Originally I titled my post "How deep is your crotch?" but I came to my senses. Many moons ago, I was unafflicted with digestive issues and thus had the leisure to grapple with mundane issues like "how curvy should my crotch curve be?"
It was end of 2014 and I had a shorts crisis. The 5 or 6 pairs of shorts I wore every week decided to call it a day simultaneously. The elastic was too worn out and the fabric was torn in many places. I was starting to look like a homeless person whenever I wore those shorts which wouldn't matter much except I wear them out to the supermarkets and foodcourts. I had the shorts for many years, like over 15 years. They were cheap, $6.90 each and very comfortable. I searched for alternatives but with my price range of under $10 and criteria of comfort, I could not settle for any. I decided I would make my own shorts.
Don't get too excited. I'm not crazy about making my own clothes. In Singapore it's super easy to buy good quality clothes at a reasonable price. Plus I dislike drafting clothes patterns. You need large pieces of paper and it's so messy and my table is really small. I have many, many reasons not to draft my own clothing patterns. Also, I'm not very good at it. My knowledge is very elementary.
So I did the next best thing. I went to the internet to look for an available pattern. I would have liked one that is ready for download but I either didn't look deep enough or I was too fussy. All I wanted was a very simple pair of shorts with an elastic band. Then I remembered Don Morin, the weekend designer had a boxer shorts pattern. Demmit! There was no download but he put up a draft and instructions which anyone can easily follow. Which I did.
The crotch curve looked a bit too curvy at the end but I wanted to follow the pattern faithfully. I know the pattern is for a man's boxer shorts but hubs has gifted me his boxer shorts over the years as his girth widened and I never found the fit uncomfortable.
I used this horrid green fabric which I bought very cheap to use as a muslin. No serging, no nothing. Just wanted to test the fit.
Sadly, the crotch curve became a big issue. Although I could wear the shorts, it was not comfortable around the crotch. I kept feeling like there's something in my crotch and it made me walk bow legged. I asked my girl to try the shorts just in case there's something wrong with my crotch. Nope. She had the same problem.
So I dug out my 3 decades old dressmaking drafting exercise book and looked for a guide for shorts. There was enough info for me to construct another pattern. This time my crotch curve looked less curvy at the bottom and after I sewed the shorts up, still using the same ugly green fabric, I was absolutely delighted to find it fitted me very well!
So the stupid thing is I didn't serge the edges because I didn't expect to like the shorts that much. But it's not too bad. It's not project runway by any means but decent enough to wear casually.
Hubs and I went downstairs to do a little photoshoot with my iPhone 6.
Oh look how I cleverly placed the fabric print RIGHT ON THE BUTT CRACK. Trust me. This baby is staying at home.
Coming back to Don Morin's boxer shorts pattern, I was thinking about the crotch curve and what I think is this. Don Morin probably used a standard that's way too big for my built but suitable for someone larger? (maybe he's the model) Anyway, I didn't pay much attention to my teacher during shorts construction time waaay back in the days.
Well, after completing the shorts, I bought a stack of very comfortable boxer shorts which were on sale. So I need not make my own shorts after all.
Today I had a change of heart and considered making another pair of shorts, this time with a nicer fabric. But I had thrown away my pattern when I cleaned my sewing room in January this year. Now this is why I should not clear up my messing sewing room.
3 comments:
LOLOL use the butt crack floral shorts to draft a pattern to keep, in case you do decide to make more shorts :D This post is hysterical, and your modelling pics are a hoot! Does hubby know you told us about his expanding girth? LOL!! We've seen pictures of him and he didn't look very girthy to me - maybe he was a skinny stick before! The green floral fabric actually looks quite pretty in the pictures, but definitely, none of us need flowers running up and down our butt, LOLLLLLLL. Flowers and a fan in front of (my) hubby's, maybe ... but that's a story we don't want to get into :D
Just look at your nice, trim build! You look great! Yes, you should always keep those patterns. You never know when you might want to make a new pair of shorts.
Jane, you look fantastic. I think next summer I'm going to try making shorts, too.... all of mine are so old and from the 90s. At least it sounds like you had some fun on this project, if nothing else then with the photo shoot.
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