Learn to Sew Boxer Briefs — A Tutorial with Ready-Made Patterns
A step-by-step tutorial for sewing boxer briefs from knit fabric using ready-made patterns (sizes 46, 48, 50, 52): assemble the fly, bind it with bias tape, join the double gusset to the front and back pieces, calculate and sew on the elastic waistband using four alignment marks, and hem the bottom edge.
IntermediateFreeTranslated
Things you will learn
- The boxer briefs are short, with no side seams or seat seam, and a double gusset; you can sew them without a serger or coverstitch machine — though you can use that equipment too if you have it.
- The recommended fabric is a medium-stretch knit with minimal synthetic fiber content; the waistband is made from elastic tape; fabric needed is 0.4-0.5 m at a width of 1.4-1.5 m.
- The patterns are given for sizes 46, 48, 50, and 52, with 7 mm seam allowances and a 2 cm hem allowance at the bottom; print them at the correct scale.
- The author recommends needles for super-stretch fabrics and strong thread; the fly's lining is made from a solid-color stretch knit.
- The elastic's length is your waist circumference minus 10-15%, plus 2 cm for seam allowance; its fit is set using four alignment marks on both the elastic and the boxer briefs.
What you'll get
You'll get short men's boxer briefs with no side seams or seat seam, a double gusset, a bias-bound fly, and an elastic waistband.
Materials and tools
Materials
- Medium-stretch knit fabric, with minimal synthetic fiber content; 0.4-0.5 m needed at a width of 1.4-1.5 m
- Solid-color stretch knit for the fly lining, used to line the fly pieces
- Elastic tape for the waistband, length is calculated as waist circumference minus 10-15%, plus 2 cm for seam allowance
- Strips of solid-color fabric for binding, two strips 2.5 cm by 30 cm, used to bind the fly's seams
Tools
- Sewing machine with a stretch stitch, needed for all the seams; a serger and coverstitch machine aren't required, but work well if you have them
- Needles for super-stretch fabrics and strong thread, recommended by the tutorial's author for working with knit fabric
- Pins and thread for basting, needed to baste the elastic and the binding in place before the final stitching
Files and resources
- Original tutorial by Polina on Instagram This tutorial's author is Polina; the link goes to her original post.
Preparation
Print and prepare the pattern
Print the pattern at the correct scale — it's drafted for sizes 46, 48, 50, and 52. It already includes 7 mm seam allowances and a 2 cm hem allowance at the bottom.
Prepare your fabric and materials
Choose a medium-stretch knit fabric with minimal synthetic fiber content, a solid-color stretch knit for the fly lining, elastic tape for the waistband, and needles for super-stretch fabrics.
Assemble the fly
The fly is assembled from the main fabric and lining, then joined to the front piece.
Fold and sew the fly pieces
Fold the fly pieces — cut from the main fabric and the lining — in half with the wrong sides facing out, and sew. Press the seam allowances open.
Join the fly to the front piece
Fold the two fly pieces with the wrong sides facing in and pin. Then fold the fly together with the front piece, seam side out, and pin along both sides. Sew along both sides.
Bind the fly with bias tape
The fly's attachment seams are bound with strips of fabric — the binding.
Pin the binding strips in place
Cut two solid-color strips 2.5 cm by 30 cm. Pin the strips onto the right side of the front piece, over the fly's attachment seams — first on one side, then the other.
Stitch and trim the seam allowance
Sew right along the seamline and press. To reduce bulk, trim the fly's seam allowance down to 2 mm.
Fold and topstitch the binding
Fold the binding over the seam allowance, baste, and press. Topstitch first from the front piece's side, then from the fly's side, sewing the binding onto the front piece.
Join the double gusset to the front and back pieces
The double gusset is made from an outer and an inner piece, and it extends the boxer briefs' lifespan.
Pin the outer gusset to the back piece
Pin the outer gusset piece and the back piece together, right sides facing each other.
Pin the inner gusset to the back piece
Pin the inner gusset piece right side to the wrong side of the back piece. Boxer briefs with a double gusset last much longer. Sew the pieces together.
Roll up the boxer briefs and join the front piece
Roll up the boxer briefs and position the inner gusset right side to the wrong side of the front piece, and the outer gusset right side to right side of the front piece. Pin with needles and sew. Trim away the excess seam allowance, and turn right side out.
Calculate and sew on the waistband
The elastic's length is calculated from the waist circumference, and its fit is set using four alignment marks.
Calculate the elastic's length
Measure your waist circumference along the top edge and subtract 10-15% from it. The result is the length of elastic you need. Add 2 cm for seam allowance.
Sew the elastic into a ring
Sew the elastic into a ring. Open the seam allowances of that join in opposite directions and topstitch along the edges with a small zigzag stitch.
Mark the elastic and boxer briefs into four sections
To get an even fit for the elastic, divide its entire length, as well as the length of the boxer briefs' top edge, into four equal sections and mark them. Pin the elastic to the main piece at the marked points, accounting for the seam allowance width. Baste the elastic in place.
Sew on the elastic
Set your machine to a stitch for elastic fabrics and sew on the elastic, staying 1 mm in from its edge. Remove the basting.
Hem the bottom edge and finish up
The final stage is hemming the bottom edge and a final press.
Hem the bottom edge
Fold the 2 cm hem allowance to the wrong side, pin it in place with needles, and press so it doesn't curl. Sew with the same stretch stitch.
Give the finished boxer briefs a final press
To finish, press the finished boxer briefs one more time.
Finish and variations
Finish
Wear your finished boxer briefs
The finished boxer briefs, with their double gusset, will last longer thanks to the extra layer of fabric at the seat seam.
Variations
Using a serger and coverstitch machine
If you have a serger and a coverstitch machine, you can use them instead of a regular sewing machine — the tutorial's author allows for this.
