[Natalia]

Hello! I am making the Sunny Day shorts for my 9 year old daughter. I have come here looking for help picking what size to make because the pattern has finished measurements, and I don’t know how much ease I should allow for. My daughter is tall and thin and her actual waist is 22 1/2 inches, her upper hip is 25 1/4″, and the fullest part of her hip is 27 1/4. Her actual waist is so high that I don’t expect or want shorts to go that high, so I guess that measurement is a bit pointless. I’m looking for a less baggy fit. If I make a smaller size that would go with a slimmer child and slimmer fit, would we run into trouble with the shorter rise? What size would you recommend for a child that size but with the longer rise of a 9 year old, for a more “fitted” but not tight fit? Thank you for any help.

[Liesl Gibson]

Hi Natalia,

I would suggest that you refer to our size chart to determine the right size. You can compare that to the finished measurement chart to determine how much ease you want. The waist can be raised or lowered as needed. You might want to make a muslin, first, if you’re unsure. I sometimes ask S to put an elastic around her waist, over the muslin, where she wants the waistband to be. That way I can mark the desired waistband location and lengthen or shorten as needed. I hope that helps!

Size chart: https://oliverands.com/shop/digital-parachute-polo-sweatpants-sewing-pattern.html#tab-size-chart