shorts – Page 2

July 5, 2013

ooobop! review: Burda Style July 2013

Just when you thought I’d forgotten all about you! So sorry for the really really late review. I’ve had this issue in my clutches for quite some time and I’m sure most of you have snapped one up and made up your entire summer wardrobe in the meantime. But for those faraway friends who always get the bum end of the deal when it comes to Burdas on shelves, this post is dedicated to you.

Celebrating Summer is the opening theme for July. So get your sunnies on because there is nothing shy or wallflower-like about these there garments.

Cotton, jersey and linen. Bold prints, floral and batiks… all a little bit hippy for me, to be honest, but for any beginners looking for some dramatic starter projects, a few of these could well be worth a punt.

The dress, bottom right corner, for instance is fashioned from a rectangle of fabric with single slit. You can just about see the diagram to the right of the dress. There are some nifty instructions to wear this dress in three genius ways with the help of a circular bangle. But, easy as it states, I haven’t quite got my head around it enough to explain, I’m afraid!

My hippy tendencies, however, do extend to love of tipi!

The next section gets a bit more versatile. The opening shorts and silk vest top with twisted straps brings a little sophistication to some interesting casual wear. Not sure what to make of the pink wool and leather-trimmed shirt dress (centre) with oversized bellow pockets. I already don’t like the puckering around the waist! But the cowl neck on the jersey satin top (centre right) is so classy as is the soft wool jacket (bottom left corner) with its silk trim and pocket flaps. Really interesting asymmetric closure too.

I wasn’t immediately bowled over by the retro pattern. But on closer inspection those shorts are really cute with their angled hip yoke pockets, waist pleats and turn-ups. I’d really like to give these a go before my holiday, if I get a chance. The T-shirt though a useful pattern to have, is a little boring really but far more intriguing is the use of fabric here. It’s made of striped raffia! Can’t imagine that’s a snuggly wear!

It lightens up somewhat with shimmering silks, floaty tulle and pearly sequins. My pick of the set is that silk batiste with ruffle appliqué jacket (bottom left corner). Short, boxy cut and properly unnecessary! Which is why I love it so much! I quite like the deep v-neck top (centre bottom) but I wouldn’t sew with that sequin fabric for all the silk in china!

Included in this section are some more of those genius wrap dresses. The top one shows another two ways to wear the one shown previously. Beach dress becomes evening dress with clever usage of a bangle!

The one below has two side slits and makes such a great beach dress. No bangle involved here, the fabric piece is simply draped around the body.

Some lovely lingerie patterns included in this issue. I’ve made a couple of pairs of pin-up pants but I really want to explore the world of undies in more detail. I’m tempted to rustle up a couple of slips too as a cheats way of avoiding a lining!

I love the French knickers and the camisole tops. And imagine how luxurious they would feel in silk crepe satin…

But hey. Guess what section tops it all off, once again? You guessed it!

Bolder, shapelier, sexier and far more likely to appear in my holiday suitcase. Check out that all-red stretch satin halter neck dress (top left corner). Sparkly rhinestones cover a small gathered section under the bust. Soooo flattering. Loving the red lace dress (next to the halter dress) with three-quarter length sleeves too. (I do like a red dress!) I’m not entirely sold on the use of asymmetric darts though. Looks to me like a mistake.

And wow! That purple cowl-neck dress (3rd column first row) sports a cowl to behold. Its made of a double layer of silk jersey, here. I anticipate a nightmare sewing scenario but if anyone wants to make this for me, I’d be happy to receive!

From the lack of reviews on this issue along with the odd very negative ones, I gather this hasn’t been the most popular. I have to admit, it took a few going-back-to’s to get a fair impression but as always, if there’s only one pattern that hits the mark it’s still so worth the cover price. So stick with it lovely sewists!

May 24, 2013

ooobop! review: Burda Style June 2013

Can you believe this is the summer edition of June 2013? I can’t. I’m wrapped in my fleecy blanky, fingerless gloves no less, shivering my butt off as I point blank refuse to turn the heating on. My toes are curled for no other reason other than I can’t uncurl them because they are frozen solid. Is this weather for real?

I really want to get excited about summer clothes, really I do. But I’m struggling. So if you hear a slightly less enthusiastic tone this month, please bear with!

First section up is… Summer Fashion… ha! “Keep looking stylish, even in the heat…” is the opening line of the first intro copy. Ha bloody ha! Rub it in why don’t ya!

Ok. I’m going to try. I actually do really like the hand finishing on the brown shift dress, bottom left (above). Its a great couture technique that I’m thinking of employing on a future wool crepe dress I have planned.

