Hearts All Over City Gym Shorts

One of these days I’ll get back to quilting, but in the meantime, here’s my latest make: a pair of City Gym Shorts for my sweet girl. You can find the free pattern at The Purl Bee. What you see pictured here is the 4-5 size.

The fabric is Hearts All Over for Michael Miller. My daughter picked it out ages ago when I dragged her to a fabric store for something else, so I thought it was a good choice for the first handmade garment I sewed for her! Also, since it’s pink, she’s actually wearing it! (For a while there, we didn’t buy any clothes for her that weren’t pink, because it just wasn’t worth the morning temper tantrums trying to get her to wear anything that wasn’t pink.) Since she has happily worn these multiple times, I consider them a success! That, and the fact that she tried to climb a tree in them.

Initially, putting the pattern pieces together puzzled me, but that obstacle was quickly surmounted. The bias tape was a breeze, as I used the white lawn left over from lining my Triangle Tokens Belcarra Blouse. The waistband did me a little trouble, I must admit. Due to the fact that I used a directional print, I accidentally sewed it on upside down the first time. That was quickly remedied. Since I had recently finished a Myrtle Dress, I already had the 1” elastic on hand, so I was able to make the shorts out of 100% stash materials. I love it when that happens.

These shorts were a fast sew all around. While I had printed out the pattern and cut the fabric out earlier in the week, I did all of the actual sewing in one Friday night. The City Gym Shorts are definitely going on next Spring’s must-sew list. I might even make some for myself!