New Look 6100: I Made Shorts!

Until today I had a grand total of one pair of shorts in my drawer: a sad pair of black nylon swim shorts that had ARMY printed on one leg. Got 'em at the thrift store when I needed some for swimming in a river last year. And haven't worn them again since!

So maybe that tells you a little about my penchant for wearing shorts; i.e., I don't have one.

But something about the photos I'd seen on some of my favorite sewing blogs, plus the drawings for New Look 6100, made me think this pattern might work for me. The contour waist, side zipper, angled pockets and, most of all, flared legs, seemed different from the other patterns I have for pants and shorts.

I really like them. The flared legs are great for my inner thigh fullness--no wrinkles! And I think the contour waistband and side zipper are so nice and clean. No fly front zipper pokes out over the round curve of my tummy. I understand the thinking that the fly front gives a nice vertical line for the eye and is therefore slimming, but a flat front just seems to work better for me.

The fabric is a cotton sateen with stretch from FabricMart and boy does it grab lint, fuzz and hair with enthusiasm! Not a good thing when the dog of the house is a Great Pyrenees.

I almost cut the size 14, as my weight has been more on the upper side of where I want it to be this last month or two. But after checking the finished garment measurements, I realized that would be just too much fullness. I cut and sewed the 12, and they feel really good, but I'm concerned about them growing through the day and feeling too roomy. Next time I might cut a smidge smaller than the 12, depending on fabric. This is all to say that the pattern seems generously sized to me.

I sewed them straight from the envelope. No adjustments. Let me repeat, no adjustments. Amazed.

Looking at the back here, I can see that I need to do something to refine the back darts, but I'm not so sure what. Suggestions welcomed!

I did not do any topstitching other than at the pocket edges. Nothing is more discouraging than laboring over beautiful topstitching and then finding out the garment is a poor fit. Next pair I'll add more topstitching.

As to the length, these are 14 1/2" from the waistband to the hem. I did not use the hem facing but turned up a double 1" hem. The finished inseam is 4", which sounds short, but doesn't look too short to me. I think it has to do with the crotch depth, too.

New Look's instructions for finishing the waist facing at the invisible zipper didn't appeal, so I went my own way, with not such good results (the top edge is symmetrical, but flares out a bit at each side). After the fact, I went searching for a good tutorial, and Sherry's very clear method is what I'll be using in the future.

It's worth noting that these go together quickly and easily: a fast, fun project. And my word, this patterns has brought shorts to the (basically) shortless.

More versions are in the planning stages! Next I'd like to try View B, which is fuller and 2" longer. I have a piece of beige linen that may get the nod. Thinking these will wind up more like culottes, which sounds fine to me!