drove to the coast today and was spoiled by the views. rugged coastline, endless green hills, flowers from the recent rain, barely any civilization in sight – it was an absolute dream. i took my camera and my latest lander shorts along on the trip, hoping to take pictures of the shorts, but i ended up with more pictures of the stunning landscape. i’m not complaining at all though, because sometimes i need a trip outdoors to remind me of all the beauty and vastness in this world beyond my little bubble. it’s safe to say that this little excursion completely satisfied my need.

i made these striped lander shorts as a wearable muslin. i made a pair last summer out of some flimsy linen that was quite tight and i didn’t enjoy wearing them much. when i found this nice sturdy canvas in my closet, i decided to try again, this time grading between sizes (a first!) and sewing a zipper fly (another first!). both worked wonderfully and i’m quite happy with the result, though i’m keen to try again because the waist band on this pair is too loose and needs to be synched tightly with a belt. fitting really is like goldilocks – too loose, too tight, and hopefully just right on the third try! i’m getting better at fitting, and making clothes i really like (i hope), and i’ve come to accept that it takes practice and the only way to get better is to just make more clothes. it’s a hard truth for my wallet, but thrifting has made that barrier much easier, and now i just have to find the time between all the typical junior year testing i’ve got to do first! maybe if i manage my time really well…

details:

·    pattern: lander shorts by true bias
·    size: 8 at the waist and 10 at the hem
·    fabric: an old canvas curtain found in my closet
·    notes: too big at the waist, make a size 6 waist next time, rolled the hem