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Level of difficulty: confident beginner and intermediate

MATERIALS

Pattern Gerald Briefs and Long Johns for men and boys by Jalie

Fabric  Black and White Harbor Stripe Jersey knit by Robert Kaufmann

Elastic White 1" elastic

The "Gerald" pattern is straightforward and very practical. You can use it to sew stylish, comfortable, and matching briefs, swim trunks, or long johns for all the men in your life from the little guys to the older ones!

PREPARATION

• For this pattern you’ll need a serger or a basic sewing machine using a zig zag stitch
  
• Use good quality thread that has some stretch (e.g., polyester or silk covered cotton work well with knits)
• Select a light to medium weight sewing needle designed to work with knits, such as a size 11 ball point needle
  
• This pattern calls for a ¼” seam allowance
  
• Pick the size that corresponds to body measurements – natural waist, fullest part of hips, and inseam. Cut the pattern to desired size or trace it to another large piece of paper
• Pre-wash and shrink the fabric and elastic in hot water on a delicate cycle with mild detergent. Hang dry. To ensure a longer life, wash the finished long johns in lukewarm water on a delicate cycle with mild detergent and hang dry or use the delicate cycle on your clothes dryer at a low temperature.

HOW I MADE THESE

I used “View A” of Gerald for the long johns which has only three pieces. I laid out and then cut the leg and pouch pieces along the fold, matching stripes. I placed the pattern piece for the inseam panel below the leg. Transfer markings from the pattern on to the fabric with tailors chalk or washable pencil.

Because you cut on the fold, the long johns front and back are one large piece.

I then pinned the inseam panel to the long john front and back, matching the notches on the pattern, and then sewed them together with my serger.

I pinned and stitched the pouch to the inseam and long johns matching notches

Here’s how the pouch, inseam, and long john looked after sewing them together. Note how the bottom of the pouch is sewn to the middle-back portion of the long john piece.

After attaching the pouch to the long john and inseam I pinned and sewed the front and back legs together.

To create the waistband, I cut the elastic to size, pinned, and sewed the right side of the elastic to the right side of the fabric along the edge with my regular sewing machine using a zig zag stitch. As I sewed I tugged the elastic (but not the fabric) to add stretch. I turned over the elastic, exposing the finished waistband seam and fastened the bottom of the elastic to the long johns with a zig zag top stitch on the front of the long johns.

I finished this project by serging the bottom edges of each leg, folding it over about 1.5 inches and hemming with a zig zag stitch on my regular sewing machine using the default stitch length and width. 

Voilà!! (as they say in Quebec, which is where the Jalie pattern company is located) – a one-of-a-kind pair of cool long johns for my wonderful son! He can't wait for winter!