The shorts, centre, bottom row, are not dissimilar to the plaid shorts I made. These ones are made with stretch pique which sounds more comfy. I will defo give these a go as one of my gripes was the lack of facing with with Simplicity ones. I know I could probably draft one but hey, I don’t need to now! A bit difficult to see in the photo (top row, centre pic) but that t-shirt looks to be a good fit with side panels and neat little sleeves. Don’t have an overlocker as yet and I’m wincing at the thought of messy insides so I’ll just hang on a bit for that one until I win the lottery. Boy I can’t believe how much those overlockers are!

My dislikes are the pink pants, bottom right. I love this look on the right kind of body. I don’t have that kind of body, unfortunately so they won’t be appearing on my list anytime soon. As won’t that dress top left corner, funnily enough. I say funnily enough because at first glance it looks like a classy dress. Save the pompoms! But it’s not even the pompoms that are putting me off. I quite like them. Its more the “artfully laid little pleats” that appear on the right shoulder aligned with the left hip. Even from the photo I can see some annoying crosswise folds that would annoy the heck outa me!

So who doesn’t like lots of dots? That’s the theme for the next section:

I think I can safely say I like everything in this section save the long shorts, first column middle row. Just a bit unflattering and boyish for me. I love the shirt-dress top right, most of all. If Me-Made-May’13 has taught me anything it’s that I need more shirt dresses. I love how comfortable and stylish and edgy they can be. It’s not to do with cutting edge design. More clever choice of fabric that makes a great shirt dress. And I’d love to have one for every day of the week. This is quite a slim-fit one and it sure fits the bill as far as I’m concerned.

The shift dress, bottom right corner, has some great side panels that are piped. I still haven’t attempted piping but this would be a great opportunity to practice. It would also be a great chance to practise some colour blocking too. Employing some block colour in those panels would create a great slimming effect.

The cowl top with gathered sides (top left corner) is a firm fave too. Much more stylish to wear than a plain old T! And I love the yellow swinging full skirt. Perhaps not in yellow though. It’s got plenty inset godets on top of all the gathering. And a big bow at the waistband. Dead funky!

The next section is all about beach wedding/party dresses. I truly have goosebumps right now thinking about how the chiffons and georgettes might feel next to my skin, but there are some pretties…

The cowl neck dress, bottom left corner, is my favourite here. With its side gathers and simple shape I think it could be really flattering and perfect for a few evening cocktails on the beach. The dress, top right, is quite stunning and doesn’t look that difficult to construct but there is some yardage of crèpe satin going on here, so it’s not really for the ‘thrifties’ among us!

I don’t dislike the others. They all have their place. Apart from the strange diagonal pleated bodice dress, top left corner – same issues as that purple dress in the first section. Oh, and that one sleeve wonder dress bottom right corner. Not sure I could handle that!

So, swiftly we move on to ‘Surfer Girl’. Not me. Not any part of it. I have noted there are a lot of runners that sew. Or sewists that run! I wish I could say I was one of those. But I’m not so I will leave judgement in the hands of the “Sporty Spices” of the sewing blogger nation…

That said, the little jersey skirt in the centre, bottom row, could be a quick and easy casual make for holidays and weekends. The jacket is a bit 80s for me, mind!

The Mother & Daughter section is at the very least tweeee!

Would anyone ever consider dressing to match their daughter?

I quite like the dress, top centre. Though it looks a bit starchy in the batiste. I might be inclined to use something slightly drapier. I do really like the idea of printing on the fabric though. That would totally seal the uniqueness of the garments. You could really create some signature pieces with a clever use of design. I just made a skirt, similar to the star-print one, top right corner, but from an old vintage curtain. I love the deep waistband. I need to finish mine but I hope it looks as good as it does on this mummy!

The Plus Section gets as much attention, if not more this month:

I love how each of these designs incorporate clever structured detail to flatter the curviest of bods. Simple lines and crepe satin exude the elegance and the loose cut sleeves and empire waistline of that red dress, bottom left is simple yet stunning. But the one I like most is the red dress on the right. Cute standy up collar and dinky button loops on a fabulous yoke bodice add perfect detail to really versatile dress.

So what do you all think? Any faves? Any absolute disses?

I’m off up the wooden hill to Bedforshire right now. I’ve given up trying to keep warm. But I’m still thinking shirt dress. Perhaps in some rockabilly print that I have in a box somewhere. I’ll dream about it and see how it looks!

Night all. And thanks so much for keeping up with my ramblings x

September 9, 2012June 12, 2015

Last of the summer shorts

When I was a child, I remember that the end of the summer holidays was always marked with a change in the weather. Going back to school, following countless sunny days in the park, sporting a coat for the first time and being bemused by the blustery weather. Well something has gone awry this year but I am certainly not complaining. 29 degrees in September? That’ll do nicely!

I did have plans for something a little more exciting than a pair of shorts this weekend but who wants to be in when its so glorious outside? Not me! So a quick pair of shorts it was.

