Welcome back for the second day of the Clipper Shorts Sew Along!  Did you get your fabrics cut out yesterday, and construct the pieced shorts if you’re using that option?  Check the post for Day 1 if you need to catch up.

Today is constructing the fly for the different options on the Clipper Shorts: we’ll talk about the faux fly first, then the half fly, and the easiest is last with no fly.  If you’re adding pockets to the front that’s today as well.  I’m trying to follow along with the steps in the tutorial, so you’ll see that the fly construction begins at Step 4.

Fly Construction

Shorts B: faux fly

Step 4:

Using your preferred marking tool, make a smooth line from the “T” marking at center front to the drill hole near the bottom of the fly extension.

Steps 5-6:

With right sides together (RST), sew along the marked line and continue along the front inseam to the crotch edge.  Clip below the fly extension towards the drill hole to free the fly extension, making sure not to clip into the stitching line.

Finish the edge using your preferred method.  If serging, either disengage the knife or carefully fold the parts ahead of the blade out of the way.

Steps 7-9:

Press the seam allowances and the fly extension to the wearer’s left.  A tailor’s ham or rolled up towel will help support the curve while pressing.  Using the pattern piece if helpful, mark a curved line along the edge of the fly extension.

Topstitch along the center front seam and inside the marked curve of the fly extension.  The curved line can be a single line of stitching like shown, or a double line using a twin needle or two separate lines stitched carefully.

If you want to make bar tacks: horizontally where the stitching at the fly extension meets the topstitching at the center front and vertically approximately 1″/2.5cm from the top along the stitching at the fly extension.

The faux fly is all done – if you’re adding front pockets you’ll skip down to that section below.  If not adding front pockets, you’re done for the day!

Shorts C: half fly

Step 10:

With RST, sew along the angled bottom edge of the fly guard.  Turn right side out and press.

Step 11 (and 13-14):

On the wearer’s right front, align the fly guard to the right side with raw edges aligned and positioned at the top.  Sew the fly guard in place.  Finish the entire length of the inseam of this side of the shorts front.

Steps 13-14: On the wearer’s left front, clip below the fly extension towards the drill hole to free the fly extension.Finish the edge using your preferred method.  If serging, either disengage the knife or carefully fold the parts ahead of the blade out of the way.

Step 12:

Press the fly guard towards the center front.  Topstitch in place.

Step 15:

I apologize for not having photos of the next several steps.  I thought I had captured every step when photographing, but missed these.

Press the fly extension to the “T” marking at center front, making a smoothly curved line to the drill hole marking below the fly extension.

Step 16:

Using the pattern piece if helpful, mark a curved line along the edge of the fly extension on the right side.

Step 17:

Topstitch inside the marked curve of the fly extension.  The curved line can be a single line of stitching, or a double line using a twin needle or two separate lines stitched carefully like shown.

Step 18:

With RST, sew the shorts fronts together from the crotch to (or slightly beyond) the drill hole at the bottom of the fly extension.

Step 19:

Press the center front seams to the wearer’s left.  A tailor’s ham or rolled up towel will help support the curve while pressing.  Topstitch from the crotch edge to the curved stitching along the fly.  If you want to topstitch the center edge of the fly opening, fold the right side and fly guard out of the way first.

The half fly is all done except for the bar tacks that will be added after the waistband is attached.  If you’re adding front pockets you’ll skip down to that section below.  If not adding front pockets, you’re done for the day!

Shorts A: no fly

Step 20:

With RST, align the two shorts front pieces at the center front seam.  I carefully matched my plaid here since this is where it will be most apparent.  Sew the front rise from the waist edge to crotch.  Finish seam allowances.  Press seam allowances to the wearer’s left (to the right when looking at the shorts’ right side).  A tailor’s ham or rolled up towel will help support the curve while pressing.

Step 21:

Topstitch from the crotch edge to the waist edge.

If you’re adding front pockets you’ll skip down to that section below.  If not adding front pockets, you’re done for the day!

Front Pockets

Step 22:

To add piping or other trim to this seam as an accent, baste it onot the pocket edge of the shorts front before sewing the pocket lining pieces.  A piping foot makes this easy, or a zipper foot helps get close to the piping.

With RST and matching notches, align and pin the pocket lining to the pocket edge of the shorts.  Sew.

Step 23

Flip the pocket lining pieces to the wrong side of the shorts front.  Line up the notches and roll the seam slightly to the backside for the non-piped version.

Step 24

Topstitch along the angled edge of the pockets.

Step 25

With RST, align and pin the pocket bag pieces to the pocket lining pieces.  Move the pockets away from the shorts front and sew along the curved edges.  Finish the edges, again moving the shorts front out of the way.

Step 26

Matching notches at the top and sides, baste the outside edge and across the top edges to hold the pockets in place.

Day 2 is in the bag!

Tomorrow we’ll be going over the optional back welt pockets, and sewing the shorts front and back together.  Share your in progress Clipper Shorts on Instagram with hashtag #clippershortspattern and tag me @jennuinedesign.