It was not until I used up the seersucker for my beach dress that I realized that some of my fabric is currently burdensome to me. I felt very good about using up that particular fabric, so I hunted out a few more pieces that were annoying me.
These shorts for my older daughter are squeezed out from the remnants of a cotton-linen blend I used to make my Christmas dress, 2 Christmases ago. There was not quite enough left for a straight skirt for me :(. I decided that I was unlikely to shrink in the near future. I have far too many remnants that are almost big enough to make something.
The pattern is BWOF 7-2009-113, which I noticed purely because I had the magazine open. They are quite smart shorts, and much longer than I thought they would be. I have made these exactly to the pattern length, and my daughter has long legs (lucky girl!). Unfortunately they did not fit terribly well. The waist is far too big for my daughter. This is my fault, because I did not make a toile, or remeasure her waist before starting the garment, and I have not made her anything fitted for a few months.
I unpicked the waistband at the front and added a pleat. A completely new contoured waistband would have been a better fix, but I had no more fabric. I also stitched a large satin stitch cross across the centre back and centre front of each cuff. This will hopefully prevent the rather soft fabric from unfolding itself in the middle with wear.
These are free shorts. I am considering them a trial version.
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I hope that my poking fun at Burda for having so many beach themed clothing issues was not offensive. I found it quite amusing, and was trying to be tongue in cheek about people in a temperate to cold climate needing so many hot weather clothes. Personally it is very useful for me that they publish patterns for summer clothes right though the year.
The German visitors at Noosa look perfectly appropriate in their black bikinis at the beach. However they do often look rather sunburnt at the restaurants in the evening (as do the 18 year old Australians who should know better). The sun is very strong here, which is why a beach cover up is a good idea. Australia reputedly has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. There is a drawback to having so many gorgeous beaches I suppose ;).
5 comments:
those are very cute shorts. I am looking forward to sewing shorts for myself when it warms up. It has been a very long time since shorts have been in style, and I miss them.
You crack me up with your commentary, including the speculation about German girls, bright colors, etc.
Very nice shorts and very nice legs! Oh to be young enough to pull off that kind of final length. (Actually I don't think I could have ever pulled off that kind of final length even when I was that young) Great use of fabric!
When I lived in Eastern Europe we went hiking in the mountains in the summer. Because of the altitude, my European friends used to say to me, 'now be careful of the sun, because you know, it can actually burn your skin.' They wouldn't believe me that for people in this part of the world that is a reality we live with every moment of the day.
The shorts are really cute - lucky girl. Sometimes pleats have their place in making a garment fit. I also like the fact that you're able to use and wear bright colours. Keep going with the fabric stash bust.
Good use of a small piece of stash fabric.
HI, I read your (really good) review on PR and came over here to make my comment. (I hope you didn't think my remark on lousy reviews the other week was directed at you, because it was not! I'm sorry if you thought it was...)
btw, I find leaving the sewing the centre back vertical seam til last to be a wonderful technique for solving the too-big waist problem that is happening here on your daughter. I have a sway back and often have the same problem. This is why I love that Burda patterns introduced to me this technique... It is so much easier to adjust for a sway back or other fitting issues when the centre back seam, including CB waistband seam is sewn in one straight seam, and can furthermore be adjusted again very easily down the track too. Most high end custom tailored menswear trousers are sewn in this way for this reason. So, if you were to sew the two (straight) waistbands separately onto the two back pieces, then try the almost-finished shorts on your daughter inside out, you could pin the centre back seam all the way up including the waist to fit her specific shape. You can even shape the waistband slightly at the same time, by sewing the waistband CB seam on the diagonal.
I'm not sure if I've been very clear here or terribly wordy and confusing... sorry if it's the latter.
The shorts are adorable, nonetheless!
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