First try at Shale Shorts (as pajama bottoms)

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So, I made the Shale Shorts as pajamas/pyjamas, and they came out really nice! And they were easy to make. Thanks, @jonathan_haas. This was a test with super-cheap yellow gingham flannel fabric ($2.99/yd) because while I’ve made Bruce & Umbra undies, I’ve never made actual pants/shorts with a waistband (which will soon become obvious). They fit nicely, so I think I’ve got my measurements closer to reality. I’ll continue to tweak my measurements.

I almost got them right :rofl: . Somehow I got the waistband inside out and so you see the seams between the front & back waistband. I didn’t want to bother ripping the seams & doing it over, because I treat my first attempt at any pattern as a “wearable muslin” – wearable only in the privacy of home :wink: so no one can see my mistakes. Well, except all of you sewists.

Because this was an inexpensive test, I also used leftover elastic which was only 1" wide. The shorts don’t fall down because they’re incredibly lightweight, but for sturdier pants out in public, I’d use 1 1/2 - 2" elastic, as the pattern recommends. I’d maybe use a shorter length of elastic, too, as they hug me only very gently. I think I’d also sew the length of the elastic into the waistband, instead of just the two ends. It gathers in kind of a weird way – it’s like I’m wearing a scrunchie around my waist :slightly_smiling_face:.

I don’t have a serger/overlocker, so I just finished the interior seam allowance raw edges with an overcast stitch as an afterthought. Next time I’d do it as I go along. I’d probably press seams earlier in the process, too. I also made the leg hems too short (on purpose, because the inseam seemed so short, but it turns out the inseam is fine, so I could’ve made the hem as the pattern says to). The leg openings are a little wide; not sure if that’s fixable. These are just minor issues. I might try the pockets next time.

Anyway, if you haven’t made them, go ahead and give them a try. I think you’ll like the pattern. I can see making Shale Shorts with a lightweight or sturdy cotton (almost like Rugby shorts) or linen (I’m not afraid of wrinkles), or if you’re into technical/polyester fabric, as running shorts.

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Nice. The waistband wasn’t sewn correctly, the seam allowances shouldn’t be on the outside like that. Maybe the instructions need to be more clear there. You can also disable the elastic-only-on-back option to have the elastic around your whole body.

There is an option for the leg wideness.

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just increase that to make the legs more tight.

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Oh, cool, I’ll try that Fit Legs option next time.

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For the seam allowance, you’re basically putting a V shape inside another V shape with good sides together. Then when you take the inner V shape out, the seam allowances are between the fabric layers and not visible anymore.

Roughly like this: https://youtu.be/Ds2dlx8xlBA?si=MO0MqpQ1koT5bFa0&t=296

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I think the weird elastic bunching is mostly due to the mismatch of the elastic width and the casing. I also second the suggestion not to get too much into the flat-in-front party-in-back option, not for something this lightweight and casual. I’d just replace that elastic entirely if I were you, and you’d like the finished product better. But beware of the urge to sew through the whole thing - that inevitably lengthens the elastic and loses some of the elasticity, hard to gauge for a one-shot project, and it makes future maintenance into a real chore