City Gym Shorts

I went a little crazy sewing yesterday night.  I couldn't help it - not only is the City Gym Shorts pattern over at Purl Bee free, but it's just what I was looking for to make.  

The awesome shorts made by Teresa at Dandelion Drift were the first pair I saw that got me printing the pattern.  Now the Shorts on the Line project collection over at Kollabora are being dominated by City Gym Shorts.  

My first pair was made with new fabric from JoAnn Fabrics by Jennifer Paganelli - the Nora Mae Gaulden Rose print (part of the Jenny Eliza collection).  I could make an entire wardrobe with this floral and not get tired of it.  The colors are gorgeous.  I framed the floral with a waistband and bias tape made with chambray.

Since the pattern takes very little fabric, I had plenty to make myself a matching pair.  This time you can see that I made the back with the contrasting chambray and the bias tape with a white on white dotted fabric.

And because I couldn't stop there (one girl would be left out!) I made one more pair.  Of course it was made with fabric that contained purple, or else it would have been thrown back at me with demands for a purple version.  

The front is a Robert Kauffman fabric that I bought so long ago that I've forgotten the name.  I only had a half yard so I was waiting for just the right project to use it for.  The bias tape and waistband is the same white dotted fabric that was used for my shorts.  

You can see in the pic above that the shorts are different sizes.  The floral is a 4/5T and the arrow print is a 3T.  All the girls' 3T shorts are getting snug but the next size is too big.  I figure the best option I have is to sew the bigger size and make the elastic in the waistband snug enough so they don't fall off (leaving extra elastic for when they grow).  

Speaking of waistbands...I thought it was strange that the pattern instructions didn't include trimming the large seam allowance before tacking down the other side.  But now I see that all those layers of fabric making up the waistband help it be more stable, and I bet the elastic won't turn as easily.

Ha, the pic above looks like they're either hugging or about to get into a wrestling match :)  I assure you they were hugging and laughing (for once) because they were so excited we all have matching shorts.  I guess I should match them more often!