Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Tobago Shorts

By

This time of the year, I do nothing but blog about my upcoming vacation.  Each year in June, I travel to one of my absolute favorite places in the world, Puerto Rico.  Growing up in NY, Puerto Rico and its people have always been a part of my life and is literally weaved throughout my family.   The island and its culture are something that speak to me and I don't think there will ever be a time in which I stop going.

When I think of the Caribbean, I think of bright and vibrant colors.  I remember visiting the Virgin Islands many years ago for my first of many carnivals and being overwhelmed with the colors of the sea, the mountain sides, the homes, and the many colors displayed on the costumes they wore. 

The fabric I used for these shorts (yes they are shorts) is a Caribbean Blue 100% open weave suiting that until recently was available on sale @ $3.00 per yard.  This garment is also suitable for Linen which is currently on sale (HERE).  As soon as I finished this garment, I ordered red and yellow linen from FM (HERE) & (HERE).  I also have plans to make these in denim.  If you do so, be sure to use a denim that is no more than 7oz.  Anything heavier will create a large amount of bulk.

The concept of these shorts is for each piece (2) front and (2) back to be created as a half circle.  I do so using the measurements from the top of the shorts sloper with the darts (10 & 10.5) inches and create the waist area similar to how circle skirts are made.  Once this is complete, you can cut the center front and side seams using a pattern or a sloper.  This is what the finished piece will look like.



Pockets and waistbands stay the same as if you were constructing a normal pair of shorts.  I extended my sloper 2 inches all the way around to make sure I had clearance once the shorts were hemmed due to this shape. 

Now on to the tricky part.  Once your pieces are cut, you have to manipulate the waist your pieces down to the normal size of your pattern/sloper.  To do this, you must insert (3) darts.  The size of these darts will vary but the locations MUST be the same.  In the case of this garment, my first dart is positioned exactly at the midpoint of both pieces and the other two equally separated from there.  Remember to do this AFTER you put your pocket on if using a sloper or pattern with a visible side pocket for your front pieces.  The remainder of construction is standard from there. 








I am in absolute love with these shorts and cannot wait to wear them next week!  Once I get my linen from Fabric Mart, I will be making a tutorial for anyone that needs visual assistance. 

Shoes: Steve Madden
Accessories (including glasses): Target


Happy Sewing!

Muah
- Jenese
Needles and Fashion

Comments

  1. MiasewsJune 9, 2016 at 8:26 AM

    Thanks for a great idea, those are so pretty and a lovely color. Enjoy PR!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJune 9, 2016 at 10:57 AM

    You look fabulous! This is a perfect outfit for Puerto Rico.

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownJune 11, 2016 at 2:49 AM

    Wow, those shorts are fabulous!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Recent Posts You Might Like

Return to work wardrobe in ITY – which is your favorite?

By
In June of this year, after spending nearly 11 years at my place of employment and after restructuring and cost cutting, I took a separation package. I was so fortunate to be able to take a few months off, and also to very quickly find a position with a new company. I start my new job on September 14th and I’m super excited!  This new position is also different for me in that it is local to my area (whereas before I worked remotely and traveled to the office every few weeks) – so I’ll be going into the office three times a week. So of course I needed to sew up some new outfits! I’m a huge fan of ITY knit fabric ; ITY stands for interlock twist yarn, which describes the way the yarn is knitted together. I love it for tops, dresses, skirts, and even pants: it’s comfortable, easy care, low wrinkle, and comes in so many beautiful prints. I sewed up three new outfits over the last two weeks and I’m excited to share them with you today! Oh, and also – I need help choosing what to wear fi...
18 comments
Continue Reading »

Sometimes The Fabric Chooses The Pattern

By
Have you ever fallen in love with a fabric and immediately envisioned exactly what you wanted to make, only to realize halfway through the planning process that the fabric had other ideas? That’s exactly what happened with this project. I used Fabric Mart’s Black/Dark Cobalt/Smoky White Poly Foliage Print Chiffon , and while I initially had plans for a detailed dress, the fabric ultimately led me in a completely different direction—and I’m so glad it did. When I first saw this gorgeous chiffon print, I was immediately drawn to the rich color palette and beautiful movement. The dark background paired with the cobalt and smoky white foliage creates a striking look that feels both dramatic and versatile. My original plan was to make a dress with princess seams, buttons, and more structured design elements. However, after spending time with the fabric, I realized that all of those seam lines and construction details would compete with what makes this chiffon so beautiful: its drape, moveme...
6 comments
Continue Reading »

Hillhouse Nap Dress Dupe with Fabric Mart Fabric!

By
I have been wanting a Hill House Home Nap Dress for the longest time, but when I saw the reviews that the fabric was too sheer and the price tag—often well over $200—I decided it would be much more fun to make my own! I found this gorgeous abstract navy and white cotton voile from Fabric Mart and knew it would be perfect for the light, floaty dupe I had in mind. Cotton voile is soft, lightweight, and beautifully suited for a shirred dress like the infamous Nap dress. This abstract print gives the finished dress a more modern feel. I love a floral fabric, but I was excited to find this abstract print in my favorite color of navy.  Rather than using an entire dress pattern, I followed Just Lauren Johnson’s YouTube tutorial on how to create a Nap Dress from rectangles. Lauren walks you through how to use your own measurements to calculate the dimensions of the bodice, skirt tiers, and other pieces. I loved this approach because I could create the dress specifically for my measurement...
7 comments
Continue Reading »

Sewing With Intention: New Look 6106 and a More Coordinated Wardrobe

By
Sometimes a sewing project begins with a beautiful piece of fabric or a pattern you just have to make. This one began with my closet. Recently, I did a major closet purge. I took a good look at what I actually wear, what I kept reaching for, and—maybe more importantly—what was missing. Once the pieces I no longer loved or wore were gone, something became very clear: I want to be more intentional about what I sew next. Instead of sewing individual pieces that I love but don't necessarily wear together, I want to build a wardrobe where my handmade garments coordinate with the clothes I already own—and with the pieces I'm planning to sew next. For this month's Fabricista project, this beautiful lightweight shirting from Fabric Mart turned out to be a wonderful place to start. The Fabric That Started It All Fabric Mart provided this beautiful oatmeal and black heathered shirting , along with the matching thread for my project. One of the things I love most about this fabric is ...
9 comments
Continue Reading »