Independent Project : Bubble shorts

For pattern cutting we have a choice of doing an independent project to help get a distinction, so for my independent project I decided to make some bubble shorts.

I first saw K.L wearing these in her 5 OOTD: I wear a weapon..or Two + Jewelmint Giveaway!!!  video and I really wanted a pair!! She said they were from yesstyle so I went on their website and I couldnt find them! So I decided to make them, also now that I have the patterns and the know how I can make more in different fabrics.

So here's how I made the shorts :

First I started by tracing around a trouser block, or in my case a long short pattern block thing? this already had a 1cm seam allowance so I drew that in.

After that I drew my design lines, about 4cm below the seam and then I added a 1cm seam allowance on the end of that I also drew in the darts and added the grain line.

I then traced over my first draft up to my design lines with the 1cm seam allowance and then I cut these out, as I used an elastic waist band I scribled the darts out and then I had my finished lining patterns.

Then I traced over my first draft on another piece of paper without the seam allowance, I also shortened the patterns as the first draft were a bit too long. I then divided the pattern pieced into 3 equal sections and labeled each piece 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 and cut these out.

 

I took a new piece of paper and drew a line some where in the middle from one end of the paper to the other. I then placed th epieces in order 6cm distance from each other matching the hipline to the line I drew before, then I taped these down and filled in the gaps.

I traced over my adapted pieces and added a 1cm seam allowance and grain line and then cut these out and I had finished my patterns.

I then did a lay plan to see how much fabric I needed, I found that I needed 1 1/2m of fabric, So I got my fabric and then pinned down my patterns and cut them out.

I started with my lining pieces and sewed the 2 fronts together and 2 backs together down the curved seam and then I presses the seams open. I then placed the fromt and back pieces right together and sewed down the sides. 

I then sewed the pieces together at the crotch and pressed the seam open.

I then did exactly the same with the outer pieces.

 

After that I gathered the waist on the outer piece to match the width of the lining fabric and the same with the leg holes.

 

My pieces didn't match at the leg holes, to fix this I lined the patterns together and cut off the extra, then I cut off the extra on the fabric.

 

 I then sewed the shorts to the lining at the leg holes, this is was very confusing and I did have to un pick one leg and cut my self in the process, to do this I basically put the shorts together how they would be if they were sewn together and then turned them so that I could sew them.

 After that I sewed the lining and the outer shell together at the waist.

 Then I sewed on the waist band which was just an elastic, to do this I sewed the ends together and pinned the elastic whilst stretching it to pin it I then overlocked the elastic to the shorts making sure the edge of the fabric was almost touching the blade. When I did this I should have stretched the elastic a bit more.

I then tried them on and found that they would look better if the seam from the elastic was stitched on top to give a nicer finish, so I top stitched making sure I cought the seam undernieth whilst stretching the fabric.

I also unpicked the gathering as that was all in place and the stitched wern't needed.

So here is the lovely Alycia modeling the finished product for me as they didnt fit on the mannequin! 

 If I make these again I will use a longer elastic as this was all we had, I would also like to try a different techniqe with adding the waist band.

If I make these to wear I will probabily make them with a little bit less volume to make them slightly more wearable.

I think I would like to make them again from this fabric ^^  but im not quite sure yet.

Thanks for reading!! I hope you liked this post!

What fabric do you think I should use??

Jenny xxx