It’s been a summer of new silhouettes for me, first with my Sallie Maxi Dress and then my Charlie Caftan. In keeping on the Closet Core train, next up (and possibly my last make of the summer) was a pair of Pietra Shorts in a perfect black tencel twill bottom weight from Stylemaker Fabrics.
I have never been much of a shorts person, but I made a wearable muslin of the Carolyn Pajama Shorts last year and I love the way they fit. If they didn’t look like pajama bottoms so much, I would probably wear them out of the house. Enter the Pietra Shorts!
Details
Pattern
Closet Core Patterns Pietra Shorts
Fabric
Tencel Twill Solid Bottom Weight Black from Stylemaker Fabrics
Size traced and sewn
- Size 14
- View C shorts
Pattern adjustments
- Lengthened inseam 1.5″
Construction notes
This pattern is listed as for advanced beginners. I found the construction to be really straight forward and a fun, quick make as a result. The pocket construction especially is pretty cool. The one thing that came up for me is that there was no lengthen or shorten line for the inseam (only for the the rise, which is plenty high to begin with I thought). Based on my wearable muslin of my Carolyn Pajama Shorts, which I had also lengthened, I knew I wanted to lengthen the inseam 1.5″. Since the Carolyn Pajama Shorts have a cuff, I simply lengthened the bottom of the short front and back pieces the desired amount. Since there wasn’t a line on the Peitra shorts, I just drew one 3.5 inches up from the bottom—on pattern pieces I, K, and L—and added 1.5 ” and it worked perfectly!
Fit
I am smitten with the length in these. I didn’t want these to be too short or too long and I think I nailed it. The length is exactly where I wanted it to be. The front lays nice and flat and I love the slanted hip pockets.
Final Thoughts
These were exactly what I needed in my wardrobe. They are super comfy, great in the heat (this tencel is the perfect weight), and because they are solid black, they go with everything!
