Saturday, June 15, 2013

McCalls 6291 Walking Shorts Version


Summer means shorts, even for a maxi lover like moi! Last year I made oodles of Simplicity 1852 Low Rise Shorts  and I love them. But a post by Scruffy B. showing off her cute cute culottes got me thinking...how about a new look for summer 2013?


I started with McCalls 6291, which has three variations on cargo pants. Love the deep pockets, elastic waist, front pleats, and belt carriers.  My first version was a pants combo of Views B and C, done in a navy weavers cloth, great look and lots of fun.




For the shorts, I took advantage of all the features of the pattern and just changed the lines to give me the fullness I was after.

I traced my new front and back pieces to a length of 22". The lines of the outseam and inseam are continued straight down, parallel to the grain.

The changes didn't effect the pockets or pleats in any way. I did add a belt carrier at the center back.

The finished inseam is 8 3/4", the outseam is 20", measured below the waistband.

Loving this look! I used a 55/45 linen/rayon fabric from JoAnn Fabrics in Calla Green. Finally got on board with the green trend, I'm just a few months late :-) I washed and dried the fabric 3 times on warm before I cut it, and it is so soft. It has a nice tropical rumple, but doesn't wrinkle. What you see in the pics is really all the wrinkle it has.


And we are walking, walking...


As I was walking back to my tripod someone else came out to pose. My buddy Ms. Squirrel. She is feeling much better now that the kids are weaned and off bothering the neighbors.



She was compensated for this photo shoot with four peanuts.

Ciao! Coco

16 comments:

  1. those shorts look beautiful on enjoy your walking - cute squirrel

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  2. Love the shorts - both the styling and colour are very flattering on you! And a photo-bombing squirrel - what a cutie!

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    1. Thanks, Judith. Love Ms. Squirrel, she's a trooper.

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  3. These are a great length and color. Have seen that fabric at Joanne's and may just get some and the pattern too!

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    1. Thanks so much. This is a great fabric, really feels good. And the pattern is fun, just different enough to be interesting to sew.

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  4. Those are great! Love the green.

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  5. Very nice outfit for summer Coco!

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  6. Super shorts! Love that fresh, green color.

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    1. Thanks, Gwen. Me, too! I found a 3/4 yd. piece of rayon/lycra knit in Calla green on JoAnn's pieces rack, grabbed it up for a sleeveless tee down the road.

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  7. Lovely, Coco. I have so many projects I want to get to, and shorts are one of them.

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    1. Thanks, Mary. So strange, huh? I went through a period when I didn't want to sew anything, apparently everyone was sewing lingerie, seemed like zillions of bloggers were determined to teach me how to sew through offering long awful multi-post tutorials (this persists, I've been weeding out those blogs from my reading list...). Anyway, my mojo was just not there. Shorts were the furthest from my mind. I sewed pj bottoms, lots of them :-) Now I am re-synched and back in love with my patterns and stash and sewing. No lingerie on the horizon.

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  8. She steals the show every chance she gets...

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I love it that you came by...and thank you for your comments! Coco