Pattern: Iris Shorts
Designer: Sonia Estep Designs
Fabrics: Stretch Denim from Spotlight
Measurements: Waist: 39″; Hips: 47″
Size made: Straight 20
Adjustments: Adjusted the front and back rise by 1.5″; added 1/4 inch to crotch curve; added 1″ to the high rise waistband
Pros: I am a big fan of pull on jean shorts and these fit the bill perfect. Very easy construction.
Cons: As with all pants/shorts patterns I had no end of trouble fitting them, BUT I think I’ve worked out my body now and how to quickly fit pants going forward! So not a con of the pattern itself, just my body challenges.

The Wrap Up

Strap yourself in for this read, it’s going to be a long one!

I have had issues with pants/shorts since forever. I make them and they never fit right. It was so disheartening and honestly made me question my ability as a sewist. How can I sew the most complicated of tops, dresses and skirts and they look great, but pants? No deal. Every pair I made were ill fitting, clung to every lump and bump and half the time felt like my crotch was trying to eat the fabric.

I have had the Iris shorts on my list to try for a while but was very afraid due to my aforementioned fit issues. However, I decided the time was right to try again and this time I enlisted the help of my good friend and sewing teacher, Annette.

First I did my usual measuring, and decided from my measurements that I would be best with a size 20 waist and grade down to an 18. I cut them out and sewed them up with quiet confidence, THIS pair were going to fit…

Spoiler alert, they didn’t.

BUT, I did learn a tonne from this pair. I bought the book ‘Ahead of the Curve’ by Jenny Rushmore from Cashmerette and from looking through her fit pics, I determined that I needed to do something with the crotch, and possibly the back crotch.

So I set about making a second pair, this time FaceTiming Annette talking through my changes I wanted to make. I chose to add 1/2 an inch to both crotch curves and I scooped out both a little as well. After cutting these I eagerly sewed them up, this time they were going to be perfect.

Sequel spoiler, they still weren’t.

By this stage I’m slowing loosing the will to dress my lower half. I really couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong. I sent fit pics to Annette again, we discussed what could be going on and decided I would bring them to our kids tennis lesson the next day to see what I needed to do. I must say, it was a bit of a giggle to sit there surrounded by other parents, shoving food in the 1yos face while the 5yo plays tennis, pouring over a pair of pants drawing on them to see what changes needed making.

Annette gave a few suggestions for me to go home and try, but to be honest, I was a little done. I needed a pants break so I put them aside for about 3 weeks.

Eventually, Annette and I were due to meet up. After shelving them for a few weeks, I thought it was time to get them out and get her to help me in person. Giving her the chance to check fit problems on my body.

Once she was able to assess them on me in person, we talked about how we needed to raise the rise in both front and back. I have an Apron Tummy or Pannus Stomach, which everything I read about said I may need to make the crotch curve more of a J, but Annette advised against playing with the crotch too much if possible. In the end we settled on making a straight size 20 and adding 1.5 inches to both the front and back rises.

I cut the new pieces out with no real gusto. Third time lucky right, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up.

Well, after I basted them quickly together, just to get an idea of fit, they were near enough PERFECT!

As soon as I put them on we could see so many of the issues in the previous 2 pairs were eliminated. No smiling lines, no crotch and butt eating my fabric, no clinging to my apron accentuating the bulge. It all just skimmed over everything and fit just beautifully. I could have kissed Annette I was so happy!

So, what next?

Now that I appear to have ‘cracked’ the code to my body, I am going to try adding 1.5″ in the rise to all my pants going forward and see how that goes. I am also ready to try the Love Notions Glissando Shorts again I love this pattern and refuse to be beaten.

I’d also like to point out a few things about fit.

I asked Annette to try these shorts on, which she did. They fit her SO MUCH better. Like so much better. I asked if she would mind comparing measurements, which she didn’t. I’ll list them in a table to help visuliase

As you can see from above, we both have the same bust size, but I have larger breasts. Meaning most of the time I need to do a Full Bust Adjustment and Annette never does. We also are very similar in the waist, but different in hips, however I carry all my weight in my tummy and Annette’s is more focused on her bum and thighs. So while I had to size up and add height to the rise, Annette was fine the way it was as she didn’t have her tummy altering where the waistband sat. Her torso is also shorter as she is shorter than me which effected where the waistband sat on her. It never ceases to amaze me how measurements can be very similar, yet have such drastic differences on a body. I happily gifted my first pair of shorts to her as they looked so great on her and I didn’t want them to go to waste.

I guess the moral to my long pants tale is, never give up and invest some time and energy into reading about fitting and if you can, get yourself some lessons with an experienced sewist who can help nut out your fit issues. Lots of pattern companies have free fit tutorials so spend some time really looking at where the pants are not feeling good for you and what it could mean. Also try not to be discouraged. Keep trying till you find your perfect fit, but don’t put a timeline on it. I was frustrated I couldn’t work it out in a day, it’s taken me a year, but really, fitting is only learnt with time and patience.

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