shorts on the line

Hi there, I'm Emma from the blog Hello Beautiful and I wanted to say thanks to Rachael and the other ladies for asking me to be involved with this shorts on the line series. Not only am I pretty excited to be on the bill with some very cool and inspiring bloggers, I also can't wait to see what YOU come up with. I'm spending the summer in England with sadly very little use for a pair of shorts but I can't wait to get back to Southern California where we'll be in shorts for the next few months.

I jumped at the chance to sew up these lovely Summer Place shorts by Maw Bell, available for purchase here at Sew Mama Sew for my almost 6 year old. I opted to use the 6 - 8 yr pattern (though it is also available in smaller sizes in a separate envelope) and I used a lovely lightweight denim I bought as a remnant from JoAnns  at the end of last summer. It has a little red crab embroidered design and has just the right crab/background ratio.

 

These shorts were super quick to sew up and as well as looking really lovely, they are comfortable and roomy enough for a girl who likes to run, jump, climb and generally be on the go from the moment she wakes up. The instructions are very well written and would make a great beginner's project or a simple sew for the more experiences seamstress. I think these took me just over an hour from start to finish.

I think the pockets are one of my favorite features of the shorts and I know these will get a lot of use. Surely I'm not the one with children who are obsessed with shoving things in their pockets?

I also really like the band around each leg of the shorts. I love how they hide all raw edges, but also the light gathering of the legs into the bands, produces a slightly billowy shape to the shorts which makes them so  completely adorable.

The elasticated waist is perfect for my little girl who really struggles with buttons and zippers. I have been using this bodkin to thread my elastic into casings over the last year (I had previously always used a large safety pin which was always a bit awkward and annoying) but this bodkin is such a joy to use. If you're likely to be making lots of elasticated waistbands, I highly recommend buying something like this - it'll cut down on your curse words - I promise.

The final stage, when you are sewing the waistband hole closed, is the perfect opportunity to add a little label or piece of ribbon. I think it gives a nice finish to handmade clothing and also helps a child put their clothes on the right way.

 Yep, pretty much loving the shorts. And the pockets.