The Facts
Fabric: Semi stretchy satiny feeling flower print from Joanns 3 years ago
Pattern: Colette Iris
Year: 2012
Notions: pink zippa!
Time to complete: 3-4 hours
First worn: Today around the neighborhood
Wear again?  You betcha!
Total price: Under $20

Well now that I’m back, good luck trying to get rid of me!  It seems that last week was a serious reality check, and allowed me to work on bettering my time management. Since I had all the themes mixed up, I had to sit down for some serious planning. A few weeks back I had thought that I would be able to make the stash-busting deadline and had grabbed this pinkish flowery print that I bought nearly 3 years ago. The only trouble was that I was using a pattern from the 1940s that was at least three sizes too small.  I knew that I would need to alter the pattern, but somehow in the midst of watching one of my many Sunday shows I made a big mistake and cut the size as I had traced it.  Then I proceeded to try the same pattern out using a salmon colored broadcloth, but I messed that up two other ways on two separate occasions. I abandoned the fabric and the challenge. The infamous sewer’s block had set in. Thankfully the circle skirt helped me break through the block, and on top of that, I received the newest Colette patterns in the mail mid-week.  I didn’t think I would use any of them this quickly, but somehow Iris was calling to me.

I woke up early on Saturday knowing that I had very limited time due to an insanely busy weekend. I stood in the middle of my sewing room and just sighed.  I didn’t know if I should try the 1940s pattern again or if I should try something else entirely. Somewhere deep down I knew that the 1940s pattern wasn’t going work…that damn pattern represented all that I despised from the sewer’s block. I grabbed the skirt and the Iris pattern and got straight to work.  The pattern itself is so wonderfully straightforward!  A back panel, front panel, side panel, pockets, and waist band. Tracing and cutting was a breeze and the sewing was just as breezy.  While I didn’t finish on Saturday, I did wrap things up nicely Sunday morning before all the storms came storming on in.  J and I even got a brisk walk to Ronan park where we took our pictures.

All in all, I’d say the shorts turned out well.  I like the floral print on its own, but I like it even more concentrated on the short and accented by the peach cardigan.  I’m normally very anti-pink and felt uncomfortable at first, but the more time I spent in the shorts the more confident I felt.  I’m not sure if I’d try and rock this look at school, but there is a chance I’ll try it again on a weekend exploring the city. What I can say for sure is that there are many more Iris shorts in my future.  There are endless visions of gingham, seersucker and chambray fabrics dancing in my head.  Three more weeks until summer vacation means three more weeks until those visions become reality!