Shirring and gathering

Yesterday was wild and wooly in Melbourne.  The wind howled and rattled the doors and windows in my attic studio.  I had the Count of Monte Cristo for company via Audible while I did a little summer sewing.

This is a pattern from early Townmouse days - circa 2003.  It hasn't seen the light of day since then.  But shorts are perfect to scoot around a boat deck in, so Adelaide will wear these when we go away in September.

I think the shirring makes them a little more interesting than a standard pair of gathered shorts.

You could really do this to any pair of shorts that use a waistband casing for elastic.  I turned the top of the shorts over by 6mm, then another 3.5cm (as you would to make a casing for 1 inch wide elastic).  I did my first row of stitching to catch the hem of the casing, then continued adding further rows of stitching that were one foot width or quarter inch apart.

Then with a little time to spare before school pick-up I found a remnant of pretty Liberty Lawn from my first Townmouse season in 2002. I love this pretty print that I think is called Meadow.

It's a little hard to make out what this is, but it's a bikini bottom with a little frill across the back.

Again I used my favourite foot on my trusty Husqvarna - the rolled hem foot - to hem the band of frill.  

Now I will be on the hunt for a plain white or pink rash vest to go over these to protect skin from our harsh Australian sun.