Jalie Shorts 3243

Now, I know that elastic waist shorts are not going to rock anybody's sewing world, but there are not too many reviews for this pattern over at PR, so I thought somebody might appreciate the review.

I bought Jalie 3243 for my daughter, as she has outgrown our favourite Burda elastic waist pattern and they don't seem to have one for the next age group up.

This fabric is a cotton, with a smooth texture on the outside and softer texture on the inside.  Everybody in my family seems surprised that I made these (even though I make everything) and I think it is because of the fabulous fabric quality.  I know I got it from EmmaOneSock, but I can't tell you any more than that or link back to it...actually, I just trawled through my emails, and it is Caffeine brushed cotton stretch woven in coral.

I wanted these to double up as board shorts, as I have been unsuccessfully searching for board shorts that I like and it only takes minutes to burn at the beach here (as I found out last time I wore a bikini to the beach...ouch!).  Here you see them modeled with my swim shirt, which I didn't make, but everybody assumes that I did.

As I was making these, I thought the rise was going to be too high, so I omitted the waistband and just serged the elastic on, turned it over and stitched down.  I made these maybe 2 months ago, and tonight I read somebody else's review for the pattern and found that I didn't read the instructions very well at all, and that the waistband is not a separate waistband at all and actually is a facing for the top of the shorts.  So, these probably would have been about the same rise if I had just followed the instructions and used the correct width of elastic.  I will risk showing you my tummy so that you can see the rise (this is pattern review after all), but I am going to use a headless shot so that I can deny it is me should this photo ever surface again!  I added a drawstring to make sure that these stay up in the water.

So, not too exciting, but get worn a-plenty.  I did finish an exciting dress today, which I am hoping to wear to and photograph at a beach party this weekend...so exciting that it may even frog leap my queue of unblogged projects.  Happy sewing all!