It is technically still summer. Although the weather in Calgary seems to be having issues with it and summer is still loading. Hopefully. Either way, it’s the perfect time to turn your Jordan Pants into a pair of breezy pull-on shorts.
The wide-leg view (View B) of the Jordan pattern makes an excellent base for this hack. It has the same relaxed fit, same no-side-seam construction, same pockets. Just less pant.
1. Decide on your desired inseam. For these shorts, I wanted a 3" (7.5 cm) finished inseam. Since the pattern has ⅜” (1 cm) seam allowance, I measured 3⅜" (8.6 cm) down from the crotch seam on both the front and back inseams. Make a mark on each side indicating the finished hem line.
2. Draw a straight line connecting the two marks. This can be tricky on a wide pattern piece like the Jordan pants leg. If you have a tailor’s ruler, aka a yardstick, use it. If not, fold the paper at each mark and create a straight crease connecting them. Use the crease as your guide. You can also just eyeball it!
The front and back crotch aren’t on the same level for the Jordan pattern (the front is slightly higher), so your hem line won’t be perfectly perpendicular to the grainline. And that’s totally fine.
3. Add a 1½" (3.8 cm) hem allowance. At the side seams, extend the hem line slightly and add angled hem extensions. If you want to be extra precise, these extensions should mirror the shape of the inseam just above the hemline.
If you want, you can slightly curve the hemline instead of leaving it straight, but that is not necessary, as the fabric will curve naturally when you are hemming it.
The sewing steps are exactly the same as View B of the Jordan Pants. For this pair, I used an interlock knit. It’s a bit lighter than the 300+ gsm weight recommended in the pattern, but still has enough structure, and honestly, the shorts turned out beautifully. I’m even testing the same fabric in a full-length pair now to see if I can get a lighter summer version without sacrificing too much of the original look.
And that’s it! You’ve got yourself a new pair of go-to sweat shorts. Perfect for walking the dog, chasing the kids, or pretending jeans don’t exist. It’s summer after all.
- Anya