Our good friend Brittney is back today! Yesterday, she stopped by to kick things off with a round-up of the Puppet Show Shorts size 5 project. She's now here to host a sew-along for these adorable shorts, and we’re so grateful she took the time to share her expertise. It’s important that we make as many of these as possible before the kids outgrow them! Welcome back, Brittney!
We all know Liesl’s instructions are top-notch—they’ve been a guiding light for me as I learned to sew. Still, sometimes photos and sew-alongs can really help clarify things, and they're always fun. I've added a few tips I’ve picked up along the way, so let’s dive into the process.
### Assembling the Pockets
1. Start by folding and pressing one long edge of the bias pocket binding 3/8†toward the wrong side.
2. Next, baste the outer curve of the pocket 1/2†from the raw edge. This stitching will serve as a folding guide and ensure a smooth curve at the pocket’s edge.
3. Loosen the machine’s top tension and stitch two rows of gathering stitches at the top edge of the pocket between the two stars. The first row should be 3/8†from the cut edge, and the second row 5/8†from the edge.
4. Pull up the bobbin threads on the gathering stitches to gather and cinch the top edge of the pocket to match the length of the pocket binding. Pin the pocket binding to the top edge of the pocket, right sides together. Evenly distribute the gathers and stitch the binding to the top edge of the pocket with a 1/2†seam.
5. Press the binding and seam allowances away from the pocket.
6. Fold and press the pocket’s curved outer edge along the basting stitches, taking care to maintain a smooth curve.
7. Fold and pin the pocket binding over the pocket’s raw edges so it covers the stitching on the wrong side.
8. From the pocket’s right side, edge stitch the binding just above the binding seam, ensuring you catch the binding’s folded edge (on the wrong side of the pocket) in the stitching.
A trick I picked up somewhere (and it’s been a sanity-saver): Cut out the pocket placement from your pattern piece, place it over your fabric, and insert the pocket inside the hole before pinning. It’s saved me so much time.
9. Pin and edge stitch the pocket to the shorts’ main panel. Add a small triangle at the top corners of the pockets to reduce stress on the shorts fabric.
### Sewing the Shorts
I find it helpful to finish the inseam seams at this stage.
1. Fold one main panel, right sides together, and sew the inseam as shown. Repeat for the other main panel.
2. Turn one main panel right side out and slip it inside the other main panel, which remains right side out. Match and pin the inseam and raw edges, then stitch the rise with a 1/2†seam. Stitch the rise again between the two sets of notches, just inside the first row of stitching, to reinforce the seam. Press the seam allowance and finish it using your preferred method.
### Sewing the Waistband Casing
1. Sew the two short ends of the waistband together to form a loop, with right sides together. Press the seam allowances open. Fold and press one long edge of the waistband 1/2†toward the wrong side.
Sometimes I prefer to press the waistband 1/2†toward the wrong side before stitching the short ends together, then press it again afterward.
2. Pin and sew the unfolded edge of the waistband to the top of the shorts, right sides together, using a 1/2†seam.
3. Press the seam allowances toward the waistband and trim them to 1/4†to reduce bulk.
4. Fold and pin the top of the waistband inside the shorts so that the folded edge slightly overlaps the waistband seam. From the right side of the shorts, edge stitch the waistband just above the waistband seam, leaving a 2†opening near the back or a side seam.
I like to add a label and a size tag during this step. If you don’t have these, you can add a piece of folded ribbon to the back center to help differentiate the front from the back—especially useful for kids who dress themselves or for parents who may struggle.
5. Edgestitch the folded top edge of the waistband to prevent the elastic from twisting inside the casing. Use a bodkin or safety pin to thread the elastic through the channel via the opening. Adjust to fit the child’s waist and sew the two ends together, being careful not to twist the elastic.
6. Edgestitch the opening in the waistband closed.
### Attaching the Binding at the Leg Openings
1. Loosen the machine’s top tension and stitch two rows of gathering stitches at the leg openings, one row 3/8†from the edge and the other 5/8†from the edge.
2. Stitch the two ends of the leg binding together, right sides facing, with a 1/2†seam at the angled edge. Press the seam allowances open, then press one edge of the binding 3/8†toward the wrong side.
3. Pin the unfolded raw edge of the binding to the leg opening, right sides together. Cinch the short to the same length as the binding by pulling up on the gathering threads.
4. Adjust the gathering to be even, pin, and stitch the binding to the leg opening with a 3/8†seam.
5. Trim the seam allowances to 1/4†to reduce bulk, and press the seam allowances away from the shorts.
6. Fold the binding to the wrong side of the leg opening over the seam allowances and pin it so it covers the stitching line.
7. From the right side of the shorts, edgestitch the binding 1/8†from the binding seam, making sure to catch the folded edge of the binding in the stitching.
Remove any visible gathering stitches from the pockets and shorts legs.
Now put them on your model and enjoy! These will undoubtedly become their favorite shorts in the closet. Make sure to share your finished pictures in the Flickr group so we can admire your cute kids and your awesome sewing skills!
P.S. Good luck getting them off once they’re on—these will be a hit!
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