I cut out these Oliver + S Sketchbook shorts for Oscar at the end of July, then realized that shorts season is rapidly coming to a close and I better sew them up. The fabric is Bradford Herringbone from Robert Kaufman (purchased locally, but it’s available at Imagine Gnats) – it’s a cotton/linen blend and has a nice weight for something like this – I might have to pick up a little more to make a pair of Art Museum trousers for the fall. Lila also got a pair of shorts from this fabric (seen in this post) but the pattern is still in the works so my lips are sealed. It’s a good one though!
I went back and forth between making an 18-24 months and a 2T – but since they only needed to fit for a couple months at most, I went with the smaller size, and they seem to fit just right.
Anyway, the Sketchbook pattern is really simple and great and all, but I managed to make things complicated and I’m going to bore you with the details. I made the same mistake as last time and cut the “pocket lining” pattern piece from a print, and the “pocket” pattern piece from the main fabric, when it should be the other way around. I mean, it had been two years since I made this particular mistake, but it sure did annoy me to have made it twice. But that was really no big deal considering the sizable hole I cut into the butt with my serger knife while finishing the final inside seam. I should have just scrapped the whole thing, but I had just enough fabric to cut one more back panel, so I picked apart three serged seams to remove the damaged piece and reattached a new one. So yeah, hardly worth it for a boring old pair of shorts, but they’re done now.
And there are some pretty cute dinosaurs hidden in the pockets. RAWR.
In other news, Oscar loves this baby doll just as much as his sister ever did. Also pretty cute.
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cool! love your fabricchoice! he looks really cute in this shorts, and they’re some dinos hidden inside, what a nice idea.
That chambray looks great! Must go hunt some down.
way to persevere, Gail! Oscar looks adorable in these shorts- your hard work (unpicking serged seams in the worst!) paid off! And it’s funny you mentioned the shorts Lila is wearing in a previous post – I was wondering about them! They didn’t look like a pattern I was familiar with, and yet they had a Gail-esque vibe so I was thinking you made them. Eager to hear more soon:)
That last photo is amazingly cute:)
I’ve made that pocket mistake too. Ugh. And I’ve also had the pleasure of picking through three serged seams recently. But the shorts are cute! I love the pocketsauruses
tara, i meant to link to your shorts! where are my blog manners? O and H should have a play date. 🙂
The shorts are so cute! i love the hidden dinosaurs.;)
aw these are so cute! love the pocketsauruses too! i’ve been meaning to make O another pair of these but just haven’t gotten to it. oh and did you know tara is coming in september? playdate will be a reality!!
My children have a baby doll just like that (from my husband’s childhood) and they have all loved it too – so sweet!
The shorts are very sweet! Would you be able to recall the name of the dinosaur fabric (and where you bought it, if online)? I’ve been searching for a nice dinosaur print to make my 4 year old niece a blouse. Most of the dino prints I’ve encountered are not quite right!
thanks! i bought the dinos locally, but it’s a japanese print made by cosmo fabrics – it’s a cotton/linen blend but definitely lightweight enough for a blouse. this etsy shop carries the same stuff!
Thank you!
So so cute! Now I’m sad because I have this pattern and haven’t made it up yet for the boys but I’m really liking these so ill put it on my list for next summer. And way to make it work! Also sad we missed meeting up with you while we were in town 😦
Sad to have missed you, too! Hope you had a wonderful visit, I bet Kristin showed you a great time! 🙂
Did you make his tshirt too? It’s awesome.
That shirt is my fave. It’s made by this brand called Fooey that went out of business a few years ago. 😦
So sweet! I have fun thinking about all the fun prints in the pile for pocket linings too… then usually decide they are too precious! I will be brave and cut into them!
The pockets! So wonderful! I always struggled with hand-making boy clothes, but these shorts are the cutest!