Enlarging a Little Pair of Shorts

My DIL gave me a pair of shorts Riah loved, and looked so cute in them, but they were getting too small. I said I'll make them bigger, so they will fit her. (what was I thinking, I had no real idea how to do this) However, between then and now, I read some things here and there, saw some blogs which told about grading pattern, and saw some pictures of pattern pieces made larger - so I just combined all that into one piece and this is the results!

I didn't want to spend the time taking the shorts apart. So, I folded them carefully, so I could copy the shape of the front and the back onto some paper.

You can see where I cut apart the pattern. 1/2" each way.

I also wanted to enlarge the front outside pocket, but I didn't want to get involved with the curve, so I made my cut lines closer to the seam, and close to the curve, but just missing it.

See the dotted line on the pocket pattern underneath? That's where the waistband was. The pocket extended over the waistband, to make a belt loop.

This is the back pocket, which I also enlarged. But I only wanted to cut that corner once. So I measured out 1/2" seam allowance around one curve.

Then I folded it in half, to be sure both curves would be the same. 

I always try and make my muslins from fabrics that can be worn 'if it all turns out ok' :) I happen to have about 10 yards of this fabric, so if I need to make another pair, I can still use the same fabric, which is so 'little girl' :) 

The fly wasn't 'real' so I need to know where to sew my seam up the front. Handy dandy bendable ruler works for that! 

 

 

I wanted a front waistband and a back waistband. The back waistband had elastic in it, and the front had the belt loops from the pockets and a button above the fake fly. 

You can see here where I need to cut (pencil mark) for the waistband. I cut this length and 3" wide, so I could fold it over. If it had been a 'real' pair of shorts, I would have put interfacing inside that front waistband. 

Sewed the front fake fly. 

And pinned on the waistband

Now, these pockets. I really didn't want to mess with turning under that curve on two pockets. 

So, I cut out 4 of them, and sewed them together, right sides together, trimmed the edges close, clipped the inside seams and turned them inside out and pressed them. Much easier. 

Added the pockets, sewed around the outside edge, and right at the waistband. (click on the pictures to make them bigger, you'll see what I mean.)

Decided to do the same to the back pockets. But before I turned them right side out, I folded over the edges and pressed. That way, when I turned the right side out, they would be all ready to stitch closed. 

See? :) 

All ready for her to try on. The back waistband has the elastic in it, I just need to adjust it around her tummy!

The original shorts.