Stars and Stripes Shorts Tutorial

I can't tell you how good it feels to be sewing again!!! I missed it SO MUCH!!!! I just want to sit and sew for days at a time. Too bad the family won't let me. ;)

Colin has grown so much since last year. I had to give all his old clothes away. Most of the jeans looked like they had never even been worn! 

I started to go through his warm weather clothes to see what he had. Well, most of them must still be packed away somewhere... I can't find his Star Wars shorts, his pillowcase shorts or his madras shorts! YILES!!!! I don't even know where to start looking.

I figured that I had better get a jump start on some shorts!!

Cailey informed me the other day that she will also be needing new summer clothes and the ones we just bought her all need to altered. SIGH.....

My babies are growing too fast!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!


ANYWAY!!! I wanted to do something different than plain elastic waist shorts. Sure, these still have the elastic waist BUT they also have a faux fly and inset pockets. I will be showing you how to do both.

I have another faux fly tutorial on here, with those I used denim. 

You can find ALL of my tutorials on my Sewing Tutorials Page! (Including the Star Wars and Madras shorts.)



WHAT I USED

3/4 Yard of a sheet (the main)

1/4 Yard of navy with stars 

1/2" elastic



This was my first time using a double needle!! WOO HOO!!! It was very easy. Not sure why I was so intimidated! LOL


Step 1

You are going to cut the front pieces of the shorts. I used a pair of Colin's swim trunks that I knew would still fit him well. 

When you cut the fronts, you need to cut in the flap for the faux fly. 




Step 2

Now you are going to cut the back pieces. I used the front pieces with the faux fly flaps tucked under. 

Be sure to cut 2. 




Step 3

Now on to the pockets. I traced around Deanna's hand and then cut 4 pieces.

Step 4

For the back pockets, I cut 2 rectangles. Each of those squares in the background are a square inch.




Step 5

I cut 2 pieces for the cuffs. The fold is along the bottom. Once again, the squares are a square inch. 

Now all the pieces are cut and ready to sew!


Step 6

Pin along the faux fly flap and stop at the bottom of the crotch curve. 

Sew the seam!



Step 7

Now, turn right side up. Tuck the faux fly flap in and fold over.

Here is where I used the double needle to top stitch the faux fly in place. 
You do NOT have to use a double needle. Instead, just top stitch 2 rows.

Now you have your faux fly!! EASY PEASY!



Step 8

With right sides together sew the backs together. Sew from the top to the curve of the crotch and stop.

Step 9

Now you need to zigzag the sides of the back pockets. This makes them a little sturdier and you won't have to worry about fraying.

Next, fold over the sides and press. Fold over the top, press, fold again and press. 

Step 10

Line your pockets up, pin and double top stitch in place.

You might want to reinforce the top corners of the pockets.

Step 11

Now it's time to sew the crotch. 

Ride sides together, pin and sew the seam. 



Step 12

With right side facing wrong side, pin the cuffs in place if you already have a hem (which I do since I used the sheet). If you don't have a hem already, fold 1/4", press, fold 1/2" press, pin and sew the hem.

OR you can pin the cuffs right sides together with the pants and sew the seam.
If you already have the hem, top stitch the cuffs across the hem stitches. 



Step 13

I sort of missed taking a picture of one of the steps... Imagine this has one piece of pocket pinned right sides together with the side of the pants....... Stitch in place, fold over and press. Do that to all 4 pocket pieces. 

Step 14

With the pants turned right sides together, pin all along the sides and sew. 

                        Here's what you have so far!

Step 15

Time to make the elastic casing!

Fold over the top of shorts by 1/4". Fold over again by 3/4". Sew all around but make sure to leave a space to insert the elastic!

Step 16

Safety pin the ends of your elastic. Insert one end into the space. Pull through and out the other side, making sure to hold tightly to the ends. 

Sew the ends of the elastic together.

Now, sew the space closed. 

There you go!! ALL DONE!!!

Let me know what you think!! 


