I have just spent a frustrating time working out why the waistband was twice the length of my puppet show shorts. I dug out the original pattern piece because I had been too slapdash and confident to cut notches and thought that must be something to do with it. Then I read the pattern instructions for the umpteenth time. Then I checked these forums. Then I swore a bit (well, a lot actually) and made a cup of tea - you can probably tell I'm British. Tea didn't fix it though. I stuck ten million pins in thinking that might take up the slack (a slack twelve inches- some hope!). Took it all off and cursed a bit more. Took out the pattern piece-again- and suddenly it all became clear. Yes, I had been a dope. I had cut TWO of the waistband so by the time I sewed them together I had an enormous waistband to fit on to a tiny pair of size 2T shorts. Sigh. Now I have to unpick it all again because in the interval between the swearing and making of tea, I was suddenly convinced that if I just sewed it on it would somehow miraculously fit. Yeah, I know...