project : fruit print shorts

 Craftsmanship is important on the inside too!

 Lace tape finishing for waist and hem

 

 Closeup of the tag my mom got me for Christmas one year!  And then a closeup of the fabric. 

This was a fun and instant-gratification type of project.  I was inspired initially by the Prada and Stella spring shows (banana and citrus fruit prints) so when I saw this fabric in the clearance section at the store I grabbed it!  I used my own drafted pant sloper to create the shorts.

Pattern: own

Fabric: stretch sateen, printed on the face side only
Features: 2" inseam, invisible side zipper, two front and back darts, clean finish on waist and hem (no topstitching), serged interior, lace tape edge finishing (all detail work hand stitched)


Wore them to the DMV today (oh what a happy place)!  Of course, they did not appear in my picture (which wasn't half bad).  They are very comfortable.  However the stretch quality in the fabric loosened slightly with wear; when I preshrunk the fabric I washed with cold water (I always use cold - better for the garment and environment!) but I may consider washing these regularly to prevent bagging.  Always something to consider with slight stretch garments!

Would I use this pattern again?  Absolutely.  Bring on the crazy prints!

obsession : fruit prints

Possibly the most-talked-about print of the spring season was Prada's ridiculous and wonderful banana print (well, the whole show was perfection in my opinion, but that's me). 

 Perfectly bold and graphic.  Had then been smaller, it might have looked garish.  

Stella McCartney was on the same brainwave - bright, punchy, and totally different.

 

Very contrasting to Miuccia's print - photographic and realistic, and with a computer-graphic type symmetry.

That last print hasn't left my mind since I first saw it.  At the fabric store today, I was browsing the clearance section after having picked up a mint georgette for my draping final (think sheer, gathers, column shape - pics soon).  I stopped mid-step when I saw an outlandish white fabric with a lemon and lime print.  Are these going to become shorts?  What else would they be.

 

 

That is exactly the fabric right there.  High-waisted shorts with no waistband; invisible side zipper, darts in front and back, no cuffs.  Just totally clean.  Can you picture this with a sheer white jersey tank?  Summer heaven. 

Just for a little fun:

 

Great minds think alike - top from Zara.