vintage shorts

I want to make DC a few pairs of shorts for this summer...  but it remains to be seen when summer will arrive.  We've had a few short hot spells and even one or two 80 degree days but today it's once again overcast and cool.  Nonetheless, I went ahead and whipped up some shorts based on the Little Heartbreaker Pants pattern.  All I did was shorten the legs and leave off the cuffs.

I prefer these pants to the sweatpants pattern from the book for two reasons:

First, pockets.  He's just gotten to the age where he keeps things in his pockets of his own volition.  The sweatpants pattern does have optional pockets but they're patch pockets kind of far down on the leg which I don't think would hold his smartphone (I wish that was a joke, but I swear it's a handmedown and it's not hooked up) as securely.

Second, I feel like the darts and the buttonhole elastic give a better fit for woven fabric. The shorts I whipped up from the other pattern were quicker, but I don't feel like the fit is as good.  I just don't have quite as many old sweatshirts lying around as wovens.

The fabric is from a thrifted shirt men's button up shirt.  It's a bit thinner than I'd probably normally use for shorts.  I decided to go for it anyway because I love the print, but if I expected him to use these for more than a year I probably would have come up with some sort of lining with hopes of making them sturdier.

As it is, though, they're super soft and lightweight so they should be perfect for summer, whenever it gets here.

I did french seams on the sides but tried out the flat felled seam on the inseam.  I think it looks pretty good; it could be a little bit neater (my bad) but it makes them look a little more "professional."  When my husband came home and saw the new digs he actually asked if I'd bought them or made them.  High praise from him indeed.

I love this pattern, it gives great results.  The clothes look like what you'd buy in the store but they're better made.  I won't take credit for that, though.  It's a combination of the pattern, which is written to include recommended sturdy seam finishes, and the fact that most RTW clothes are rubbish.

I just folded the pattern up to cut the legs shorter.  Somehow, though, the back legs ended up longer than the fronts at the inseam so I had to cut a bit off.  Even with the geometric pattern, though, I don't think it's that noticeable.

I also made the shirt he's wearing.  I can't remember if I've mentioned it before but it's another raw edge raglan made from a very large men's Northface shirt.  It's sooo soft!  This whole outfit was about $5 and totally upcycled =)