50's petal shorts

Inspired by Rachel Comey's Petal Shorts but not with the means or child like obliviousness to spending money to follow through with buying $334 shorts I set out to search through my pattern collection with some encouragement from my husband cheering me on that I was capable (sometimes I'm overwhelmed by things I don't think I am good enough at, in my mind). I decided to use this 1950's McCall's pattern 3602 in size 14 for 26 1/2 waist (which I am not). For the front panels I used a french curve to add a rounded edge to the bottom of the pattern and followed it all the way to the waist which made the shorts front piece into 2 piece for each leg which I renamed front center and front side. I cut out the new pattern pieces in muslin and then cut out from the fabric I used. I added 4 inches to the waist band to make sure It was long enough and turned in the extra at one of the ends. For each of the 4 front of shorts pieces I cut out lining in the same fabric as the outside fabric. sewed front center to front center right sides together for both the left and right side same with the front side pieces. Clipped little triangles out of the extra fabric past the seam line (not all the way to the seam line, I leave 1/8th inch at least so you don't mess up the seam)(this is so the curve will correctly lay when you turn the right sides out and press with an iron). Repeat for all front pieces. Then Lay the front center pieces over the front sides overlapping 5/8th inch (helps to use a sewing gauge for this) pining the fabrics together along the way and sew together. I followed the rest of the patterns directions for the shorts improvising with the pocket to use it to use fabric covered buttons as the closure instead of the called for zipper. To do so I left the inside pocket seam open to about where the bottom button is, so it is a very small pocket but was required to get the shorts opening large enough to get into. I sewed it all except for the front seam with 1/2 inch seam width rather than 5/8th. and took in about an inch for the entire back center seam. I love them a lot.