Hello everyone! I have a great project to show you today that I have been sewing for my husband – BOARDSHORTS! Do you have swimming or time at the waterpark in your summer plans? It is definitely beach season, and sewing up a pair of boardshorts is a great way to get ready for the fun!
For today’s post, I will chat all about the pattern details, go over some sewing tips, and give you resources to get started on your first pair.
The Pattern – Sizing and Grading
The Greenstyle Solana Boardshort pattern is drafted for stretch woven fabric and covers low waists measuring 27 to 50 inches and full hips measuring 31 to 54 inches.
The pattern says to select the size based on low waist, which is measured at the part of the body where the waistband sits on the shorts. My husband measured into a smaller size for his hips so I only used his low waist measurement at the part of the pattern where the waistband sits and then I drew a line down to the next size to his hip size for his hip and legs. I think I could have possibly continued grading down to a smaller size for his legs because his legs are generally smaller than his hips/waist. The pattern did not include thigh measurements, so I did not adjust this part. He is super happy with how these fit so YAY for grading!
Pattern Options – Inseam
The pattern includes a 3, 5, 7, and 9 inch inseam. For his tropical pair, I used the 7 inch inseam.
I also made him a pair using the 9 inch inseam in the pattern.
I really like the shorter inseam and am trying to convince him that he needs a pair in the 5 inch inseam as well!
Pattern Option – Pockets
The initial version of this pattern included side seam pockets, but due to the more fitted look of the pattern, the pockets gaped and did not look very polished. Those were dropped, and a back pocket was added instead.
More Pattern Details
I love the genius of the fly and closure on these. This was my first time to make boardshorts with this type of closure so I worried that it may be too complicated or time consuming. Surprisingly, it was not so hard. I just took it one step at a time and was so pleased with how professional the end result was.
I waffled back and forth a bunch about what Velcro width would be best and ended up ordering 1.5 inch. It worked well, and it is the widest you could use for the size tab on these shorts. You could also use 1 inch and that would work just as well. I am not sure I have a preference on whether I like wider or narrower Velcro for the closure strip.
For the grommets I used 1/4 inch Dritz grommets and set them with a grommet tool that I got some time ago at Joanns. The drawstring I used is from The Fabric Fairy and is a really nice quality. It feels thicker and more substantial than the twill tape I have used in the past. I will link these in the resources section at the end of the post.
This pattern does not include a liner, which my husband was happy about because he always cuts the liner out of store bought swim trunks.
Sewing and Fabric Type Notes
What stitch length do you typically sew with? Do you keep it at a standard length or vary it depending on what you are making? On this project, I found myself varying it. I used a 2.0 stitch length when applying the Velcro to help ensure it doesn’t rip out over time. When sewing regular seams, I used a 2.5 stitch length. When sewing the waist facings down, I really liked 3.0. It made it easier to get it to lay down without puckering. You can see that seam line at the top, it is a place you really have to be careful when sewing down and if you grade your pattern you want to make sure your facing matches well with your main pieces.
Of course, pressing is really important when sewing with woven fabric. I think pressing makes a difference in whether something looks homemade or professionally sewn. Just remember to use the right heat setting so that you don’t melt your fabric, especially since most boardshort fabrics are made from polyester.
Speaking of boardshort fabric, you may notice that these are drafted for STRETCH woven. Most boardshort fabric does not have stretch. I was happy to have found some at The Fabric Fairy and at Greenstyle, but I did not find it at many more shops than that. So, if you have traditional non-stretch boardshort and want to make this pattern, you will be fine if you are at the bottom of your size range. You may want to go up a size or take a smaller seam allowance if you are at the top of your size, though.
Resources
- Greenstyle Solana Boardshort Pattern
- Green Stretch Woven Fabric
- Palm Tree Stretch Boardshort Fabric
- Drawstring – I used white on his palm tree shorts and natural on his green shorts.
- Eyelets and eyelet plyer kit
- Aglets
- Velcro
I hope I have inspired you in today’s post! I would love to stay connected with you. You can find me on Instagram. You can subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE. If you want to take a look into the things that inspire me, you can follow me on Pinterest. You may also follow my blog with Bloglovin.
Disclosures
I received this pattern for free as part of the pattern testing process so that I could give the designer feedback on the pattern and instructions. Also, this post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate your support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own.
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