Sometimes after thinking things over, you just have to make a change! As I was working on the pocket tutorial for the Mud Puddle Splashers last night I was reflecting on the pattern itself and wondering if a little update might be in order. The pattern is going together really nicely, and I’m thrilled that everyone is enjoying it. Most people have been skipping the faux fly, though, and I love the look of the shorts with it. It occurred to me that the faux fly had a few steps that really aren’t necessary. Another thing that was bugging me is that when you topstitch the back rise on the smallest two sizes it takes away a bit of the diaper room. (Some kids in toddler sizes don’t need diaper room, but a lot, like my Charlie, still do!) So, this morning, I made a few modifications to the instructions to speed up the finishing of the faux fly, removing the topstitching of the back rise and shortening the topstitching of the front rise to just the section adjacent to the fly. Nothing major, but it’ll give the same finished look faster, and it’ll keep that little bit of extra bum room for diapered little ones.
No worries at all, if you’ve sewn according to the original instructions! My two little guys have a collection of shorts sewn that way, and we love them!
Just click on the picture below for the updated pdf. If you just want to print the pages with the changes, you’ll want pages 5 and 6. (Just reiterating here that the pattern itself has not changed, just the instructions for finishing the faux fly version.) The original MPS post has the updated link and the original link has been removed, so feel free to continue referring your friends straight there. Oh, and please spread the word about the updated, easier-to-finish faux fly!
As a weird aside, WordPress thinks that “faux” is not a word. I actually just went and Googled it because I was suddenly afraid that I was unknowingly using a word that isn’t really a word. According to Websters, it is in fact a word: faux, meaning “imitation, not genuine or real”. Whew! Okay, back to your regularly scheduled day. I’ll be back around lunch time with the back pocket addition to the Mud Puddle Splashers!
Hahaa! I did the same thing about googling faux when I typed it! LOL! 🙂 Thanks for all your work on this great pattern!
Thanks for the update. I’m all for easier-to-finish! Woohoo!
cutting out a few pairs of shorts today for Hopeful Threads, I’ll be trying out the faux fly and back pocket details now! thanks for all the time you put into this pattern.
Its a French word that means false, not true.
I also attached the pocket to the shorts and cut it in one step- something I learned from a book by Nancy Zieman many years ago. Also gets rid of the bulk. Just thought I would pass that along. The pattern was straight forward and easy to follow.Thanks for sharing it Bonnie. Will do the faux fly with the next ones I make for the project.
Carol