A few months ago I visited the Bentley TAFE design shop (of interest to anyone from Perth) and bought, among other things, this Jersey Lomellina which I thought would be perfect for making some summer exercise clothes. I happened to google Jersey Lomellina to see what it was – it’s a company which manufactures high tech fabric, and it looks expensive, so I am pretty happy with my $3 a metre purchase!
I dragged it out of my stash the other day and Archie thought it would make great boardies (with white topstitching). Tom also expressed an interest but wasn’t fussed about detailing, so two pairs of boardies were ordered. Tom’s were first to be made. I kept them simple, added a bit of length to the legs and put in the in-seam pockets à la handmadebycarolyn’s excellent tutorial. You’ll be pleased to know that it works just as well for a slippery, stretchy fabric as well as a woven (I’ve now done both, will be blogging the woven very soon)!

I managed to get hold of Tom for a photo shoot, but the boardies needed to be shortened, so he vanished again, but little brother was a (grumpy) substitute model.  

Sorry about his state of undress but I literally grabbed him and made him do this – note his own shorts at his feet! I also objected to the undie display but it proved impossible to hide them for some reason.

I didn’t even have to ask him to turn around, he just did a slow rotate for me 🙂 I used the flash, which was a mistake because I can see my shadow on him, however I wasn’t brave enough to request a reshoot!

There is a barely discernible back pocket secured with velcro so he can have a swim/surf with coffee money kept intact. I had to include the next photo because he is giving those pockets such a good workout!

The details:

Pattern is Butterick 4664 printed in 1987

Fabric is Jersey Lomellina from the Bentley TAFE Fashion Design Shop

Model is youngest son, Archie!