Many of you have requested a pattern for boy’s shorts. I wanted to give you something that would be easy enough for a beginner to sew but would look impressive.

The shorts pattern included with the Sketchbook Shirt + Shorts has a simple elastic waistband that can also be sewn to look like a flat waistband in the front. The mock fly looks like a more challenging (and time-consuming) zipper fly but is actually very simple to stitch. And the pleats give it an easy fit while also allowing you to press a crease into the leg for a dressy look.

Boys will like the front pockets (you’ll like them too because they’re easy to make), and the below-the-knee length is appropriate for casual or dress occasions in warmer weather.

This pattern is great for a beginners and would be rated one scissor if it were packaged by itself. So, like with the Music Class Blouse + Skirt, you could treat this pattern as a sewing class. Start with the shorts, move up to the short-sleeved shirt, and finish with the long-sleeved shirt to really develop your skills and sewing confidence.

For the shorts we recommend light- to medium-weight woven fabrics like denim, canvas, chambray, corduroy, twill, and linen.

Did you know that many of the non-natural fabrics we use (think Rayon and Tencel, among others) are actually created from natural fibers? And did you know that bamboo fabric, which is all the rage now, is actually a manufactured, not a natural, material?

If not, you might be interested in my post this month on the BurdaStyle blog.

I don’t want to tease you for too much longer. The new patterns are coming soon, really soon. They will be available on the website and will start shipping next Monday, April 5. Bear with me for one more short week of new style previews before you can get your hands on the actual patterns. This week, I have two posts that highlight our new boy’s pattern.

Last fall I asked a question on the Oliver + S Discussion Forums: What do you want to sew next?

We received lots of great feedback, and I was especially interested to see how many of you wanted to sew a classic boy’s shirt. You’re a brave bunch! Either that or you knew that I wouldn’t give you a pattern that was too difficult to finish. So thank you for the nudge you gave me toward developing this pattern.

Personally, I’ve never liked to sew shirts because the collar and band are usually very tricky to assemble. Traditional sewing techniques involve rolling the collar inside a tiny collar band, which is difficult enough with adult-sized clothing but which is virtually impossible with smaller children’s sizes. So for a little while there I decided that our discussion forum respondents were either gluttons for punishment or simply crazy.

Then I had an idea. Why not incorporate the same one-piece collar construction we’ve used in the Jump Rope Dress and the new Music Class Blouse and translate it into a boy’s shirt collar? It would eliminate the tricky collar stand assembly but still permit the collar to roll and wear the way a traditional shirt collar should.

And it worked! I’m very pleased with how much easier it is to sew this collar without compromising the finished appearance of the classic (but much more difficult) collar sewing technique. This collar can be worn open for a casual look or buttoned all the way up for a dressy or more formal appearance.  And you won’t be cursing at me while you sew it.

The easy shirt-tail hem can be worn loose or tucked in, and you have the choice of a simple short sleeve or a more challenging (but not overwhelming) long sleeve with placket and cuff. I’m quite pleased with the cuff too. It’s much easier to sew than many cuff construction techniques, without the frustration level I’ve always come to expect from sleeve cuffs.

View A includes that nifty shirt collar I mentioned above, the long sleeve with placket and cuff, and a chest pocket. We’ve sewn our sample from a printed stripe that gives a more casual appearance appropriate for school or play. But you can choose to use a solid or a classic shirting fabric with a subtle stripe or check to make a dressier version that’s just right for dressy occasions.

View B gives you the flexibility for doing some other variations on the shirt. Like the Music Class Blouse, View B of this pattern includes a band collar as well as short sleeve. Mix and match the collar, sleeve, and pocket options to create a variety of styles for all sorts of occasions–both formal and casual. Let your imagination go with this one.

For this shirt pattern, which is rated as two of four scissors in difficulty, we suggest light- to medium-weight woven fabrics like quilting cotton, broadcloth, lawn, shirting, poplin, fine-wale corduroy, and linen.

Next, I’ll show you the shorts that are also included in the pattern.

Inspiration to read together: New York Times

How long until I can get my hands on Photoshop’s new content-aware fill?: YouTube

Did you know you can burn diamonds?: PopSci

Selfish Seamstress haiku products to benefit cancer research (but wait, that’s not selfish…): The Selfish Seamstress

What happens when YouTube closes down for the night: YouTube

It’s not too late to join a Popover Sundress sew along, in French: Au Naturel (translation)

My new favorite stamps: US Postal Service

How not to complete the census form: YouTube

Trend forecast: Lunchbreath

The men and their fabulous chairs: Swiss Miss

Attention Firefox users. You already dress your kids in Oliver + S designs. Now you can dress your browser in Oliver + S too.

We’ve recently released our first two Firefox personas. One features Pearl, our spool dog. The other (shown above) features the Oliver + S paper dolls wearing our new Spring 2010 styles.

You can get them as free downloads from the Mozilla Personas site. Enjoy!

I’m really excited about this simple skirt. It looks far more impressive and difficult to make than it actually is. Believe it or not, it’s a completely appropriate project for a beginner to take on.

The skirt doesn’t have side seams but instead has princess seams that form side panels. Each side panel, in turn, has a simple pocket that is created by folding the fabric into a large horizontal pleat. Below each side panel is a pleated insert that flares a bit and can be worn with the pleats facing toward the front or back. The waistband is elasticized so the skirt can be pulled on without any fancy closures.

We recommend light- to medium-weight woven fabrics like quilting cotton, broadcloth, poplin, fine-wale corduroy, twill, denim, chambray, and linen for this pattern.

I can’t wait to make it in chambray for S this summer. She wore it in fine-wale corduroy this past winter, so it is appropriate for year-round wear depending on your fabric choice.

As I mentioned, the skirt portion of this pattern is appropriate for a beginner and would be rated one scissors if it were packaged by itself. If you’re a new sewer, you can treat the Music Class Blouse + Skirt pattern like a sewing class in an envelope. Start with the skirt, move up to the short-sleeved blouse , and finish with the long-sleeved blouse. By taking on the projects in this order, you’ll develop your skills and sewing confidence as you make some wonderful separates for the little girl in your life.