Making shorts in April is jumping the gun by about three months around these parts, but here you have them: Oliver + S Class Picnic shorts.
I bought the pattern for the blouse (made here), but then saw a few versions of the shorts in the Oliver + S Flickr pool that were made up in all one fabric, and I really liked that look. And sorry to bore everyone with this fabric again, but I’m trying to make a few bottoms that she can wear with everything, hence all the chambray. I told you I overused it!
In fact, I got a little tired of looking at the chambray while sewing these, so I decided to go bold with olive green top-stitching. I used the triple straight stitch to make the green stand out a bit, and added a little pop of green inside the waistband.
Speaking of sewing these, mistakes were made. The pattern was flawless and wonderful, as Oliver + S patterns always are, but I managed to sew my two panels as mirror images rather than opposites, which made sewing them right sides together pretty much impossible. So 13 steps into the pattern I had to cut out four new pattern pieces and start over, because there was no way I was taking a seam ripper to all that triple top-stitching. Word of warning: when working with fabric that doesn’t have an obvious right and wrong side, pay very close attention to how you’re sewing things together!
Anyway, I pressed on and I’m glad I did – normally I would’ve quit for the night after a ridiculous mistake like that, but it’s KCWC!
Yep, it was all worth it in the end. Look at that faux fly!!
Pattern: Oliver + S Class Picnic Shorts, size 2T (made with an adjustable waistband)
Fabric: Robert Kaufman Carolina Chambray in Light Indigo Washed, and Lizzy House’s Hello Pilgrim Pearl Bracelet in Green
Up next: probably more blue stuff.
I like them all in one fabric too. Cute topstitching!
I have been waiting for KCWC, in part, because I was hoping you would post daily. I read a good number of sewing blogs but yours is the only one I subscribe to. Your fabric choices always inspire me – and I love, love, love that you’re a perfectionist in your sewing. I look forward to seeing what else you make this week.
So cute! I love chambray so much!
Love them! I prefer these in one fabric also
I’ve been using lots of chambray lately too, and now use a fabric pencil to mark the right sides! (unpicking is NOT my favourite part of sewing)
Oh, I forgot – and those shoes!
You can never overuse chambray. Beautiful!
I love chambray too especially for summer and little ones. It seems like any time I sew with denim it is just too stiff. Love the shorts and the top stitching is darling. I might have to make a copy of these for my little ones!
So glad you pressed on . . . the results are adorable! And as noted above, one can never overuse chambray – especially when you find such a good one that you love! I don’t have this pattern yet – wondering if the instructions tell you how to make an adjustable waistband or if you just used buttonhole elastic. Such a great idea for more than one season’s worth of wear!
oh gail, way to persevere! you are right about fabric with no clear right or wrong side – i have definitely made that mistake before. the shorts are great! i was eying this pattern in the flickr pool recently as well. the flickr pools are such an amazing source of inspiration. sometimes there are patterns i overlook, but then fall in love with when i see someone else’s interpretation of it on flickr. nice work
loooove these as you know, and the photos cannot do them justice! the contrast topstitching is simply perfection in person. also, your posts are totally cracking me up this week. late-night-punchy-gail is fun. 🙂
These are so cute! I have a bunch of old Oliver + s patterns that I scored for $1 when a shop closed, I really need to use some of them before my daughter grows out of them! I love seeing all of the newer patterns on your blog, though!
And I fully support the use of chambray! Gotta make the clothes easy to mix and match! I picked up a remnant of (cheap) chambray at JoAnns, I need to pull that out and use…as soon as I figure out what clothes my daughter doesn’t have enough of! 😉
Love. Is it wrong to want to make these for myself? (I only have boys to sew for.)
Cuuuute. Damnit, you’re like an unofficial spokesperson for O+S. I want to go out and buy every pattern after you’ve made something.
These are even cuter sewn up! I think I’ll need to buy this pattern. I need all the Oliver+S patterns really. So, I would love to know your technique for the adjustable waist. Do you have a link or a tutorial?
I just used buttonhole elastic – the pattern provides instructions for it!
i ran into the same problem sewing these shorts. i ended up marking the right and wrong side. they were worth your frustration–they turned out great! you’ll be glad to be ahead of the curve when the warm weather hits
These are so cute, and so practical. I love the green top-stitching.
It’s funny, though, because when I read “triple straight stitch,” my very first thought was “ooh, but that wouldn’t that be HORRIBLE to have to rip out if you made a mistake?” and then a sentence later, you reveal that in fact, yes, it’s bad enough that you cut all new pieces instead! And I don’t blame you! That said, these are perfect, and well worth the extra work. Well done.
and ooooh!! these shorts are adorable 🙂 i just made my first pair last week and i have a second on the list to possibly start tonight. hopefully the second pair will go faster!
Okay, I must make those shorts now—-adorable! I think your triple stitching idea is brilliant and I have also discovered that I like the ones from one fabric best. So….thanks!! And, ohmygoodness, those Shoes!!
Ooh, these are too adorable.
I NEED to buy this pattern.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I love that topstitching…it looks fantastic!
those shorts are so beautifully made ~ well done !!
Thank you so much for demonstrating a faux fly done properly. I have done two recently, and couldn’t figure out why they looked – off. It’s because I put the curved flap on the outside and sewed it down. Doh and double doh. But that’s what I get for my love of Farbenmix. Cute clothes, wretched instructions. Good thing Liesl taught me to sew before I started in on the German patterns. I learn something new every time I make one of her patterns.