HAVE FUN SEWING!!!

DinoROAR Tutorial Part 1

I decided to break this up into 2 posts since there is A LOT involved. Part 1 will be the shorts and Part 2 will the raglan tee and vest.

Now, there are a few things I would change about the shorts and I will be sure to tell you exactly what they are and help you avoid the same mistakes I did. ;)



For the shorts I used -

About 1 yard of stretchy denim

Small pieces of dino print

Small pieces of blue cotton for lining

1" elastic









These are the front parts of the shorts. The red circles show where I cut for the faux fly and the green circles show where I cut the pockets. Now, when I do this again I will be sure to cut the pockets bigger and lower!!! I think it would have looked MUCH better.

Now, I seem to have misplaced the pics of the back legs.... But you cut them normally, without the pockets and faux fly extension.









To cut the back parts of the pocket pieces, use the pocket cut out and make sure your pieces will be wider and much longer than the pocket cutout. ;)









Now for the front part of the pocket. First, use the back of the pocket and cut the front part the exact same. Then take the piece of denim that you cut out to form the pocket on the shorts, place it over the front part of the pocket  and cut that part out.









Take the front pocket piece and pin it to the right side of the shorts. Now, sew them together just at the part that is pinned.

Turn the pocket part in and press.









Pin the back part of the pocket to the front side and only sew the parts you see pinned.







Pin the front of the pants leg to the back with right sides together. Sew up the seam.









Cut your back pockets, turn in about 1/4", press and then another 1/4". Pin three sides to the back of the shorts and sew on!

I would also have made the back pockets a bit bigger and put them lower. ;)









Now, sew a finishing stitch across the bottoms of the legs, fold over about 2 1/2" and press. DO NOT SEW YET!!!









Pin up the inseam from the bottom of the leg to the start of the crotch curve.  Sew the seam.









Fold the cuff half way on the outside of the legs and top stitch into place.









Turn one leg right side out and one leg inside out. Slide the right side out down into the inside out. Pin all the way around and sew them together, making sure to follow the curve of the faux fly.









Turn the shorts right side out and tuck the faux fly part in. Now, top stitch from the top and around the curve at the bottom.









Sew a finishing stitch across the top of the shorts. Fold and press over by 1 1/2". Sew the elastic casing making sure to leave an opening to insert the elastic through.







Pin one end of the elastic and insert it through the casing.

Sew the ends of the elastic together using a zigzag stitch. Then sew the casing closed!







You are all DONE!!!

Make sure to press every seam and every stitch that you sew! It helps to set them. ;)



Be sure to come back tomorrow for the raglan tee and vest tutorials!! :D



I hope you have found this helpful! If you have ANY questions AT ALL feel free to use the Contact Me button at the top of the page to shoot me an email!

DinoROAR

If you've been following my blog then you know I have been sewing along with Project Run & Play this season. It is SOOOO much fun!! I have been using up my stash and challenging myself. This outfit was by far the most challenging and I definitely made the mistakes to prove it! LOL BUT I think it still turned out well. ;) Colin LOVES it. He never asks to keep something on after pictures but this time he did. YAY!!!!!!



I made 3 coordinating pieces - the denim shorts, the raglan tee and the vest. All 3 pieces have the dino print on them. ;)

It is SOOOO hard to get him to hold still and smile for the pictures! LOL He would rather be in motion.



I printed out a dinosaur footprint to use as a guide in cutting the applique.

This is my very first raglan tee!! I found it to be very much like making a peasant blouse.



Here are some more firsts!

First time working with denim (other than patching).

First time making inset pockets (without a pattern) and I think that next time I will cut the a bit bigger. They are functional but I think it would have looked better if more of the print was showing.

First time making a faux fly. That was soooo much easier than I thought it was going to be! LOL

I'll be linking this up at Project Run & Play tomorrow! Be sure to go check out all of the other boy looks!! :D

On Tuesday I will be putting up the tutorial!

I wonder if I can bribe him into letting me take more pics.... LOL