School reports (or shorts to the layperson!)

I have created some fabulous projects recently (blows own trumpet): A mother-of-the-bride dress for me, an original and self-drafted dress design for a new customer and a tiered dress that I helped a friend to realise from some fabulous sketches she’d made. But before you get too excited, those posts are very much waiting on the back burner of the publishing pile until I can get hands on the photographic evidence.

In the meantime I have a small and rather underwhelming pair of shorts to report. Or ‘school reports’ as the cheeky cockney mister would have them called!

wearing handmade in Quadrophenia Alley
Classy shot in Quadrophenia Alley, Brighton!

This is third time out the packet for Simplicity 2659. Such a great little pattern that came free with Sew Magazine a good few years ago. I made my first ever pair (see here) in May 2012 where I declared it a small baby step towards the making of actual long pants / trousers. And I followed up with a second more wintry pair here. Simplicity 2659 easy chic Six years on I still haven’t made any ‘longs’ for me but I did make a couple of pairs of satin brocade jogging pants for my youngest so I guess that counts… in a toddler step kinda way. I’m itching to try drafting a proper pair for myself as I’m convinced its the only way to get a proper fitting pair. Just got to find some time… and the courage!

handmade shorts simplicity
Even classier shot, in Brighton, day after Pride!

The only thing different I did in the making of the shorts this time was to invest in a facing rather than use this twill tape to finish the waistline. Twill tape worked great for the last two versions. It certainly is a quick and unfussy operation but I didn’t have any left and couldn’t even wait the single day for a Prime delivery! So I measured 7cm down from the waist of both the front and back sections and traced off the top portion of the pattern. I then closed up the darts to form facing pieces, cut the pieces and sewed the right hand side seam and pressed open. The zipper is on the left and so the left hand side of the facing was going to be slip-stitched to the zipper tape. With right sides together I sewed the facing to the waist seam of the shorts. I understitched that seam allowance to the facing, close to the line of stitching to prevent it rolling out and also tacked the facing to the front and side seams.

Talking zipper – I hand sewed it in this time. Just because I had a spare mo and also because I had the inclination. I like the little visible little prick stitches and it feels like I have more control over the insertion. I always seem to miss catching in the underlap of the overlap when I sew by machine. If you know what I mean?! I finished off with a hook and eye at the top. lapped zipper I just love the turn ups. In fact I get a little moment of joy from sewing the bias strips onto the hemline. It’s like they bring the party to an otherwise ridiculously small and simple garment. And of course because they are cut on the bias there is a contrast in the direction of the fabric pattern. In this case the diagonals meet the vertical lines in the fabric. I can’t explain why this makes me so happy. It just does! You might have to imagine what they actually look like as it appears that it’s harder to shoot a pair of black shorts than actually make them! simplicity 2659 shorts And I finished them up just in time for a little day trip to Brighton. This weather is still  up until Sunday was sweltering in the UK and I’ve decided that minimal coverage of body is the only way forward! Ordinarily I’m a little bit shy about too much naked leg on display but in Brighty, anything goes and nobody bats an eyelid so I was happy as Larry paddling in the sea…. simplicity 2659 shorts … and sitting astride a scooter, care of Mod Roy! But boy did I feel like a traitor. My dad was a rocker after all! (Spot the guy who seriously wanted to feature on ooobop!) With Mr O on Modroys scooter Incidentally. The top I am wearing is handmade too. The pattern I used is Butterick B4685 . I made it from some fake linen border print fabric along with a matching skirt and blogged it here.

3 Replies to “School reports (or shorts to the layperson!)”

  1. I think “happy as Larry” is such a funny expression. Its gotta be a Brit slang thing I’ve never hear it before. I only know about the rhyming slang because I am a voracious reader. I wonder what your other American readers thought?

    1. Thanks for commenting Connie. And for the prompt to look up the origination! I never really thought about it before. I hear it so often… it’s just a thing! Apparently, according to the Metro Uk, Larry was Larry Foley, an undefeated Australian middleweight boxer in the 1890s who won large fight garnering prize money of $150,000 dollars. A New Zealand paper celebrated his win went with headline ‘Happy as Larry’ and the phrase stuck. So maybe not a Brit thing after all!

  2. Hooray! *forms conga line and pours champagne* I seriously believe that the day a sewist realises that a hand picked zip is the BEST idea, they’ve hit some kind of zen zone of fabulousness!
    I love hand sewn details, I love the being so up close and in cotrol of my projects. like making a beautifully iced cake instead of two minute noodles. Or somethin’.
    Welcome to the Hand Picked Zip club <3

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