Summertime shorts

I’m STILL not on vacation (t-minus 20 hours or so), but at some point it will be summer break for me, since thankfully, it’s kind of inevitable.  I’m done with pencil skirts and wool pants for a while; on to summer attire!  So, shorts.  I’m so not a fan of shorts (still not after making these, truthfully), but they are practical and all that.  

Not wanting to spend actual money on a pattern, I located the *free* “Pleasant Pathways Shorts” pattern by Anna Maria Horner.  With only super minor tweaking (crotch curve and lengthening the legs a tad), this pattern worked remarkably well!  I like the clean styling of the faced waistband, side invisible zip and hem facings.  Good blank canvas for some fun fabric.

I added some back welt pockets (referencing my own pattern/ tutorial, which I had to look at to remember :)).  The super crazy print makes them hard to see, but there are two on the back.

Speaking of the fabric, this was a purchase I couldn’t resist.  I got this during a big sale at a local store, and it’s vintage Hawaiian cotton barkcloth!  Perfect for summer wear and I have enough left over for a skirt of some type, too.  Is it crazy to consider a pencil skirt?

Worn with a different top for a more summery look:

Invisible side zip