YAPOS

(Yet Another Pair of Shorts)

Here's the back view, complete with chalk marks and everything. They're in the washer now because they look too new. They need some distressing on the seams, hems, etc. to look less like Mom made them and more like What Everyone Else Is Wearing. I was a teenager once, I know how it is. They'll be done washing/drying by the time DS gets home from football practice and then I'll see if he's agreeable to another modeling session. (Edited to add: He did, here and here.)

Here's the front, a bit plain here but they really do look better in real life.



I shamelessly stole a few ideas from a pair of his RTW shorts.

First, the coin pocket construction. I wasn't even thinking of adding a coin pocket (or earring pocket as DS uses it) until I looked at the RTW shorts and saw how easy it would be to add. Instead of a separate little square pocket turned under and topstitched all around, the RTW version had a second layer on top of the hip "patch" on the pocket facing. I was already planning on using lighter weight fabric for the pockets and then adding the "patch" of denim to the area that shows. Three layers of denim for pockets is about two layers too many.

The second layer for the coin pocket is identical to the patch except that it does not come to the top edge of the patch. Instead, its top edge is just turned under and topstitched where it will show and the pocket is situated on the patch to be about an inch below the waistband seam. It's then overlocked around the bottom edge to act as one with the patch and the whole shebang is zigzagged onto the pocket facing.

Here's a pic after all that has been done. Easy, eh?

Here's a pic with the wrong side of the other front pocket on top.

Before completing the pocket bag construction, I fused a strip of Design Plus bias stabilizer along the seam edge of the front of the pocket to help it from stretching out.



Here's a shot of the inside showing the completed pockets. As you can see, I don't care too much about matching my thread to the pocket bags. The only one who will see them in actual use will be me on laundry day. I was already changing threads at what felt like every other seam to do the topstitching so I wasn't about to add another spool to the mix. His RTW shorts look 10 times uglier than this on the inside. The next time you're stressing about your sewing, take a look at the inside of RTW.




Another detail I stole from DS' RTW shorts was the cell phone pocket on the side seam. Again, easy construction. The top was turned under and topstitched. The bottom and right were turned under and topstitched to attach them to the shorts. The left was ... well ... left, to be sewn into the side seam.

The back hip pockets were also just turned down about 3/8" and topstitched. You know how most patterns have a "facing" area about an inch wide for patch pockets? Well, RTW doesn't. It's just turn and stitch. I like that. The denim is sturdy enough that it doesn't need a facing here.




The tag is my idea. I had two of these "Epidemic" tags I removed from a pair of the other DS' jeans about 4 years ago. I knew they'd come in handy one day. Here's a close-up of the bigger one I sewed to the front hem area.



The last "style" changes I made vs. the envelope instructions were (1) a fly shield from the same twill as the pocket bags (less bulky) ...



and (2) double belt loops all around. I don't know what made me do this because I hate sewing on belt loops, but I thought it would look cool, and it does. No pain no gain, right?