Shorts! Lucky Me! {Simplicity 1430}

Pattern:  Simplicity 1430
Version:  D
Sizing:  16
Fabric:  stretch bottom-weight/denim
Notions:  zipper; button
Assembly time:  4 hrs
Instructions:  I made it through thanks to them
Modification: none
Recommend:  yes

The best of luck was bestowed on me today. I finally made my ideal shorts!  To my amazement, Simplicity 1430 fit straight out of the envelope. Earlier this year, I tried my hand at shorts, only to be slightly successful and a tad disappointed. Fitting a butt and crotch is no fun task, said the person who is gaining experience.  I am so EXCITED that I finally have THE pattern to work off of for future leg wear.

Did I mention that there was no muslin? Ok, it could be said that any first go at a pattern is the muslin. I took a chance and went straight to final production with a nice stretch cotton bottom-weight.  A size 16 (hip ease is 44 inches) with no modifications turns out to be the fit me.  Short, but not too short.  Fitted, but not too tight.  Not too high on the waist, but not too low on the hip.  I smile at a zipper. Love the button waistband (mostly because of no pokey zipper into the bellybutton). I can bend.  I can squat. And while the shorts can do the splits, I will sit on the sidelines and watch. 

Following the instructions as close as humanly possible made for wonderful results.  If the pattern said, "fold 3/8", precisely 3/8 inch was measured.  I have never sewn a fly front, so that was a new experience.  Only periodic confused set in a couple of times, which suggests the course is laid-out very well.  I found the pictorials and wording very helpful. 

There are absolutely no negatives that I can point out about this short pattern.  For me, these are the perfect shorts.  As I write this brief post, two flats have finished pre-washing and are destined to be cut and sewn by weeks end. I feel like one lucky girl with this success.

 

Twenty-four hours later.

 

 Three new pairs of shorts!

Waiting was impossible, and I just had to make more. 

Though extremely comfortable, the black denim gave me a bit of a headache during construction.  There's normal stretchy denim and then there is this fabric. The elasticity of the fabric bulked under the pressure foot and had to be seam ripped a couple of times, particularly on the fly front. Mind you this is my second fly front ever, so skills and confidence are in the development stage.

 

 

By far, however, the whimsy of the denim hearts steals my favor. These pair came together with no problems. The fabric has a small amount of strength, and is mid-weight.  The pattern calls for two buttons, which I added to the wearable muslin, but find that to be too much. One jean top button is perfectly fine.