Pattern: Made For Mermaids Mila Shorts

Date Started: 01/02/21

Date Finished: 01/02/21

My Measurements at the time: waist 32.5” and hip 46.5”; pants waist 39.5” (now: waist 31, hip 45)

Size Sewn: Waist green and Hip yellow

Alterations: 1/2” butt curve scooped out (common for me). I sewed the faced waist option and added 33” of 1/4” elastic to the top of the faced waist; I really love this option. Having the 1/4” elastic in the waist keeps these shorts up all day long but is soft enough that it doesn’t aggravate my stomach.

Fabric: Double Brushed Knit Prints Floral Navy Blue/Red/Pink/Orange/White, purchased 06/17/20 from fabric.com for $5.38/yard so $4.04 total for the shorts.

Thoughts: I love these shorts!!! They fit amazing. They feel amazing. They are super comfortable. I lived in these after my surgery and wish I had made 6 more pairs to get me through a week of them. I love them and will definitely make more. I can’t wait to try the pants option too! (since I lost 35lbs since I made these, they are loose on me now. I will have to size down and make more! Blue shirt is now, Gray shirt is before). These are very, very similar to the new Jalie Sylvie pants pattern. (spoiler: I absolutely LOVE that pattern).

Pattern: Patterns for Pirates Palazzo Pants

Sewn before: green/black plaid shorts in 2017, teal shorts in 2017, and black shorts in 2017

Date Sewn: 02/21/2020

Size Sewn: Size L at the waist to XL hips down.

Alterations: I scooped out 1/2” from the back butt curve

Fabric: a navy liverpool knit I bought forever ago at the Hancocks going out of business sale July 2016. I got this for 75 cents a yard!!! I bought all the 6 yards they had. Its a fun fabric, soft on the inside, sort of squishy and plush but not hot to wear.

Thoughts: LOVE these pants! Love this pattern. It sews fast. It feels great to wear them. They are all about comfort and that is me for sure. If I had to change one thing its that the yoga waistband gets looser as the day goes on so I am constantly pulling up my pants. I usually add elastic in my bands to hold them up.

Pattern: Patterns For Pirates Pegleg Shorts

Sewn before: Green plaid in 2017, Plain Pink in 2017, Plain Black in 2015

Date Sewn: 06/08/2017 yes, 2017. I have never gotten around to blogging these.

Size Sewn: Low rise 1X size with side panels and phone pocket

Alterations: I lowered the butt curve 1/2” I need to make the waist smaller and lower the crotch curve in front next time.

Fabric: a slippery purple almost swim like poly spandex. It swishes when I walk

Thoughts: I’ve sewn peglegs a few times and I liked them (But I don’t really wear them anymore because my size has changed and I have found other patterns I like better– ottobre, and sew a little seam). These shorts I thought were good in idea. I like the length and the pocket options. I like them off my body. When I wear them the fabric is the issue. The fabric is uncomfortable and a weird form of slippery but scratchy at the same time. It swishes when I walk and I can’t handle that noise. I never wore these shorts after they were made. I have used them the last 4 years as a cover on my cable box at night to block the awful clock light on it. They would probably be great shorts in a different fabric and I may try again someday. This pair ended up a wadder unfortunately. bad fabric choice.

Pattern: Patterns For Pirates Mama Joggers as shorts

Date Sewn: 06/03/2017 another make that never made it to the blog, but is now

Size Sewn: M waist, XL hip, XXL Thigh – I sewed low rise, slat pockets options

Alterations: lowered the butt curve 1/2”

Thoughts: Well, I made them in 2017, and they were never blogged and never worn. I didn’t even finish hemming them. My notes say that I need less hip curve and more waistband length. Honestly I think this was a case of poor fabric choice for this pattern. The fabric is a coral cotton lycra that is pretty heavyweight and doesn’t stretch as far as normal C/L. It squishes and compresses instead of being comfortable. If I made these out of a different fabric I am sure they would be a lot better. This pair? Wadder, thrown in the trash after these pictures. I’ve held onto them long enough. They aren’t getting any better as they age.  Plus, as with the pegs above, I’ve got other jogger patterns that I made and really love Ottobre, Burda, and even Greenstyle Brassies. 

Photo below from 2017. I’ll try again someday, maybe.

Life Update:  I realize I am completely out of my mind.  We put in an offer on a house and it got accepted!! We are moving!!! And…. during my brain radiation…. 6 mo after my brain surgery….. I’m completely nuts. There is so much to do and I’m still so dizzy and exhausted and not better.  But we wanted to move for a long time now (yes, we moved 3 years ago but it wasn’t the right neighborhood or house for us).  Wish me luck!  Now I’m trying to get our house ready to show and sell. Whew!

Thanks for reading!!

Kristin