Shorts, Shorts, Shorts...My Version of the City Gym Shorts

I didn't have any plans to make shorts.  But, I've been seeing some Shorts on The Line posts over at Imagine Gnats and discovered the free City Gym Shorts pattern.  I love me some free patterns, so why not make some shorts!  I ended up modifying the pattern a little bit more for each of the 3 versions I made.  Here's what I did.

The pictures of these shorts are really wonderful and there are so many great versions out there, but the style just isn't me.  So, I decided to modify the pattern so that I could sew them like regular shorts without the bias tape.  I just added a bit of a seam allowance to the side and straightened the curve on the bottom. 

I also decided to add pockets.  I actually followed my own tutorial and pattern for dress pockets which you can find HERE.

 This first version came out pretty well.  In fact, I'm wearing them as I type this.  The fit is more of a pajama short for me.  I ended up just serging the bottom since I didn't think they'd be wearable if they got any shorter.  The pockets turned out a little small, but truth be told, when I look at the picture, I think they look great.  But on my body, they feel a little bit small for my taste.

I also was a little hasty and used my good fabric for my first pair.  So, I mustered all the patience I could and made a second pair with fabric that I had sitting around and not my favorite.

 For this pair, I added a little bit of length and width to the pattern and made the pockets a little bigger.  They are good and I will definitely wear them, but still aren't exactly what I'm after.  I decided to print the pattern out one more time and cut in between sizes.  Here's a comparison of the pattern I used for my first pair and my final and favorite pair.  The piece on the left is what I did for my last pair and the piece on the right is for my first pair.

These shorts are exactly what I had in mind.  The fit is amazing.  Not to loose, but not too short and tight either.  I love that these shorts have an elastic waist, but don't look frumpy.

 For this pair, I used the full size pocket from my tutorial and it's perfect. 

 I love the way the side looks and I love this fabric.  I was hoping the color and print would work with tops other than white, and I think it does.

So I guess being a little bit obsessive does pay off.  And, before I forget, I have to mention that the instructions for this pattern are really great.  I didn't get a picture of the inside of the shorts, but I think part of what makes them look so great is the way the waistband is sewn.  It ends up being 4 layers of fabric plus elastic, so it's really stable and there are no unfinished seams on the waist on the inside.

There are also kid sizes, so I might try modifying the pattern for a kid version as well.  Did I mention how much I love free patterns?