Chelsea Pants Make Cute Shorts!

I wouldn’t normally start off a blogpost with a photo of my booty, but when you’re talking about a pants pattern, one of the biggest questions people have is, “Will it make my booty look good?”  Um, yeah! 😉  So, let’s talk about the above photo.  My husband has the thrilling task of taking photos of me in my sewing creations.  If you think it’s awkward standing on a public beach (where a good portion of the photos get taken) and trying to model without laughing at the absurdity of it, and trying to not look like a total doofus in every photo, can you imagine having to be the photographer?

“I need close, full body shots of the front, side, and back.”  “I need the light shining on the clothes so that you can see the details.”  “Can you get a close-up of the pockets (or straps, or whatever detail is important about said garment)?”  “Are my fat rolls showing too much?”  “Make sure I don’t have any weird wrinkles.”  “Is my hem nice and straight?”  You get the picture.  He puts up with my requests and awkward silliness while posing, and hurries to snap some photos before people walk, run, or swim into the frame.

He had already taken some photos of my Chelsea shorts earlier in the morning, and I kept my comfy shorts on when we went to hang out in a nearby city.  I wanted a better detail shot of the jeans style pockets I used, and the hedge and brick fence along a shady sidewalk looked like a good spot to take photos.  Being the good sport he is, he was more than happy to crouch down on a public city sidewalk to take a few photos of my booty!  The dog walkers and random passers-by probably thought we were a little weird, but, those are the lengths we go to for good photos!

The GreenStyle Chelsea Pants are a cute, on-trend pattern.  The legs have a nice flare at the bottom, and with bell bottoms rolling back into style again, they are a good way to ease into the look.  I am old enough to recall bell bottoms being “cool” during my childhood.  And for someone who is not quite ready to embrace the full bell trend, a nice flared pant is a great look.  If it were cold here, or rather, stayed cold here for longer than two weeks in January, a few pairs of Chelsea pants in Supplex would be the perfect addition to your work and play wardrobe.  They’ve got a seam down the center front of the legs, which gives them a slimming look.

The pattern includes a fancy two-piece pocket design, but I decided to make a simple jeans style pocket as it works better for my phone.  You’ve heard me comment on the wonders of Wash Away Wonder Tape before, and let me tell you, pockets are another great place to use it.  In the past I’ve measured, pinned, pressed, and basted the edges of my pockets under so that I could place them on my pants.  Now I measure, lightly pin, press, then put a strip of Wonder Tape in the pressed crease.  The pockets stay perfectly straight, with no possibility of getting twisted or pulled out of shape when you sew them on.  As my Dad used to say, “Having the right tools makes the job a whole lot easier.”  Wash Away Wonder Tape is a handy “tool” to have in your sewing box.

It was easy to hack the pants pattern into shorts.  I knew I wanted a 6″ inseam, which is short enough, but not too short on my long legs.  So I marked my front and back pattern pieces 7-3/8″ down from the crotch points, which gave me the 6″ inseam, an inch hem, and the 3/8″ seam allowance.  Keeping my ruler parallel with the lengthen/shorten line assured an even hem.

Besides using a different pocket design and shortening the length, the only other alteration I made was adding to the crotch depth.  I have a bit of a booty, so extending the crotch point a little bit gives my pants a little more space where I need it, and keeps me from having a “wedgie”, which is never a good look!

The pattern tutorial is easy to follow, and the pants are a pretty quick sew.  I used Phee Fabrics circular knit for this pair, and the moisture wicking fabric kept me cool and comfortable while walking around on a 96*F day.

The Studio To Street Top blogged here is a great transition piece for cooler mornings or chilly evenings, and I love the Deep-V back option.  This one is made out of circular knit, but you’d get a similar look by using Tricot.

I have three more Studio To Street Tops with long sleeves, all made out of Rayon Spandex.  Rayon Spandex Ribbing and Cozy French Terry would be some other great fabric choices for this cozy top.  They are so soft and comfortable, and are a go-to for throwing on before heading out to yoga class in the fall and winter.  If it’s past tank top weather were you live, the Studio to Street is a great style to wear with your Chelsea’s whether you choose to make them shorts or pants length.

These are so comfortable I’m probably going to have to make a pair in Supplex.  You know, for that two weeks of “winter” we get here in Florida! 🙂

This post may contain affiliate links.  This means that at no extra cost to you, I may receive a small commission/credit if you purchase through my links.  As always, I only give my honest opinion.  After all, it is my blog, which represents me! 🙂  Thank you for reading and sharing my love of sewing, patterns, fabric, and pattern mashing and hacking. ❤