Boxers, as far as the eye can see

During a previous fabric.com shopping extravaganza, when I was still at work and had much more disposible income to fritter, I purchased some NFL cotton prints. What need would an Australian have for such things? Well, the leading gentleman loves him some gridiron.


I don't get it, both the love for, and the sport itself (why all the armour? It's like jousting without horses or lances), but then, he accepts my love of Project Runway and Australia's Next Top Model, and compromise is surely the key to a happy married life.

Anyway, I was going to make boxer shorts for him using Simplicity 9958, based on the positive report of the speediness of sewing by Scruffy Badger. Regardless of design, speediness is always a good thing in my book.

So I bought enough fabric for five pairs with the logos of a variety of teams (the advantage of not being American, you can be totally fickle about which team you support) and was primed and ready to sew.

Or clearly not. Possibly it was not my smartest move to purchase fabric and a new pattern three weeks before having a new baby. Possibly that was unrealistic.

No, not possibly. However, it was the project I chose to get back in the saddle after my son was born. I made the first pair as a trial. What I learned in the trial is that it is important to make sure you TURN OVER THE PATTERN PIECE before you cut the other leg. Otherwise you will end up with two left legs, and you really can't just make it work. Sorry, Tim Gunn, I tried, but it just wouldn't work. So I know these are the first pair, because the whole print running two directions is not a clever design choice.

But, in a testament to their success, these shorts were tried on and then stayed on and I wasn't able to properly finish them off (trim the last threads, sew up the gap where the elastic went in), until they had been washed.

I cut out the other four pairs, then they sat there while my overlocker was threaded with the wrong coloured thread. Yes, that's how much I love my overlocker, I use the thread in it to dictate what I sew because I don't want to change the thread. Next time I buy an overlocker I will move up a few price brackets and get a Babylock, because those things thread themselves and figure out their own tension. Probably why it cost ten times my current Aldi overlocker, because it's at least ten times more awesome. I still love you Veronica, but you have shortcomings (my overlocker is Veronica, my sewing machine is Betty).

But I digress. So I have been working my way through the prepped pairs. Two down, two to go. Then I got distracted by St Valentine's Day and the possibility of getting some fancy chocolate if I proposed some small time gift giving.

So I made some out of lovely gingham with a terribly corny appliqued love heart (it's not just a heart, it's a love heart).

I also gave sewing in sportswear elastic a go, which I think is preferred by the recipient, but my goodness it takes forever to sew in. I chose to enclose it, which is why I had to sew around the waistband EIGHT times, but you could just sew it in and have the elastic showing on the inside, because it is fairly soft.

Don't worry, I know what you are thinking, I didn't sew over the pin.

Sewing time may have been increased by sewing the shorts to the waistband. Clever.

However, to increase the desirability of wearing homemade things, I generally attempt to emulate ready to wear when sewing for others, so I folded it over, which I thought was very virtuous of me.

Yes, the tag is also hearted. It's how I roll.

I didn't even realise you could buy this elastic until I read about it on Male Pattern Boldness and it's not something readily available at shops here, but it does look a bit better, I think and I have some left, so maybe the last two pairs will get the same treatment. Maybe. Or maybe they'll sit in a ziplock bag while I sew a skirt.

Lucky IKEA make such big ziplock bags.
 Feel free to admire the side by side food choice in the background: brownies or fruit, you decide.

And now it's time for me to get ready to go to the football. Go Brumbies!