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.
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?
