City Gym Shorts

Here's a quick summer project:

Business in the front

These are the City Gym Shorts, a free pattern from Pearl Soho. They describe the pattern thusly: 

Designed with a classic tulip hem and an easy elastic waist, these shorts have all the comfort and ease of traditional exercise gear but with way more style! 

Party in the back!

I wouldn't call them hard-core exercise gear. No pockets, for one thing. What's a girl to do with her keys? 

They are straightforward to put together, though, and they come out looking fairly stylish. I think that's partly because  they have a lower rise. My earlier version of simple elastic waist shorts (Burdastyle 06/2014 116a) came up to my true waist, where the elastic created a fairly bulky, crumpled paper bag effect. The City Gym Shorts sit about 3 inches below my waist, or about 1.5 inches below my belly button.

Straightforward doesn't mean trouble free. The waistband was a bit of a fiddle, but I think it comes out looking pretty RTW. You end up with the one-inch elastic plus 5 layers of fabric wrapped around the top. In a lightweight woven, this finish feels nice and substantial. It could be a nightmare in a heavier fabric.

The tulip hem is cute and gives you a nice range of motion. The instructions have you finish the hems with bias tape, which was the most technically demanding part of the whole process for me. But I did like the way it looks, once I got 'er done. 

The pattern is intended for lightweight wovens, which means you can have fun sifting through your scraps. I used the remnants from my Wave Dress.  

I think the pattern delivers a pretty close fit. I made the size suggested for 35-37 inch hip, and they feel good, but if they were any snugger, I'd have to shimmy to get them on. I'd suggest measuring the flat pattern before you commit to your size.

I don't think I'll be wearing them for running, but for an easy bike ride, or a trip to the gym to lift weights, they'll be just the ticket. I can also report they work well for lounging around the yard, sipping a cooling beverage.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.