boxer shorts

While getting back into sewing I've decided to make a really concerted effort to make things that are needed, rather than things that are just pretty or fun to make (there's a place for these, but at the moment practicality and usefulness is uppermost in my mind.  

I was going to make some boxer shorts for David for Fathers Day (back in June) - but my sewing machine was AWOL and so it never happened.  The kids did though buy him a boxer shorts sewing pattern (lucky him!).

After extensive research they bought him Kwik Sew pattern 1672 they bought this one as it has a one piece back.  (read: no annoying seam up your bum.) 

I've made 5 pairs of view A so far all from stash material - I started off with the medium size - the first pair (below) is made from an old cot duvet cover and are a bit tight around the waist.  I sewed all the seams as French seams.

The second pair are made from some black sheeting that I had around as a remnant after making a duvet cover a while back.  I continued with the medium size, but cut the elastic as a size large and this now seems to be OK.

The third and fifth pair are made from some checked cotton that I had left over from making David some PJs a few years back - I think I should be able to make him at least one more pair from this fabric. 

And the fourth pair are for me as PJ shorts:  I cut a size small and did the medium elastic - which fits nicely.  I also tried to make a PJ top using McCalls 3247 view A.  The pattern was already cut out in a size that is now too small for me, and I had to improvise the back as I didn't want it tying together like in the original pattern.  I thought I was doing OK, but when I had finished it was huge around the bust.  I'm not quite sure what I've done, and I'll give it another go at some point.  In the meantime I just nipped the excess at the sides and sewed down to the horizontal join.  They're only PJs so they're perfectly wearable like that.

Wearing what I make - McCalls 3247

Next up in my going through my me made but not worn wardrobe is this top:

 It is McCall's 3247, and it looks like I made view C in Xsm.  It also looks like I made some alterations on the inside with the addition of some support at the front by extending the front facing and adding some elastic to sit under the bust.

I don't think I've ever really warn this - I think it seemed like a good idea to make at the time when I was living in the sultry south of the US, but really backless tops aren't my thing.  I still like the necklines and may at some point revisit some of this pattern, but most likely not the backs.

This top has now become this:

I'm going to cut up the bits to help with salvaging 2544 - the plan is to add some side panels along the seam lines and also a border around the bottom edge to make it a bit longer and hopefully make the addition of the panels look as if they're a design feature rather than me fudging it so that it will fit.