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If you’re looking for an easy, quick-turnaround project for summer swimwear, the Sewing Pattern Secrets Database of Patterns, Boy’s Board Shorts are ready to deliver — simple enough for confident beginners, and polished enough for intermediate sewists who want to master elastic and drawcord details.

This pattern is designed with comfort, practicality, and summer fun in mind. Whether it’s for the beach, pool, or backyard, these shorts will become a favorite.

🔧 BONUS AT THE END: How to Add a Liner for Full Swim Use

🧵 Fabric Considerations

Primary Fabrics:

• 100% Polyester Microfiber (lightweight, quick-drying)

• Polyester Boardshort Fabric (slightly thicker, structured)

• 100% Polyester Taffeta

• Nylon Blends

• Nylon Taffeta

👉 Choose fabrics that are lightweight, water-friendly, and easy to dry for summer wear.

🪡 Waistband & Drawcord Construction:

Elastic Waistband: Use 1.5” wide no-roll elastic (avoid craft elastic). Dritz is a trusted brand.

• Drawcord: 3/16” or 5mm cord — cut your waist measurement plus extra length for tying.

• For advanced sewists: you may modify for chlorine-resistant rubber waistband elastic, commonly used in swimwear and goggles. You will find chlorine-resistant options here at Riverside Fabrics.

• Or you can search for Porcelina White Rubber Swim Elastic in 1.5 Inches. (I could only find 5/16 inch.

• You may find more options in 1 inch, just reduce or adjust the waistband casing on the pattern to fit the smaller elastic. Don’t go any smaller than 3/4” waistband and be super sure to use a no roll or swim elastic.

Tropical Leaves Nylon‑Spandex Swim Fabric

• Supplier: The Fabric Fairy—well-known for quality swim fabrics

• Design: Tropical foliage print

• Price: ~$9.75/yd

• Polyester/spandex boardsport fabric—many of their swim prints offer UPF and chlorine resistance (check specifics in listings)

• Rinse thoroughly in cool, fresh water immediately after swimming.

• Avoid wringing or twisting the fabric.

• Lay flat or hang to dry away from direct sunlight.

• Avoid hot tubs when possible (hot water + chlorine speeds degradation).

⚠️ Sewing & Construction Tips:

• When stitching the drawcord channel, leave a small opening for threading the cord easily.

• Use a large safety pin to guide the drawcord through the channel.

• Slightly stretch the elastic while measuring to ensure a snug but comfortable fit.

• Use a zig-zag stitch on elastic seams to maintain stretch and flexibility.

• If modifying waistband width, double-check your casing dimensions before stitching.

🎯 This is a One-Day Project You’ll Actually Finish.

With simple seams, an easy elastic waistband, and roomy pockets, this pattern is as satisfying to sew as it is to wear.

Whether for the beach, the pool, or even backyard sprinklers — these shorts hold up to real summer wear.

🔥 Download Your Boy’s Board Shorts Pattern Now
A fast and fun addition to your SPS Database Library.

🎯 Click here to log in and download »

✅ Want help choosing the right fabric?
Check out our Fabric Whisperer series in Beta in Design Secrets Course and Community and start learning the secrets of fabric today.

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🧵 Got questions while sewing?
Send us an email at [email protected] using this format:

Subject Line: Re: Boy’s Board Shorts
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While our Boy’s Board Shorts can absolutely be worn in or out of the water, if you’re planning to use them strictly as swim trunks, you may want to add a liner for additional comfort, hygiene, and support.

1️⃣ Why Add a Liner?

• Support and Privacy: Especially helpful for swimming, surfing, or water sports.

• Hygiene: Liners can help minimize bacteria retention in saltwater or pools.

2️⃣ Options: Liner or No Liner

• Many boardshorts are sold without built-in liners.

• Adding your own liner is a simple upgrade depending on your preference & intended use.

3️⃣ DIY Liner Creation and Installation

• Materials: Soft Athletic mesh or swimwear liner fabric.

• Step 1: Use your pattern to cut the lining pieces using the legs part only, not the waist band piece, if there is one.

• Step 2: Cut your soft mesh-like liner fabric to fit—mimicking the front and back panels, but a bit shorter. Reinforce with straight stitches the raw edge of the top of the pattern pieces for strength. Later this will be joined either in side the waist band seam edge, or topstitched directly underneath the existing waist band seam if the board shorts garment is already sewn.

• Step 3: Sew/Attach front and back of the liner at the side seams. Then the crotch.

• Step 4: With the soft mesh-like liner fabric, do a gathering stitch and pull to gather the leg opening edges very lightly, measure/fit/try it on the person’s legs for comfort, pin and hem the leg openings with a double folded hem. This will provide a privacy measure.

• Step 3: Before or After you Complete the Boardshorts without the liner: Position the liner inside the shorts, aligning and tacking to the waist and the top of side seams. (Don’t attach this to the crotch or the full length of the side seams. This is not meant to be a full lining.

• Step 4: Securely sew the liner to the waistband.

• Step 5: Use a stretch stitch or zig-zag to maintain comfort and mobility.

4️⃣ Additional Liner Tips

• Mesh Liners: Lightweight & breathable, but not ideal for all activities.

• Chafing Considerations: No liner = potential chafing during long or active wear.

• Hygiene Note: Liner-free shorts may retain water/bacteria longer in saltwater environments.

👉 If you're using your Board Shorts as everyday play shorts, no liner is needed.
👉 If you're sewing them strictly as swimwear, adding a liner is highly recommended for longer wear.

Father Day Sews (SPS Database and 5 Free Members can Download AnyTime)

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🧵 Quick Heads-Up on Instructions! 🎉

After 155+ patterns with step-by-step directions (🫣 yep, the kind that practically walks you through EVERYTHING EXCEPT using the machine), we realized many of you are ready for more freedom—and faster sewing! 🙌

These newer instructions are designed for confident sewists who don’t need hand-holding on the basics. ✂️ BUT—if you’re still learning, don’t worry! We’ve got over 80 beginner-friendly patterns AND helpful videos to guide you. 📽️💡

Best part? Streamlining helps us keep YOUR price low—even while the cost of custom drawings goes up-up-up. 📈💸

So whether you’re a newbie or a ninja sewist, you’re in good hands. Let’s sew! 🧷💃

But now we’re moving forward with a smart new way to give you new monthly patterns, faster, without raising your price.

.

And now—drumroll please NEWLY LAUNCHED ON SEWING PATTERN SECRET DATABASE…

🎉 The Career Capris (sizes 6–24X)

This is the first pattern to launch with our new format, and it’s a big deal.

Here’s what you’ll get:

• A clear Features Diagram

• PDFS as usual for Patterns and Instructions, just with a different look.

• A Condensed Step List to guide you efficiently (shown below)

• Cross-linked video tutorials from your membership library

It’s the beginning of something better:
More quality. More volume. More savings.

And it starts this week.

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✅ If you’re a Sewing Pattern Secrets member, log in and start sewing! This one is already waiting for you inside the database.

🚀 If you haven’t grabbed the database yet, now’s the time.

Right now, you can still get lifetime access to 155+ curated patterns, video tutorials, ebooks, and planners for just $67.

Warmly,

Margie Vaudreuil
Founder, Sewing Pattern Secrets LLC

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