Eclectvity

So, as everyone can see, I’ve kind of been on a skorty kind of kick lately.  I thought I’d share a bit what pattern I use and how I do it.   In order to show what they look like without the panel change I usually do, I made today’s skort exactly according to pattern width (I still lengthened them because we really don’t “do” shorts around here and they’d definitely be shorts otherwise.)

Ingredients:

Simplicity # 2910

Pattern- Simplicity “It’s So Easy”  2910

Fabric- Well, it’s either lightweight twill from fabric.com a couple of years ago or from Baby Nay fabric I bought on an eBay buy a couple of years ago.  I’m starting to doubt myself.  If anyone knows, I’d love to correct myself.  The selvedge isn’t very um… illuminating.

Fabric of slightly unknown origin

And from those, I made…

Andra’s new skort set!  As I said, the skirt flap is exactly to pattern.  I added 7″ length to the pattern, and cut out left over fabric to applique onto the shirt.  It looks really cute.  Now the flap, on Andra, goes all the way to  the side of her bum cheeks so it is well covered but I’d prefer it almost hitting the side of the shorts.

Panel widened 3"

So, normally, like on this picture, I would add 3″ to the width of the panel in order for it to come around the sides a bit better.  And, as previously mentioned, on both girls, I added 7″.  Jenna needed more like 9″, but I was running out of fabric so I decided the world needed to see her knees.

I also didn’t have enough fabric for a back flap on Jenna’s but I did on Andra’s.

Back flap present and accounted for!

The back flap looks like this.

Now, seriously, these are the fastest and easiest things in the world to make.  I didn’t take step by step pictures but I can give step by step instructions.

1. Cut out all three pieces according to the pattern.  If preferred, lengthen the skort to just below the knee (much longer and it really does restrict movement a bit requiring more alterations than I want to go into right now.)  Also, if preferred, on the front edge of the panel, widen 2-3″ all the way down that side keeping it STRAIGHT.  If you want a back flap, cut 2 instead of one like they say.
2. Serge and hem or just hem the straight side and bottom of panel.
3. Sew the front and back crotches.  Remember that the deeper one is always the back.  Mark it if you’re afraid you’ll have trouble seeing it once the panels are on.
4. Serge those crotches.  (That just sounds so wrong but I’m tired and hot and not about to rethink how to word it.)
5. Sew the panels to the front and back along the side seams and the top where the waist is.  Serge or finish the seam in some other way.
6. Sew the side seams and finish the edge.
7. Sew and finish the edge of the inseam
   

   Ease of activity!

8. Hem the bottoms of the shorts.  I always start at the side seam, stitch around to the other end, and stop just short of the flap.  I hand whip a bit if it has more than 1/4″ of open seaminess.  (That also sounds just so… seamy.  Wow this is a racy blog.  Oh yeah, the boat fabric.  Regatta.  Gotcha.)
9. Serge the edge of the top (or stitch down 1/4″ and 3/8″ from the top and use pinking shears to stop fraying.
10. Fold over 1″ and sew close to the edge leaving at least 3/4″ for the elastic.
11. Thread 3/4″ elastic through the casing.  Overlap the elastic ends, zig zag and then straight stitch well, and stitch up the opening.  I prefer to stick a smidge of grosgrain ribbon in there in order to show which side is the back.

Voila.  One finished skort.  Enjoy!