Sewing with Double Cotton Gauze
⇒ You might want to make a muslin draft of this set before sewing if you’ve never used cotton gauze or tried shirring before. Since the cotton gauze is so thin and the shirring can sometimes be rough on the fabric, this is a project where you will be prone to accidentally stabbing or ripping holes into your fabric if you’re not careful.
⇒ Change your sewing machine needle out for a super skinny microtex needle before starting this project to avoid thread pulls in your fabric.
⇒ A serger is recommended for finishing the raw edges of this garment since they fray so much, but if you don’t have one, you can make a tiny ⅛ inch rolled hem on all the raw edges for a similarly delicate finish.
Pattern Pieces & Fabric Cuts Needed
- (A) FRONT
- Fabric – Cut 1 on Fold
- (B) BACK
- Fabric – Cut 1 on Fold
- (C) SLEEVES
- Fabric – Cut 2 Mirrored
- (D) SHORTS FRONT
- Fabric – Cut 2 Mirrored
- (E) SHORTS BACK
- Fabric – Cut 2 Mirrored
Sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance for all seams unless otherwise specified.
Step 1
SHOULDER SEAMS
- Snip notches at the side seams and armscyes of the top along both sides (left and right, front and back) according to the line placement on the shirring instructions below.
- After snipping notches, place the front shirt piece right sides together on the back shirt piece with the shoulders lined up.
- Pin and sew the front and back top pieces together at the shoulders.
- Serge the raw edges of the seam allowance.
Step 2
SLEEVES
- Pin the sleeve caps right sides together with the armscyes of the top, making sure that the fronts of the sleeves are lined up with the front of the top.
- Sew along the pins.
- Serge the seam allowance of the sleeves.
Step 3
SHORTS SIDE SEAMS
- Mark 6 evenly spaced notches along the sides (hem to waist) of the shorts pieces.
- Place the shorts fronts right sides together on top of the shorts backs with the sides lined up.
- Pin and sew the side seams of the shorts.
- Serge the seam allowance of the shorts side seams.
Step 4
SHIRRING SHORTS
- Take the end of your spool of elastic thread and begin wrapping it around an empty bobbin. You should hold the elastic thread under some tension when spinning it around the bobbin, but don’t pull it as tight as it can be pulled.
- Make several bobbins with elastic thread spun around them. You’ll need at least 10 or 12 of them.
- Make a very light chalk line connecting the notches on the front and back crotch seams of the shorts. Those are the guidelines for your shirring lines.
- Line up your needle ⅛ inch above the first chalk line.
- Sew from the front crotch seam to the back crotch seam, pulling the fabric taut as it goes through the sewing machine.
- Line up your needle ⅛ inch below the first chalk line.
- Sew from the front crotch seam to the back crotch seam, pulling the fabric taut as it goes through the sewing machine.
- Repeat this shirring process above and below each light chalk line along both sides of the shorts, making sure your final result looks like the photos below.
- Press the shirring with a steamy iron to hold the elastic thread in place and get the fabric to lay more nicely.
Step 5
SHORTS CROTCH SEAMS
- Place the shirred shorts pieces right sides together with the front and back crotch seams lined up.
- Pin and sew the front and back crotch seams together.
- Serge the seam allowances of the crotch seams.
Step 6
SHORTS INSEAMS
- Line up the front and back crotch seams.
- Pin and sew the inseam of the shorts.
- Serge the raw edges of the inseam seam allowance.
Step 7
WAISTBAND
- Press a 1/4 inch fold into the waistline of the shorts.
- Sew the fold down.
- Press a ½ inch fold into the folded edge of the waistline.
- Topstitch the second fold into place with a ⅜ inch seam allowance except for a small gap through which you can feed your elastic.
- Cut a piece of elastic that is long enough to fit at your natural waist snugly.
- Feed that elastic through the tunnel at the waistline of the shorts using a safety pin.
- When the elastic gets to the other side of the tunnel opening, sew the two ends of elastic together.
- Close the gap in the waistband with a straight stitch.
- Topstitch over the elastic, making sure it is pulled taut while sewing over it.
Step 8
SHORTS HEM
- Serge the hem of the shorts. If you don’t have a serger, make a double rolled ⅛ inch seam hem.
Step 9
TOP SHIRRING
- Make a very light chalk line connecting the notches on the side seams of the top. Those are the guidelines for your shirring lines.
- Line up your needle ⅛ inch above the first chalk line.
- Sew from one side seam to the other, pulling the fabric taut as it goes through the sewing machine.
- Line up your needle ⅛ inch below the first chalk line.
- Sew from one side seam to the other, pulling the fabric taut as it goes through the sewing machine.
- Repeat this shirring process above and below each light chalk line along the front and back of the shirt, making sure your final result looks like the photos below.
- Finally, sew two shirred lines right next to each other around the neckline of the top following the lines in the shirring instructions in step 1.
- Press the shirring with a steamy iron to hold the elastic thread in place and get the fabric to lay more nicely.
Step 10
SLEEVE SHIRRING
- Sew parallel shirring lines horizontally across the sleeves, making sure the pairs of lines are centered in between the pairs of lines on the front and back of the top.
Step 11
TOP SIDE SEAMS
- Fold the top at the shoulder seams with the front and back side seams of the shirt lined up.
- Pin and sew the side seams and sleeve inseams.
- Serge the seam allowance of the side seams and sleeve inseams.
Step 12
TOP HEMS
- Serge the raw edges of the sleeves, the neckline, and the shirt hem. Make sure you chop off about ¼ inch of the fabric with the blade of the serger.
Sewing Success: The Finished Jade Shirred Shorts Set
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