Last year I made the compression shorts (here) from the Jalie 2796 pattern as I needed another pair of gym pants in a hurry. I have worn them a couple of times and they did fit the bill, but I don't feel comfortable wearing them. This style of pants is just out of my comfort zone, so when I realised they sit in the drawer and don't get worn, I decided they needed a make over.
The best idea I could come up with was to add the skirt to make them into a skort which I know I am a lot more comfortable to be seen in. I traced off the skort pattern in the same size as the shorts and assembled the skirt. I decided to leave off the side pockets so cut one side piece only (no top pocket piece) and adjusted the hemline to be straight across.
I used some tactel nylon lycra for the skirt front and back and I cut the side panels out of sports mesh. I have used these fabrics before (see this post). The compression shorts will be underneath so nothing will show through the mesh. I thought it would just look cool!
I tried to attach the skirt to the compression shorts but to accurately sew the skirt, stretching it and lining it up with the existing waistband seam was not going to happen in any nice way. So I thought about unpicking the waistband but I had really sewn it well! Overlocked the seam and then top stitched over the seam with a triple zigzag.
When I tried to unpick this black thread from black fabric it was a disaster and I was just making holes, so I did what all good sewists would do next and just cut the seam off!. Then I could assemble the skort as per the instructions.
The shorts were a bit long under the skirt so I shortened them slightly as I don't like the look of the shorts showing below the hem of the skirt.
I am pretty happy with the makeover and wore them to gym today but I found the legs kept sliding or rolling up and I was pulling them down all the time. I am not sure if that is connected with shortening them because I don't remember the shorts being like that before.
I plan to try adding some gripper elastic to the legs. I haven't done that before. Any tips kittens?
The skirt looks cute! I have this pattern, but so far I've only used the shorts part.
ReplyDeleteI usually put silicone (gripper) elastic on the hems of my bike shorts--an easy addition. Assuming that the hem will be a little wider than the elastic…just sew the elastic face up with the shorts right side up, sewing on the elastic edge that will later be closest to the hem fold. Trim off extra fabric and flip the elastic to the inside. Stitch the other edge of the elastic to the shorts. I prefer to use a 3-step zigzag so that all stretches well, but any stitch that stretches will do fine. I supposed that in this case the old hem will have to be unpicked, or just zigzag over it since it won't show under the skirt anyway.
Great save and agree cutting off the waistand was the way to go. Great info from Jen L.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great looking gym outfit! I have such a hard time unpicking seams. I'm so impatient! What a great save. I haven't heard of gripper elastic but I would be interested as well.
ReplyDeleteSkorts are great! I love yours, such a terrifically practical and good looking garment too. I can remember wearing skorts a lot around 2001-2002 time. I really should look out my pattern and make some again. Thank you for the inspiration!
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