Sewing: Three pairs of shorts from one denim skirt.

Ok, it was a really big skirt, from a denim teacher dress in a very large size. It really was a teacher dress, with apples and letter blocks on the faux vest. It was the most hideous dress ever. I bought it at a garage sale for $1 for the sole purpose of using the skirt at yardage. However, I've had it a couple of years, so I'm gonna call it free now.

For William's shorts, I had to use the smallest size in the Kwik Sew Sewing for Children book...he's outgrown the toddler book!

I like that there is a side-seam pocket pattern. I put these on William's shorts and one pair of Aldous'.

so, I used swedish tracing paper and traced the appropriate pieces/size from the master pattern.

 When I trace, I label each piece with name or number of the pattern, the size, the pattern piece (sleeve, front, etc), whether or not seam allowance is included, and how many to cut out. I also label
any arrows, darts, etc.

My gigantic piece of garage sale denim. This looked less gigantic when it was still attached to the dress, but ungathered and spread out, it's a lot of fabric.

I pinned the hem together so it wouldn't shift, as I plan to use this hem as the hem for one pair of shorts.

I chose shorts with side seams because I'm adding the side seam pockets and I also like the look of the side seam with top stitching.  Here are two pairs of shorts plus some of the pockets.

This is the piece after I cut out two pairs of shorts.  The side seams of the skirt are at either end.

I refolded it so the side seams were in the middle, then used a one-piece shorts pattern. I also cut out some more pockets from this last bit of fabric.

Not many scraps! I feel so thrifty!

William modeling his: The prop was his idea, as was the idea to get a shot from front, back, left and right sides.
Front.

Back. I used white thread on these because I used the existing skirt hem which was done in white.

Here are Aldous'. The light was pretty strange on these, for daylight. Two pair: One pair with side seam pockets made from the two-piece pattern, and the other using the existing side seam (and thus, no pockets)  and a one-piece pattern.  I did the serger elastic waist on all the shorts.

I made the pocket lining out of this fabric, when you weren't looking.

I paired these shorts with home-made shirts

My other silly model.

he doesn't have any props, but he does have a cheesy grin!

This is his sexy pose. Doug has been coaching him.

So, for the cost of the garage sale skirt, elastic from an estate sale, and thread I already had, we got three pairs of shorts! I still have a couple pair to make, as I like to have 10 complete outfits each for the boys. If I have more, I pare out the closest, but I need at least 10 to allow for a decent rotation for wear and tear, and to allow for clothes changes (happens a lot to Aldous...LOL!) I'm pretty pleased with myself for getting these done, as I had come *this* close to buying some! Whew! Crisis averted!