[hokiekate]

Am I missing something in the directions?? I have never made a flat front waistband before and I have no idea how long to make the elastic. Should it be the same or shorter than the elastic you would use for a regular elastic waistband? I would really appreciate some help here!

[Nicole]

I am in a rush so here is a few links that may help.

This is how I do a flat front with the Puppet Show shorts (just scroll down)

http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/puppet-show-shorts-tutorial.html

And here is the Sketchbook

http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/this-is-not-best-shorts-pattern.html

I will pop back later and see how you have got on.

xx

Nicole.

[Brittney]

It will be less than what you would use for a classic elastic waist. Is your model available to try them on?

[hokiekate]

My model will be available tomorrow!

[Brittney]

Depending on where the casing ends it could be only half of the waist measurement:) I always mean to write down how much I use for each pattern but never do, that would be so helpful, ha!

[with love Heidi]

As i sew for children who arn’t my own i come up with this problem. I solve it by measuring the front of the shorts (ie the non elasticated section), then wokr out the difference between that and the child’s waist measurement (or the waist measurement on the packet) and make the elastic a inch or so shorter than the difference between the child’s waist and the measured front.

good luck!

[Nicole]

Back again and I read your question properly this time!

If you use the method I used in my shorts tute you use measure the childs waist. Is there a chart for an approximate length in the pattern?

I pre-cut a few length of elastic and label them with my childrens names so I can finish stuff if they are not home.

[Brittney]

There isn’t a suggested on the sketchbook, but that is a brilliant idea Nicole!

[hokiekate]

OK, I used Heidi’s suggestion and I took his waist measurement (22″) and subtracted the length of the front plus a little extra (8″) to get an elastic length of 14″. I sewed it in and will have him try it on when he gets home from school to see how it fits.

Thank you for all of the help. And thank you, Nicole, for the link to the tutorials. I loved the idea of using interfacing on the flat part, although I mistakenly put mine on the back part instead of the front of the waistband. It still seems to get the job done, though.

I am loving this pattern, btw. So easy and so professional looking!

[hokiekate]

OK, I had him try them on and the waist fits pretty good. A little roomy, but in a good room-to-grow way. However, the rest of the fit is somewhat disastrous. They are HUGE. I am feeling a little discouraged right now. I made two music-box jumpers for my daughters and after measuring them carefully and following the chart, the dresses ended up a little tight. So, when I measured my son I made sure to size up from the chart. But it looks like I sized up four times! He is a seven in real life and I made these in a seven. I’m thinking that maybe a five would even be too big based on how the seven is fitting. Does this pattern run big?

I am going to see what I can do about making them fit and will check in later.

[Brittney]

I thought it actually was a little tight on my boy. I have made the sandbox and field trip for him in a 4 so I also made the sketchbook in a 4 and they are just a tad tight pulling up. What was his hip measurement?

[with love Heidi]

Kate, I’m glad my instructions made sense and worked. That is rather frustrating to find they do not fit right! I was just thinking of two boys I sew for who are both 9. For one I sew a size 12 and for the other a size 6!

I wonder if the difference in the fit is more to do with the ease in the pattern (ie the extra room), I’m thining that the shorts with their elastic waist, and for a boy would be a more roomier fit than a cotton tunic with buttons down the back.I think Liesl has written some great stuff about ease on the Lisette blog, but I can’t find it easily. This may not be why, but thinking out loud.

[hokiekate]

There was no salvaging the pants – they were just too ridiculously big. He looked like a clown. I just can’t get the hang of sizing. I really should make a muslin for everything, I guess.

I had to start again from scratch. Hopefully, the new ones will do the trick.

[Brittney]

If you ever need help picking a size, you can always post the measurements on here, I am sure someone who has made the pattern would be willing to help you choose!

[needlewoman]

GandD, thanks for reminder about forum help; the 5 yr old girl I’m making stuff for at the moment is betwn size 6 and 7, and I’m agonising abt it, as different patterns have diff amounts of ease. I really appreciate the “Finished Measurements” provided by O+S; they are a great help for making sizing decisions most of the time.