I’m excited to show off something new today, but I’ll be honest that this won’t be an excitingly new piece… In the fall of 2020, I sewed up a pair of Persephone Pants out of some really great ivory colored denim I’d purchased from Blackbird Fabrics. I had just enough denim leftover at the end to also cut out a pair of shorts. So this is literally the same pattern, same fabric, just shorter. Nothing groundbreaking here today, but heck, I sewed a pair of denim shorts and I feel good about that so I’m sharing anyway!
I cut out this pair of shorts before sewing up the pants version, which was admittedly maybe a silly plan – finishing the pants first would’ve allowed me to ensure that the size was correct! In the end, the pants turned out a size or two too large for me at the time, which gave them a more oversized / relaxed feel than I had intended. They were still wearable, though, and I wore them as much as I could until my pregnant belly became a limiting factor! I thought about going back and trying to size down the already cut pieces of the shorts, but ultimately it was winter, I was pregnant, and a pair of high-waisted shorts was just not at the top of my list. So there they sat on my shelf, all cut out and halfway forgotten.
Towards the end of my pregnancy, I realized that I might not have as many postpartum wardrobe options as I’d like when the time came! My first baby was born at the end of October, and I lived in comfortable stretchy things, like leggings and sweatpants, that were perfect for the cool weather after she arrived. This guy was due in the middle of August, and leggings and sweatpants aren’t anywhere near comfortable in hot Texas summer heat. These too large shorts on the shelf all of a sudden looked very appealing again!
The size has proven to be perfect for me over the last couple months. Admittedly, I couldn’t – and had no desire to – button them up for the first month or so, but at about the 4 week mark they became a wardrobe staple for me. They fit great right now, and the higher waist is very welcome as my body continues to change and adjust after housing and growing my baby boy!
I sewed them while I was pregnant, so I ended up just taking a guess on the length. I prefer short shorts, so I took a generous hem which I turned under twice to the outside for some minimal visual contrast. I considered cutting them off, turning them up once to the outside, and creating a raw edge above the hem that would fray over time, but I couldn’t make up my mind and an Instagram poll said to go with the clean finish. You guys know I’m loyal to those Instagram polls, so here we are.
Something about these, maybe the combination of length and color, has been giving me camp counselor vibes on a regular basis. To be entirely honest, I’m not sure that I’m truly in love with the silhouette! I’ve had limited options this summer, so these have seen quite a bit of wear, but I am on the fence about whether or not I’ll be making another pair of Persephone Shorts in the future, or if I will stick to the pants variation of this pattern and choose another shorts pattern in a more typical silhouette for me.
Thanks to these shorts (and to be honest, a couple of ready to wear pairs I ended up purchasing to get through the summer months in my different shape and size!) I was able to take the little guy out for frequent walks and enjoy a little fresh air while it was warm outside! It is mid-November as I write this, and it is honestly only just now starting to cool off enough that I’m reaching for pants just as often as shorts, so these will be retiring for a few months any day now. I’ll be interested to see how I feel about them next summer, when I hope to be feeling a bit more myself physically!
Shorts: handmade by me
Pattern: Anna Allen – Persephone Pants + Shorts
Fabric: Blackbird Fabrics – Natural 11oz. Italian Cotton Bull Denim
Key Ingredients:
Brother XR9500PRW Sewing Machine
Brother 1034D Overlocker
Schmetz Universal 70/30 Needles
Dahle 36×48 Self-healing Cutting Mat
Thanks for reading my thoughts on my new shorts! Both the pattern and fabric used for this project were purchased by me. All words and opinions expressed throughout this post are my own, as always. Links provided throughout this post may be affiliate links – if you choose to purchase any products through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. This simply helps me justify the costs of my sewing habit and the time it takes to share it with you!! Happy Sewing!
- XX Elizabeth
