Summer Shorts

I seem to be on a shorts-making kick.

These are shorts #110 from the June, 2016 issue of Burdastyle.

Burdastyle 06-2016-#110

The pattern includes a cute tie-waist feature, which I omitted. I don't usually wear my tops tucked in when it's shorts weather and I thought the tie would poke out below my shirt, spoiling my smooth lines.

Omitting those tie bands turned out to be more complicated than I had blithely assumed. There's a lot of folding and pleating that goes on with that waistband. I ended up moving the zip to the back, just so I wouldn't have to figure out which markings were all about the integrated ties and which were about the fly.

I'm sure I made those changes more complicated than they needed to be. I ended up having to recut the waistband to get it to fit the top of the shorts. Twice. And then I took the waist in about 1.5 inches after the shorts were finished; otherwise I could pull them off without unzipping.

They're still riding a little lower than I thought they would, though in reviewing the photoshoot in the magazine, it does look like you can see the model's bellybutton. Sometimes Burda will tell you in the pattern instructions where the waist will end up; sits 3 cm above waist, and so on. This pattern was silent on that issue.

The magazine shows them in two lengths, Bermudas or Short-shorts. As a senior citizen, short shorts are not in my repertoire. And as a short person, neither are Bermudas. So I aimed for a length someplace in-between.

Rear view. Looks like I could use a flat butt adjustment, huh?

I used a Kaufman cotton with a bit of texture to it. Maybe it's a cotton jacquard? It's a dark brown with tiny little raised diamonds that are a more golden color. I had lusted after it for months and finally cracked and bought the last 2 yards at a recent Hart's flash sale.

All in all, I think these shorts are edging close to a fail. I wish the waist were a little higher, and I wish the pleats draped a little more. Most of this (if not all of it) is my fault. As far as I used it, the pattern was nice. I do still like the pleats, even though they're a little "Roman gladiator" in this weight fabric. The shorts are comfy as all get out, and the width at the hem means they're cool and breezy to wear.

I think I'll end up enjoying them when our real hot weather hits. Would I make them again? Maybe. Though I have my eye on another shorts pattern from the July Burdastyle.

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.