Free Pattern Friday: Kid's Olli Shorts and Pants

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one . I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. I also firmly believe that pattern designers deserve to be properly paid for their work, so if you enjoy using a pattern and can afford to do so, make sure you support that designer. Some designers' websites offer the option to make a donation, alternatively you can buy one of their paid-for products. If you can't afford to do so, you can support the designer by sharing your project via social media to help draw more attention to their work. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

You know how sometimes I post about a free pattern that I road tested years ago, but have come back to because they're great? Well, you know that those patterns are definitely worth taking note of! Today's post is about one of those. I originally posted about Misusu Pattern's Olli shorts and pants pattern three years ago, when my sweet little boy was just two years old. Today he's five, still incredibly sweet, and in need of new shorts. Now he fits into the biggest size this pattern comes in, so it's basically my last chance to sew up and enjoy this excellent free pattern. I've used a number of their patterns, both free and paid-for, and they've all been a real joy to use and dress my kids in. Thanks very much to Misusu Patterns for sharing their hard work for free with this one. To get this pattern for free, you will need to join the Misusu Patterns Sew & Tell Facebook group to access a link that will automatically add the freebie discount code at check out. This pattern is also available to purchase on their site. 

(image source: Misusu Patterns)

Pattern type: 

The Olli shorts and pants/trousers patterns have a modern, baggy look and feature big side pockets and interesting panels. Pattern pieces for bow or buckle strap details are included, plus there are squillions of ways you can monkey with this pattern to create different looks. 

Sizing info: 

This pattern is graded for sizes 62 to 116, which refers to the child's height in centimetres, and roughly equates to ages 0 - 3 months to 5 - 6 years. I would DEFINITELY recommend going by height and waist measurements rather than age with this pattern. Going by height on both the occasions I made this pattern I ended up making a size smaller than Frankie's actual age, and the fit has worked out really well. 

Fabric info:

This pattern is designed for wovens, and includes cotton, double gauze, flannel, denim, ribcord (needlecord?) and linen as suggestions. This pattern is excellent for scrap-and-small-piece busting. The various panels that make up these shorts means that you can cut the pieces from weird-shaped offcuts from previous projects, or even pieced together from a mix of fabrics that are different colours or prints, but have a similar weight. I'd LOVE to make some from African wax fabric, perhaps mixing up scraps of different print designs. 

This pair photographed in this post are made using a small length of quilting cotton. I didn't have enough to concern myself with print placement particularly. The previous pair I made him using cotton/linen mix worked really well, but the black stretch denim version was a tiny bit on the thickness side. Those previous two pairs got use from another child after Frankie though. 

Findings:

This Olli pattern is a really good advert for Misusu patterns. The instructions are so clear and well illustrated, and all the pieces come together flawlessly with everything matching up as it should. I love the look and fit of the finished garments, and it's wonderful to have a pattern that can be squeezed out of leftovers and remnants that you may already own. The basic pattern itself is interesting enough that a fantastic result can be achieved without needing to add anything. However, you can also get super creative and have a lot of fun dreaming up a really unique garment. The gusset panel allows for a lot of movement which I think is really important for kid's clothes. 

Customisation ideas:

Rare is a pattern as customisable as this one! Here's some ideas:

• Go crazy with your scraps and make a mash up of different prints for each of the panels
• Alternatively, play around with colour blocking by using two or more solids fabrics
• Monkey with the rules and ignore the grainlines to make interesting effects using striped, checked or printed fabrics. I'd love to do this with needlecord
• Add single or double rows of visible, contrast topstitching. 
• Insert piping, braid, ric-rac or pom-pom trim into the vertical seams
• Apply braid, ric-rac, lace etc at the back of the top edge of the pocket piece so it peeks out from behind, or stitch it across below the opening of the pocket piece.
• Add a button and buttonhole or snaps to each pocket so they can be closed up
• Stitch on ready-made patches, or insert labels or tabs into the seam like I did with this 'Yo Mama Made It' Kylie and the Machine label (pictured above). 
• Shorten the pants version to 3/4 or 7/8 lengths for capri or clam digger styles. 

Would I make it again?

I can't remember if I used the 4-5 or 5-6 size for the anchor pair, however I'm pretty sure he'll get another summer's worth of wear after this one from these so it'll definitely be worth it to make another pair. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for leftovers from my forthcoming adult garment projects. 

Alex Jogger Pants

Yep. More rust coloured clothing. Although I've rebranded these as 'orange' because, as Frankie reminds me daily, orange is one of his two favourite colours. The other is red, FYI. Anyways, although the colour of this new creation may not surprise you, what may come as a shock is that I shelled out actual money for a kid's sewing pattern!

Pattern:

It goes to show that offering up sewing patterns for free really is a good way to get potential customers to appreciate your products, and eventually part with money for something. Misusu Patterns have a generous array of free downloadable sewing patterns. You can read my reviews of the Rowan tee pattern here and Olli shorts/pants pattern here. 

I'd liked the look of the Alex jogger pants pattern for a while, and when the pattern recently got an update and re-release (plus a discounted early bird price), I bought it. I'm a fan of the unique design of the kangaroo pockets (there are two versions of the kangaroo pocket plus a more regular hip pockets style), and the gusset to provide ease of movement. 

(image source: Misusu Patterns)

For this, my first go with this pattern, I made the version with the kangaroo pocket that extends up into the waistband, and omitted the optional waist tie to make them quicker to get on and off. If memory serves, I made the size 98 which is a bit bigger than he currently wears to give them a long lifespan, which is why they are gathering around his ankles a bit. 

