When I caught up with my lovely friend Hélène in Montréal earlier this year, she showed me a pair of vintage shorts she had bought with a really interesting construction. The shorts were floral, made from rayon, I think, and had this really interesting pocket construction which included a hidden closure. I immediately wanted a pair! Cue the Megan Nielsen Flints, and like much of the sewing world I swooned over this pattern; but my love begins and ends with the shorts. Those pants would look ridiculous on me! Every summer I think I’m going to make all the shorts and I finish up fairly discontented with whatever I produce, but not this year, oh no, I am completely besotted with the Flints.
First up is a floral pair, which I made as a wearable toile. I bought three pieces of floral fabric from the op shop including this piece, which I believe is quilting cotton. I had the smallest piece of fabric (of course!) and thus very little wastage, which always makes me really happy.
They are the easiest shorts to make, and the pattern instructions are clear and simple. This pair finished up a little large, so I threaded some elastic through the back of the waistband and it brought the waist in just enough to feel like a good fit, and it’s not at all noticeable.
These floral shorts go with so many of my tops, including the self-drafted cream top above and my green Astoria.
I love the tie closure on these shorts, and the fact that the pocket is the means by which the shorts are put on and taken off, but I find that the tie means that I either have to wear short tops or tuck in my shirts. In the photo above you might notice that lump above my left hip? Suffice it to say that it isn’t me! I have sadly resolved that future shorts will have the button closure instead of the tie.
This salmon coloured top was rubbed off from a RTW top which I wore until it fell apart, but my own version hasn’t been a massive success. The fabric is a beautiful jersey from the Morrison sale and it drapes beautifully and I’m afraid I haven’t done it justice. In this photo I had just pulled it off the line as I wanted to wear it, and now I think I should have pressed it first. I took the top to Hobart and Melbourne with me and wore it a few times, but felt that the shoulders were too wide so I’ve basically remade it since I got home and think it’s much more wearable now.
I’m not a massive fan of the tucked in look as I seem to become dishevelled quite quickly.
I also made this white pair, going down a size and lengthening the legs by 5cm, although they don’t look any longer than the floral ones!
White is a bit of a funny colour, I thought it would go with everything, but my favourite top is my eco-dyed one made from an old pillow case, which I love and wear at every opportunity.
These shorts are a little diaphanous, so I have to be careful with what I wear under them, but they are useful.
We took some truly lovely photos of the floral shorts in the Fitzroy Gardens when we were in Melbourne recently, and whilst the weather was glorious, but I managed to delete them all; so stupid. We attempted a re-enactment the next day and I was in the gardens in shorts in damp and windy weather. I did manage to enjoy the company of these two gentlemen, but I don’t think they were that interested in my Flints!
This won’t be the last you see of my Flints – I have another few pairs planned, and I have also hacked the pattern into a skirt with, I think, some success, so stay tuned.
The necklace I’m wearing in the first photo was bought from a local maker at the Fibres West retreat, I’m sorry that I don’t have her name or details, which is very careless of me, but it is beautifully made with some lovely buttons.