A Garment A Week – Week 8 – 26/02/2016

Lily noticed my shorts when gardening last week and mentioned that she wanted some like them. Of course my first thought is – “I wonder how hard they would be to replicate?”

I took a rough pattern from my shorts, graded it down and made a sample from scrap fabric. We adjusted the pattern to fit her figure, mainly lifting the front at the top, making them a higher waisted short, more flattering for Lily.

I added the same design features as my shorts, the tabs holding up the hem, belt-loops and pockets. I did have to hand stitch the button hole as I have no machines here that’ll sew them.
I think the stitching would have looked better if I’d used a thicker denim thread. Unfortunately I don’t have any in my – box of a million tangled spools of thread 🙂

I also added elastic in the back of the waistband, which should have been a bit tighter, as they’re still a little too big. I think because the sample was non-stretch fabric and this denim has quite a bit of stretch. Maybe a couple of tucks in the sides to help them stay up for now! lol It was difficult to fit them as I was sewing, due to Lily being at school when I had the time to work on them.

Lily has been wearing them all day, hopefully that means they have her seal of approval!

Update – 12/04/2016 – I added two little darts in the waistband at the sides and they fit a lot better.  I stitched the elastic into the waistband as I was sewing it so it was a lot of work to take it out and re-do it.  At least this way too, as she grows, we can easily let them back out!  We have also had to re-stitch on the button but the button hole is still good.  These shorts have had heaps of wear and are washing up well too.