Catch the Summer Vibe with Big Island Board Shorts!!!

 

Melissa at Blank Slate Patterns has done it again... she has created adorable patterns with a clean finish that not only teach me new things, but bring me back to my childhood (particularly the Retro romper - I swear I wore that as a child!!!)  Her New summer set is called 'Summer Vibe' and it just released TODAY!!!

I had the pleasure of testing the Big Island Board Shorts and I am in love with them.  Not only does the bias tape enclose the side seams, it also encloses the hem which means dear readers.... NO HEMMING!!!  These fit in perfectly with her other designs allowing for the blank slate of clean and simple or revving up your engine and going hog wild with prints, appliques, painting techniques, etc.....  Umm, you can see where my design aesthetic leans ;o)  The other thing I love about this pattern is that they are completely age appropriate through the whole sizing range.  They aren't baby-ish and they aren't grown up... they are simply that perfection that lies somewhere in the middle and are a pattern that I can use every year until they grow out of the size range!

Look at this little man:

So happy and proud in his shorts!!!

My only issue at all in making these board shorts was finding the materials.  I only have a Joann's and Walmart local to me for fabric resources.  Neither had ANY of the needed materials - ruffle scruffle shanken poop!  As a tester, I didn't have time to order in fabric, so to my secret stash (aka hubby's closet) I went.  Luckily for me he has dropped an astounding amount of weight in the last year and had some almost brand new swim trunks from last summer that will in no way shape or form stay up on his hips any longer.  Wohoo for me, the perfect fabric AND mesh swim lining all in one - SCORE!!!

some close ups:

Seriously this whole line is so cute - go check them all out and get sewing for your kiddos TODAY!!!