I've made many a pair of leggings and joggers in my six years of parenthood so far, and I think this is the first pair I've made with a gusset. I stuck closely to the instructions and used my regular machine to insert it accurately as the instructions had you do it. Next time, however, I think I'll fudge it a little and insert it with my overlocker so there's less switching back and forth between machines, although this strategy may be a little less accurate.  

The instructions for this pattern are fantastic. The step-by-step diagrams are incredibly clear and easy to follow. Plus there's all manner of additional info on blending sizes, sewing with knits and such. 

Fabric:

I've got a sizeable stack of knit fabric leftover from previous projects that I've earmarked for the kids when they could do with something new. This speckle sweatshirt fabric in rust was originally from Fabric Godmother (they still it have it in other colourways) and was leftover from Pat's much-used Apollon sweatshirt. The contrasting forest green pieces were cut from more leftovers, this time some Ponte Roma given to me by my lovely colleague Linda. The combo came from playing about with my stash, it's not a colour combo I would have come up with in my head, but I'm very much enjoying it.

Thoughts:

I'm very pleased to have this pattern in my arsenal, not least because it goes up to approx. age 14. It's ripe for all manner of scrap busting and colour blocking, and I'm excited to play around with further possibilities in the future. However, it is a bit more complicated, and therefore time consuming, than the jogger patterns I usually use. So truth be told, I'll probably use the Alex pattern for my kids only and turn to more simple styles when making gifts. I'm already hatching plans for Frankie's next version...

Free Pattern Friday: Kids' Olli Shorts and Pants

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes a women's one. I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

If you're looking for a summer shorts pattern for younger kids that's more interesting than your standard basic shorts pattern, then if you haven't already, you're going to want to check out about the Olli pattern. Misusu Patterns have a very generous selection of free sewing patterns in their range, and after a very pleasant experience trying their free Rowan tee pattern, I was very excited to download this one also. To obtain this pattern for free, you will need to join their Facebook group, Misusu Patterns Sew & Tell, to access a code that you can then use at the checkout. Thanks Elles for offering this pattern up for free. 

Pattern type: 

The Olli shorts and pants/trousers patterns have a modern, baggy look and feature big side pockets and interesting panels. Pattern pieces for bow or buckle strap details are included, plus there are squillions of ways you can monkey with this pattern to create different looks. 

 

(image source: Misusu Patterns)

Sizing info: 

This pattern is graded for sizes 62 to 116, which refers to the child's height in centimetres, and roughly equates to ages 0 - 3 months to 5 - 6 years. I would DEFINITELY recommend going by height rather than age with this pattern. After checking his height, I ended up making a size smaller than Frankie's actual age, and the fit has worked out really well. It might not be such an issue if you live somewhere that is hot for a large portion of the year, as shorts that turn out a bit big will get worn in due course. But where we live, the shorts-wearing window of time is limited to a few months, so I really wanted to make sure I was making a garment that he could wear, like, now.

Fabric info:

This pattern is designed for wovens, and includes cotton, double gauze, flannel, denim, ribcord (needlecord?) and linen as suggestions. Let it be known that this pattern is excellent for scrap-and-small-piece busting. Frankie needed plain-ish bottoms to go with some jazzier tops, so I used leftovers of army green cotton/linen mix from my Burnside bibs, and some black stretch denim leftover from some jeggings. The various panels that make up these shorts means that you can cut the pieces from weird-shaped offcuts from previous projects, or even pieced together from a mix of fabrics that are different colours or prints, but have a similar weight. The versions I've made here are a little dull, but you could really go to town with the prints if you so wished. I'd LOVE to make some from African wax fabric, perhaps mixing up scraps of different print designs.  

Findings:

This Olli pattern is a really good advert for Misusu patterns. The instructions are so clear and well illustrated, and all the pieces come together flawlessly with everything matching up as it should. I love the look and fit of the finished garments, and it's wonderful to have a pattern that can be squeezed out of leftovers and remnants that you may already own. The basic pattern itself is interesting enough that a fantastic result can be achieved without needing to add anything. However, you can also get super creative and have a lot of fun dreaming up a really unique garment.

The Olli shorts and pants are clearly designed to be unisex garments, and initially I printed out two copies in different sizes (this PDF pattern has the layers function), one for Frankie and one for Dolores. However, after making Frankie's, I decided not to use this pattern for Dolores because she's annoyingly, stereotypically gender-minded when it comes to the fit of her clothing, and I know that sadly she wouldn't want to wear a pair of shorts with a baggy fit such as these at this point in time. 

Customisation ideas:

Rare is a pattern as customisable as this one! Here's some ideas:

• Go crazy with your scraps and make a mash up of different prints for each of the panels
• Alternatively, play around with colour blocking by using two or more solids fabrics
• Monkey with the rules and ignore the grainlines to make interesting effects using striped, checked or printed fabrics. I'd love to do this with needlecord
• Add single or double rows of visible, contrast topstitching. I used regular sew-all thread on the army green pair because I wanted a subtle look, but you could use upholstery or full on topstitching threads for a bolder effect
• Insert piping, braid, ric-rac or pom-pom trim into the vertical seams
• Apply braid, ric-rac, lace etc at the back of the top edge of the pocket piece so it peeks out from behind, or stitch it across the pocket piece just below the top edge like on Frankie's black pair
• Add a button and buttonhole to each pocket so they can be closed up
• Stitch on ready-made patches, or make your own like I did on the army green pair by using a section of woven ribbon with a cute motif
• Shorten the pants version to 3/4 or 7/8 lengths for capri or clam digger styles. 

Would I make it again?

A number of months passed between making these two versions, so technically I have already made this pattern again! But I definitely see more versions in the future. I may prep the next size up to have on hand so if I have any suitable leftovers from future projects, I can cut some pairs out in advance of next summer.