Every so often Fabric.com sends out a free pattern from HotPatterns. This cute little number came along a couple months ago and I finally got it made last weekend.
(I promise I did blow dry my hair this morning. In this humidity this is the best one can expect, lol.)
You can find the free pattern here.
Here’s my review on Pattern Review:
Pattern Description: The sweetest little sporty-femme shorts, designed for medium-to-lightweight fluid or drapey fabrics like crinkled gauze, hammered satin, washed linen or voile, crepe, or rayon. Pull-on, slightly flared shorts have a narrow elastic waistband, and a flared, tie-front sarong-style skirt attached through the back waist seam. Shorts and sarong overlay finish at mid-thigh with a narrow hem. This is the perfect piece for all your summer sports and pastimes…jogging, biking, sailing, tennis, hiking or yoga. You’ll also love these worn with a simple tank or T-shirt as an easy beach or pool-side cover-up.
Pattern Sizing: Sizes 6-26 included
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes, adorable!
Were the instructions easy to follow? They were easy to follow, but make sure to pay close attention when attaching the back of the sarong to the back of the shorts and when attaching the elastic band. You don’t want to catch the front of the sarong in the band.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I like that it was free! I didn’t care for having to print out all the pages and assemble them. But, hey, that’s the price for free! 🙂 What I suggest is that after you get your pattern all assembled, trace your size in the pattern pieces you need onto pattern tissue or tracing paper. This makes handling while cutting out and sewing much easier, rather than trying to deal with the computer paper.
Fabric Used: I used a nice drapey rayon challis. You definitely want whatever fabric you use to be drapey, not stiff.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I serged the edges of the sarong. Also, I left an opening in the waistband casing seam to insert the elastic. Then you only have this little bit to sew up by hand.
Another thing I like to do with an elastic waistband is to stitch through the casing and elastic at the sides to keep the elastic from twisting.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I would sew it again, in fact, I plan to make several! It’s so comfortable and cute.
Conclusion: This project works up quickly and it great to wear. It does take a fair amount of fabric, about 2.75 yards of 60″ wide. You might be able to reduce that if you piece the sarong tie to the front.
By the way, this pattern uses ready-to-wear sizing. Here’s HotPattern’s measurement chart.
Oh, and the necklace and bracelet? I’d made those to sell on Etsy, but when I saw how well that went with this outfit I decided to keep them.
Actually, I’ve decided to keep, um, five of the six necklaces I made to sell. Gonna need some new jewelry storage…