I have made these shorts before in a more wintry plaid, so I knew how quickly this pattern was to piece together. Just under 2 hours no less.

I have given myself a ban on fabric buying for a while. I have been so lucky to have inherited so much over the last year or so and I must start using it, or Mr. Ooobop! is going to have a meltdown! It is a little bit out of control to be honest. And to be fair, I haven’t scratched the surface with these shorts as a stash-busting project but hey, it all helps!

On the subject of stash busting, I honestly think it’s the part of sewing that hurts my head the most. I keep the fabric because I like it (obvs) and I know that one day it will be perfect for a project. But that project might take years to materialise. And in that time the stash just gets taller! I don’t want to pick any old fabric for one of my makes. It has to be right!

I really think that this fabric is right for these shorts. It is a poly cotton mix (I think) but of the sturdy kind. So those interfaced cuffs on the legs are sturdy indeed! Pretty design too. Gingham, which is always good, with little embroidered daisies. Not so good to iron though. I tried with a hot-ish iron and it turned one of the daisies pink! I guess that’s the ‘poly’ bit in the mix!

I made a lapped zipper… a bit more confidently and certainly more neatly this time round. Can you see it?!

Well I don’t think I will get many more days of shorts this year, though stranger things have happened, but I got a great deal of satisfaction in making and wearing these today. Plans for autumnal garments are starting to emerge. But I’ll wait ’til it cools down before I can start handling wool!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. x

May 13, 2012April 9, 2018

The 4-birds-with-one-stone plaid shorts!

A little bit of sunshine was all it took to inspire these shorts. Don’t panic! I’m not about to get those pasty pins out just yet! I much prefer to wear shorts as spring attire with a pair of 60 dernier tights and the trusty Docs! That photo will have to wait until I can grab Mr Ooobop! to work his photographic magic. In the meantime, I’m afraid we’ll have to make do with my boring pics.

The 4-birds-ness came about as follows:

After my recent pleasure working with and deciding to invest in better fabric (re the audition dress) I also made a conscious decision to wade into ‘stash mountain’ for practice projects and toiles rather than buy any more substandard material. This plaid/tartan fabric was quite a large piece left over from my vintage plaid dress. Its totally synthetic, I’m sure, but it was a good weight for these shorts and so minor stash bust #1 achieved!
I’ve been hearing the words ‘lapped zipper’ on other peoples blogs and in sewing mags quite a lot recently. And I figured it should be something I should know how to do by now. Since getting the hang of the ‘invisible one’ (after some practice, mind) I have kind of forgotten that there is any other way of inserting a zip. Of course I headed straight to YouTube as my first love of demos. I am far more receptive to watching someone demonstrate it for real! Turns out that this was the perfect kind of zipper for these shorts. I think I did it properly. Well, the zip goes up and down and the lapped bit covers the teeth so that’ll do me and will also tick the box of having mastered a new (for me) zip technique.
Plaid matching has always been a bit flooky for me, I have to say, and using this fabric on a small, uncomplicated project gave me the chance to practice matching up those seams. Both left and right side seams are as near as dammit and at least across the front and the butt the horizontal stripes line up. Shame I couldn’t do the maths on the side seam of the cuff. I have to say though, having the checks line up across the zipper had me doing a little dance round the ironing board!
And finally the fourth birdie was the mere fact that I have never made a pair of shorts before. This pattern is Simplicity 2659 and I’m pretty sure it came free with an issue of Sew magazine. I’m not sure I would ever make the dress. I can make my belly stick out without any extra help thank you very much, but the top could be cute and I’m sure the bolero would work with a classic dress! Anyhows, one baby step closer to making a pair of trousers but its defo a baby step I am very likely to repeat with some different fabric.

The cuffs of these shorts are my favourite addition. I love that they are separate and cut on the bias. I wasn’t expecting that as the turn ups on the sleeves I did for my wing collar blouse were technically a very deep hem, turned back on itself. The bias of any sort of checked/plaid/tartan fabric is fabulous against a straight grain of its own kind and I think it really looks neat. Finishes off the hem inside perfectly too.

I would say that I lost big points on the waist finishing. I have never finished a waist without facing or waistband before and this pattern called for the use of twill tape at the inner waist edge. Very simple to understand and to achieve but I really must remember to stitch from the top when I’m doing things like this. That way I will get a much neater and straighter line. It won’t get noticed, I know, as my children will be horrified if I start tucking my tops into shorts but I know I could have done better. I just find it very amusing, and everso slightly annoying, that a little bit of topstitching is my main cause for concern on this tiny project!

I highly recommend this shorts pattern for anyone wanting a little project to run up in an evening. I’m sure they would look great (on someone else) in a more summery linen or gingham… ooo gingham… imagine the cuffs!