Wool Jersey Gym Shorts - Free Pattern

These are a great pair of shorts. I'm so happy with the results that I plan on making more. Thanks to the kind and gentle folks at Purl Bee! I made these out of an old wool jersey skirt that I ended up wearing only once. The fabric is actually preshrunk, so I should be able to wash these in cold water, and line dry it.

The wool skirt was one of those early sewing projects where I bit off more than I could chew. The trim was made from the leftover fabric from my love-hate chambray wool and cotton skirt (a handsewn piece from 2012). I guess you could call this an upcycle project.

Side view of the shorts.

Selfie of my shorts.

There are only two pieces to the pattern, and it comes in four sizes. The waistband was measured out according to the instructions. Since I used a wool jersey, it stretched more than the recommended waistband size. I suggest measuring for more if you decide to use a similar fabric. This project was so easy, I only needed to read the instructions once. This could easily be a two-hour project if you have ready-made bias tape. The only thing that could make these better would be pockets.

I don't think I ever wrote about this jersey wool skirt I made three years ago. But here it is right before I unripped it for the gym shorts. It was originally a Donna Karan skirt, I turned into a asymmetrical Japanese-esque wrap skirt. My mistake at the time was thinking I could tackle a Donna Karan Vogue pattern so early into my re-entry into sewing. I know now after countless DK patterns, that I needed more sewing notches under my belt first.

I might have enough for a matching wool jersey tank. Did you know that wool jersey is great for layering? It's lighter and less bulky than fleece or regular sweatshirt knits. But just as soft and cuddly.

You can get the free City Gym Shorts pattern HERE.  Purl Bee has two versions, one made from cotton, and a second pair made from wool. Either way, they use the same pattern. They have a kit you can buy too. But I have plenty in my stash and closet for these shorts. The shorts don't require a lot of fabric, so an upcycle is pretty darn perfect for it too. Happy sewing!!!