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Bias Binding too girly?

So firstly, thanks for all the really lovely and complimentary comments regarding my Lonsdale dress. I see more in my future!


This is the second pair of shorts I have made my son... I made these on Saturday. I had a bit of this fabric left but not enough to cut the shorts on grain so I cut some parts on the cross. No matter, these shorts won't fit in a few months anyway. The fabric (a drill from Spotlight) actually does not have a directional pattern, so it won't be noticeable to non-sewers.  I had such little fabric that I couldn't even make the normal pocket bag type pockets, so I cut out the pocket piece and then decided to bind it with bias binding and sewing the pocket as a patch pocket directly on the shorts. This meant cutting the front pants piece right up to the waist band instead of the cut out for the pocket (which gets faced with the back pocket piece).  I just happened to have some binding in the same blue colour that is on the fabric (thanks stash).


I also put normal patch pockets on the back and just bound the top edge. (see the pockets are at different grains) I wasn't sure this wasn't a bit girly for a boy? I asked my son and he thought it looked great, but my sister wasn't convinced... still she doesn't have to wear it!

On another note, I was telling another sister at the same lunch yesterday that it is quicker for me to make a pair of shorts than it is to, you know, get in the car etc etc. Then sister 1 says I should be careful I don't make him a boy who can't choose his own clothing because he doesn't go to the shops to buy clothes (he does and he has very particular tastes, but loves - so far - what I make him but I do have to check what fabric he wants.. he's just about over Star Wars now though).  Ha, he's a very practical and capable boy, but if he doesn't have to get clothes he won't go out of his way!

(**Edit - Thanks to Judith of Made by J for Burda 9787, a boys pants/jeans pattern that I've now used 4 times, 3 without the fly for quick response to shorts crisis).

Next up I'll put some tips for putting bias binding on in one hit... pfttt I don't have time for one run then another.


Comments

Mary said…
I love these! The binding looks good, especially the back pockets.
kbenco said…
Nothing girly about these shorts. I wouldn't worry about having a boy who can't/won't go shopping to select clothes in the future, I think this is normal boy behaviour anyway and entirely uninfluenced by maternal sewing :).
Summer Flies said…
Thanks Mary. I may try this again then.
Summer Flies said…
Normal boy behaviour I think too... not too many boys are interested in shopping particularly for clothes. (electronics is different but that's where I zone out!)
I think the shorts look great, and assumed the different direction on the pockets was just how the fabric was! As for your son not being able to choose his own clothes in the future, the clear answer is to teach him how to sew his own clothes then ;-D
Summer Flies said…
Oh you are so right... I laughed... so obvious! Sewing friends are the smartest!

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