While putting away my winter wardrobe in May (yes, in Belgium we do that later 😂), I realized that none of my shorts fit me properly anymore. Either the legs were a bit short, or I wasn’t very comfortable in them; most of them are between 8 and 15 years old... I thought like Marie Kondo that it was time to thank them and say goodbye but... this summer while packing my suitcase, I realized I no longer had any shorts to hike in on vacation 😱! Disaster! 

Luckily, I had just received Fibremood special issue no. 2 with the Dahlia shorts that perfectly matched the type of shorts I was looking for! 

Alright, let me tell you about my new shorts!

The Dahlia pattern

Dahlia is the must-have short to pack in your suitcase. What I love most is that it’s high-waisted. This helps define the waist and be comfortable when running around, hiking... you don’t want low-rise shorts to keep pulling up all the time. I also like the pleats on the front which aren’t too pronounced and therefore don’t add too much volume in front. I hate when the cut of shorts makes it look like you have a big belly when it’s just the volume created by the pleat. 

Lastly, I really like the leg’s fullness that doesn’t pinch the thigh and the leg length with its charming cuff. 

Dahlia, you could say, is quite an elegant short and by choosing the right fabric you can emphasize or soften that look. 

Finally, Dahlia has side pockets (essential on shorts, in my opinion). 
It has a buttoned waistband and a fly. 

It's a very nice pattern to start making shorts and pants that are a bit more challenging. 

Practical information for sewing Dahlia

As I mentioned earlier, Dahlia is available in Fibremood special issue no. 2, currently on newsstands. 
It is rated difficulty level 2 out of 5 by Fibremood. I find this rating a bit low considering the attached waistband, buttonhole, and fly; I would have rather given it a 3 out of 5. 

As usual, Fibremood spoils us in terms of size, since Dahlia is available from 32 to 60! 

Fibremood recommends fabrics with structure like cotton twill, poplin, denim, linen, or a woven jacquard to sew this pattern. 

In the seamstress's basket

To sew Dahlia, you will need:

My supplies

To sew my version of Dahlia, I wanted to try the new 3m fabric coupons. After trying double gauze for my Léanne dress, I wanted to try cotton elastane satins. I wanted comfortable shorts that moved with me during hikes, and I thought a bit of elastane in my sewing project would be perfect! 

Also, I wanted a color that was easy to match and a pattern that wasn’t too bold so I could easily coordinate the top and bottom of my outfits. So I chose a black fabric with a repetitive beige-gold pattern. 

I used black Gütermann thread for my seams, a 15cm non-separable black YKK zipper, and a recycled button that matched perfectly with the colors of my fabric. 

Technical points

As I mentioned earlier, Fibremood rated the difficulty level 2 out of 5... for me, I think it should be more like 3 because Dahlia includes quite a few technical points:

- creating the pleats
- assembling the side pockets
- assembling the crotch and sides
- installing the fly
- attaching the waistband
- creating the buttonhole
- making the cuffs. 

It's a good pattern to learn quite a few techniques related to shorts and pants. 

Sewing experience

Sewing Dahlia is a really great sewing experience. I chose to sew it in size 36 and didn't add ease at the hips (which I had to do for my Benita pants) because the shorts are quite loose. So I recommend checking the size chart and prioritizing your waist measurement when making your choice. Plus, I chose a stretch cotton, so I wasn't worried about fitting into them. 

To be honest, some parts of assembling the fly and cuffs threw us off a bit because Fibremood offers a somewhat original assembly method. This method works but it's not the one we're used to. Next time, I would use the assembly techniques I'm familiar with. 

Other than that, nothing to report. The shorts fit perfectly and I love them! 

That's it! I'll be able to hike through Japanese forests and mountains with my pretty Dahlia shorts. And you, do you like wearing shorts in summer? 

So if you're like me, grab your needles!