summer shorts - simplicity 1887

its australia day today in australia and we are right in the middle of summer.  for the last couple of summer's i have been wanting to make shorts and have a pinterest board with a bunch of possible patterns.  i finally settled on giving simplicity 1887 a go after seeing the great makes from megan on instagram. i particularly liked the flat front waistband and elastic back of this pattern.

i posted my intention to make these shorts on instagram and i am very grateful a number of sewers let me know that the pattern runs very large.  i ended up sewing a size 10 even though my measurements put me at a size 16.

  

over the summer i have made quite a few pairs of these in linen and chambray, but these ones are made in nani iro double gauze that i picked up on my recent trip to tokyo.  this fabric is beautiful and absolutely perfect for this shorts pattern. i was extremely lucky to pick up this fabric at nippori tomato in nippori fabric town for 780 yen a metre - or $9.50m AUD! at the cutting counter the girl pointed to the price label and said 'damaged', i hadn't spotted any flaw when it was opened up for cutting so i was happy to take it.  i still haven't spotted any flaws!

 

 having sized down a lot these shorts are a bit snug to get up over my hips, but once on they are very comfortable.  the version i made in chambray are pretty tight getting over my hips, but again once on they are very comfy.  the give in the fabric choice seems to make quite a difference here.

i felt my linen versions were not quite as slim in the legs as i would have liked so for this version and noting the snug fit getting them on i took 1/4" out of the larger front pleat and 1/8" out of the smaller pleat.  this meant i took a little bit of width out of the front legs, but didn't need to alter the front waist band.  i am very happy with the fit i achieved for this version.

 

 i haven't made the front ties for any of my versions.  instead for all my previous versions i stopped the elastic at the front where the ties would go, as the instructions provide for.  for my nani iro version i made the front waistband completely flat and just put the elastic in the back, stitching it down at the side seams.  again i am very happy with fit i achieved and the look of the completely flat front.

 

 i love the construction of the pockets in these shorts, using just one pattern piece which you fold over.  it is nifty and makes construction of these shorts very quick.  the only other change i made was to use wider elastic at the back than recommended.  the instructions have you sew two casing to thread elastic through, i just went for one casing with wider elastic.

these are definitely my fav shorts of this summer, i am keen to get some more nani iro double gauze to make another pair.

lastly, fabric/habby shopping in tokyo is every bit as good as all of the blog posts i have read about it say it is.  i loved visiting nippori fabric town and also okadaya at shinjuku. this is a pic of me looking mighty happy after visiting okadaya - its  amazing!

emma