It's hot here and has been for over a week...for the -last week I felt I really wanted to wear shorts. Skirts are great but not so good when I have spend lot of time on the floor playing. My favourite shorts are in the loft, don't ask, it's a long dull story...so there was some sewing serendipity and luck at play this weekend when the dark blue fabric sent to me last summer by
Jessica, met with a pattern that I nabbed in
Phillippa's giveaway. How great is that? It's a riposte to some friends of mine who dismissed sewing clothes as "too expensive" - these shorts cost only a couple of pounds to make if I account for the ric rac trim and elastic from my stash.
I had initially planned trousers from Jessica's fabric but then started looking at shorts a while ago. I loved the
Ruby shorts from Burdastyle . I know, I know, all the cool sewers made these several years ago....I never promise to be uptodate! But I felt a bit to old and tubby tummied to be able to wear them. When I saw Phillipa's
Simplicity 2258 pattern in her recent giveaway, I immediately asked for it and was very pleased when it arrived as it has good potential for adaptations. It also has a skirt and cropped trousers in the pattern. The knee length skirt appeals to me. So, here are some brief review type facts:
Size: UK 10 - cut out, no alterations
Fabric and notions: dark blue linen look sent by Jessica
red giant ric rac from stash and red buttons also gifted by Jessica
Time taken: Cut out on friday, sewed up on saturday, hemmed, buttons on and tabs sewn sunday morning
Worn: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday....can you guess how much they are filling a wardrobe gap in our current UK summer?
The pattern is only 5 pieces, including tabs for the hem and a nifty pocket lining/yoke piece which is folded after attaching to the pocket front to create a yoke and lining in one.
At first I was stumped, looking for a separate pocket lining piece...then the penny dropped as I re-read the instructions. Maybe I am too easily impressed but I thought this was a clever one piece pattern design and an idea I may copy in future.
I had the oversized red ric rac in my stash and used it on the pockets to add a bit of colour. I used vintage style red buttons on the tabs. You can't see here but the buttons have pretty flowers painted on them. As you can see I have had my little white legs out coated in factor 50!
A massive thank to Jessica and Phillipa...I am just loving my new shorts......if you don't read their lovely blogs you should check them out!
I had liked my blue shorts and kept wearing them, so a second pair seemed a good way to use up the last bits of the red denim. I used some stash floral cotton to make the pockets as I couldn't manage to squeeze pocket lining from the fabric.
I used the same red buttons that I used on my blue shorts. I really like the tab and button. It's the little details that make me like a piece of clothing.
