A matching set is a woven top and a pair of pull-on shorts cut from the same fabric: a sleeveless or short-sleeved shell with a back keyhole, and elastic-waist shorts with in-seam pockets. Together they take about 2.5 m (2 3/4 yd) of 140 cm (55 in) wide linen, poplin or double gauze, a small button, a length of 3 cm (1 1/4 in) elastic and 5 to 7 hours over two sessions. Sew the shorts first: they are the easier piece and they warm you up for the top.
What do you need to sew a top and shorts set?
For the top:
- Front, cut on the fold, with bust darts.
- Back, cut as two halves, so the keyhole opening can sit at the center back seam.
- Front and back neck facings.
- Sleeves, short and straight, or two bias strips 3.5 cm (1 3/8 in) wide to bind the armholes of a sleeveless shell.
- Notions: 30 cm (1/3 yd) of lightweight fusible interfacing, one 1 cm (3/8 in) button, a 4 cm (1 5/8 in) thread or fabric loop.
For the shorts:
- Front leg and back leg, each cut as a mirrored pair, with the elastic casing folded over at the waist.
- Pocket bags, four.
- Notions: 3 cm (1 1/4 in) wide elastic, your waist measurement minus 3 cm (1 1/4 in), plus 2 cm (3/4 in) overlap.
| Piece | Fabric at 140 cm (55 in) wide |
|---|---|
| Hip-length top, short sleeves | 1.5 m (1 5/8 yd) |
| Mid-thigh shorts with pockets | 1 m (1 1/8 yd) |
| Both cut together | 2.3 to 2.5 m (2 1/2 to 2 3/4 yd) |
Cut together, the set uses less than the two amounts added up, because the facings, pocket bags and bias strips fit in the gaps around the big pieces. A directional print or a plaid to match takes the full 2.5 m and sometimes more.
Which fabric suits a matching set?
The same fabric has to work as a top against the skin and as shorts that sit and stretch, so a light to medium woven with a little body is the sweet spot. Linen and linen-cotton blends are the classic choice: cool, easy to press, and the slight crumple suits a casual set. Cotton poplin and seersucker are the easiest to cut and sew and hold a crisp shape. Double gauze is soft and airy and makes a lovely pyjama-like set, though it frays, so finish every seam. Viscose crepe drapes beautifully but slips when you cut, and the shorts benefit from a pocket bag in a firmer cotton.
Pre-wash the whole length once, before cutting, so both pieces have shrunk the same amount; wash and dry them together afterward and they will keep matching. Avoid a knit for this pattern pair: a jersey set is a different project, built from a T-shirt pattern.
How do you cut both pieces from one length?
- Fold the fabric selvedge to selvedge, right sides together, and smooth it flat.
- Place the shorts legs first, the largest pieces, with their grainlines parallel to the selvedge. The front and back legs can nest head to tail if the fabric has no direction.
- Place the top front on the fold, then the two back halves beside it.
- Fit the facings, pocket bags and sleeves into the spaces left. Bias strips go across a corner at 45°.
- On a print with an obvious top and bottom, keep every piece pointing the same way, even if it costs 20 cm of fabric.
The cutting layout and grainline guide shows how to check the grain on each piece before you cut. If you have a plaid or stripe, match the side seams of the shorts and the center front of the top to the same bar of the pattern; a mismatched stripe is more visible on a set than on either piece alone.
How do you sew the shorts?
- Pockets. Sew a pocket bag to each side seam edge of the front and back legs, 4 cm (1 5/8 in) below the waist, right sides together. Press the bags away from the leg.
- Side seams. Sew the front to the back at each side, pivoting around the pocket bag, then finish the allowances together and press toward the back.
- Inseams. Sew each leg's inseam and press open.
- Crotch seam. Turn one leg right side out, slip it inside the other with right sides together, match the inseams and sew the crotch curve from front waist to back waist. Sew the curve twice for strength.
- Casing. Finish the top edge, fold it down 4 cm (1 5/8 in), and stitch close to the edge leaving a 5 cm (2 in) gap at the back. Thread the elastic, overlap the ends by 2 cm, zigzag them, and close the gap. How to sew an elastic waistband casing covers the joining and how to stop the elastic rolling.
- Hems. Fold 1 cm then 2 cm (3/4 in) and stitch. Press.
The project post sew pyjama shorts in an hour walks through the same shorts at a slower pace if trousers construction is new to you.
How do you sew the top?
- Interface the facings and staystitch the neckline 1 cm from the edge.
- Sew the bust darts and press them down.
- Make the keyhole. Sew the center back seam from the hem up to 12 cm (4 3/4 in) below the neck, backstitch, and press the seam open, including the unsewn part, which becomes the keyhole. Baste the loop to the right side at the top of the left edge.
- Join the shoulders and press open.
- Attach the neck facing right sides together, continuing down both edges of the keyhole and pivoting at its base. Trim, clip the curve, turn, and understitch the facing so the neckline edge stays inside.
- Sew the side seams and finish the allowances.
- Sleeves or binding. Set in the short sleeves, easing the cap, or bind the armholes with the bias strips, folded over the raw edge and stitched.
- Hem with a 1 cm then 1.5 cm (5/8 in) fold, sew the button opposite the loop, and press.
How do you make the two pieces look like a set?
Use the same thread, the same hem depth and the same topstitching on both. If you topstitch the shorts hems at 1.5 cm, topstitch the top hem at 1.5 cm too. Keep the proportions in balance: a hip-length top pairs with short shorts, and a cropped or waist-length top with mid-thigh or Bermuda shorts, so the eye sees one long line and one short one rather than two boxes.
On a print, match the center front of the top to the center front of the shorts at the same motif if the repeat allows. A tie belt or a matching scrunchie from the scraps uses up the last 20 cm.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Cutting the top first and running short for the shorts. Lay out everything before you cut anything.
- Pre-washing only one length. If the top and shorts come from two cuts, wash both.
- A keyhole without a facing all the way around. The facing has to run down the keyhole edges, or they fray and stretch.
- Elastic cut to the waist. Cut it 3 cm shorter than your waist so the shorts stay up without squeezing.
- A fabric too light for the shorts. A voile that is perfect for the top shows every pocket bag through the shorts; use a firmer cotton for the bags.
Can Sewly draft the set for you?
Sewly drafts both pieces from the same measurements: the woven top pattern as a shell with a back keyhole, round neck, short or no sleeves and a hip length, and the pull-on shorts pattern with in-seam pockets and the elastic width you choose, each with its own fabric quantity for 110, 140 and 150 cm wide fabric and a cutting layout. Add the two quantities, then take off about 0.2 m when you lay them out together.