Summer Essential: The Ruby Shorts (or, Notes from a survivor)

I know, I know, I’m so dramatic. “Notes from a survivor?” Geez. But seriously, these shorts kicked me you-know-where.

I’ve been oogling the Ruby Shorts on BurdaStyle for months and so when Lisette announced her sew-along I jumped on it even though I knew I wasn’t going to be able to make the timeline. I figured this pattern would be not too easy and not too hard and I was emboldened by how easily my graduation dress, Burda 7494, came together. Plus I have a fabulous new sewing machine which I’ll introduce you to sometime, but I also had to learn, through this project, how to use it.

Everything that could go wrong went wrong, all of them due to the fact that I had no idea how these shorts were put together, the BurdaStyle instructions that left much to the imagination and sewing in a half-unpacked apartment. It was the kind of thing that would’ve been easily rectified if I could supplement the instructions with my sewing experience.

Bad news: I don’t have any applicable sewing experience.

Good news: Now I do.

Then the buttons! I spent way too much time obsessing over what color buttons I should use. I’m realizing that I prefer basic clothes (I’m shy of lots of color and print, though I’m working on it) so I’m trying to play up style elements that make a garment special. I liked the high contrast of black on the cream, but then I saw this restyling of the Colette Beignet skirt:



Ah! The colors. But I couldn’t find any buttons I liked so I went back to black. I own the Beignet pattern, so I figured I can always sew it again with this coloring.


[Forgive the wrinkles -- I actually pressed them after seeing these photos and permanently damaged a small bit of the fabric -- oops! So wrinkled photos it is!]

In the end, I have a shorter, tighter version of the Ruby Shorts minus the belt, welt pocket, and I added two pockets on the back (rather than 1) without the flap and I adjusted the pocket to be more of a jeans-style pocket that comes to a point. Note that I flat-lined them, and am so glad I did because of the color and see-through potential.



And after all that grief? I sort of love them. Though the shorts are not perfect, the fit is. Tight, but it’ll stay on the ol’ bum. And this definitely has summer essential quality.

And, in regard to my essential criteria:

• Does it meet the rule of three? Yes! It’ll match nearly all my tops except white
• Does the pattern have remake potential? Yes! I’ve already got some leftover denim put aside for Pair #2. And I'll do it right this time.
  
• Did you use fabric from your stash? Yes! Thrifted cream gabardine which put me back about two bucks. Patterns, fabric and notions, total cost: $7.
• Will this be able to replace something you love less? Yes, I donated this pair of shorts. They were too tight in the leg and dyed, and I worried about the dye getting everywhere in the wash so I never wore them.

So, here’s my addendum to the BurdaStyle instructions. This is more for my benefit in Round Two, but thought I’d post in case it’s useful to others.

• Cut pieces 1-6.

Pieces 1-2, adjust crotch (mine were a wee bit snug); draw the hemline 3-1/2 inches from crotch (that includes seam allowance) + another 3 1/2 inches to fold over/under; take in each side of each pant leg 3/8-inch from lap to hemline (this tightening gave my shorts a straighter look as the original width, shortened, made the cuffs stick out at the side as if they were growing horns, imo).

Add a bit of seam allowance (5/8) to back waistband on the outer edge (Piece 4) to make sure there’s enough to accommodate the underlap.

Alter or supplement pocket (Piece 10), Cut 2. I’ll probably use another pocket piece from Sew U as these are a bit small and ride fairly high.

• Interface pieces 3-6
• Make rear darts
• Make pockets, attach
• [Corresponding to Step 9, thank goodness for photos!] Attach front FACING (not waistband) to front of shorts. This’ll be the bit with the buttonholes. Then attach the UNDERLAP (not waistband) to the rear of shorts, this is where the buttons go.

Stitch up sides from bottom to lap, then baste from lap to top

Finish facing and underlap. Do not stitch buttonholes (I’m saving this for last to make sure they’re evenly spaced with the single buttonhole on the waistband, as they weren’t in my version)

• Sew inside pant leg seams, front center seam
• [In step 11, they’re actually talking about the real waistband] Sew front waistband
• Sew center back seam (twice! That's one seam I definitely don't want ripping)
  
• Sew/attach back waistband
• Now make the buttonholes, making sure they’re evenly spaced. I was worried about button size, but now that I’ve made them, I’d use anywhere between 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch (these are 3/4, a wee bit large).
• Do cuff. I didn’t want to have the seams show on the outside, as it would have if I folded the cuffs up, so I used this cuff method, though I probably should’ve just folded under and sewn.
• Sew on buttons
• Look fabulous

:)