Pattern Review: Deer & Doe Goji Shorts

Hello everyone! My name is Tereza and I adore sewing. It is truly my sanity saver, since I recently had twin boys and am crazy busy. Living in Florida, my sewing focus is on natural fibers and styles that look great while chasing a five-year-old and changing the twins’ diapers. I’m an infrequent blogger at Sewing For Me, so feel free to stop in and drop me a line.

Today, I’m reviewing one of the newest Deer and Doe patterns. While I’ve loved Deer and Doe’s patterns for years, I was over the top end of their sizes until now. Last month, the beloved French pattern company released three new patterns in extended sizes: Goji Shorts/Skirt, Hoya Blouse, and the Luzerne Trench Coat, plus added sizes to their free Plantain tee. I bought all three new patterns the day they posted the PDFs for sale, then immediately cut out the Goji shorts.

Pattern’s Size Range: 34-52 (hips 33.75”-48”) C Cup and Hourglass morphology

What are your measurements, height, and body type?  I’m 5’2”. Bust 42”, waist 38” and hips 49.5”. I am a pear, but right now I’m postpartum by 3 months, so my abs are still recovering and my tummy sticks out more CF so maybe an apple/pear.

What size did you make? I am a 48 in their tops and 52 in their bottoms. I made the Goji shorts in straight size 52.

What adjustments did you make and how long did they take? Initially, I lengthened the CB seam .75” at top of the inseam and 1” at the CB waistline for my fully booty and thighs. I also added 5” in length at the lengthen/shorten leg line because I thought that they would be a tad too short with the original designer length (roughly 4” inseam). I had to further fit them, removing 1” using the front 2 princess seams, and am still not really happy with the front situation.

The “high waist” came up so high, the original paper bag waistband ended up almost at my bust apex, so I chopped the waistband down to a single channel elastic waistband for 1” elastic with no “paper bag” effect. In the end, I cut out the shorts crotch seam and stitched up a straight CF and CB seam to create a skirt that I wear lower than the designer intended (around my belly button, rather than under my bra strap). Overall, I like the photos of my front view in the shorts sitting around my belly button before adding the waistband.

 
What fabric did you use? I used a soft 43% rayon and 57% linen blend that was 48” wide. I needed 2.5 yds. The pattern includes linen as a recommended fabric, but I think they were imaging the skirt in that, not the shorts.
What was the construction process like? Did the instructions make sense to you? The instructions were organized in a unique fashion with pockets being Part 1 with 4 steps labeled 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, & 1.4. This felt odd to me as I haven’t seen this from other pattern companies, but it worked well enough. Otherwise, the illustrations and directions were well done, understandable, and easy to follow.
How do you like the pattern’s fit? Do you think the design works well for your particular body shape? No, I do not like the fit of the high waistband nor do I think the design works well for me as it makes my silhouette feel so bottom heavy. I think there’s a reason why the designers/pattern website only showcase the skirt version on the plus size model. The shorts remind me of my maternity shorts. On the plus side, the pockets are amazing! They are big, yet they lay flat so they don’t bulk up my hips more than the fabric and ease already do.

Will you make the pattern again? If so, what fit or design changes will you make? If I use this pattern again, I would try the shorts in a light floaty fabric like rayon challis, so it drapes closer to my body. Then, I would chop off the high waistline. I would like to play with the skirt variation more, because it is cute and I LOVE the pockets! I wish there were waistline and hipline marks on the paper pattern to make knowing where everything should sit easier when adjusting for someone several inches shorter than the model.
Do you have any advice on this pattern for other curvy sewers? Are there any sources (blog posts, fitting books, tutorials) that helped you sew this piece up? This short style is very tricky for someone who doesn’t want to wear short shorts or isn’t comfortable tucking in their shirts to show off the waist. It took two weeks of my sewing time (mom of three here) and I’m still not happy with them. My husband saw me fitting the shorts and asked if I was trying to fix my “potato bag.” He’s never busted out laughing when he’s seen a project in the fitting stages until now. Ultimately, it is a comfy skirt, but the short style just isn’t for my short self with a big butt and heavy thighs.

Pattern Rating: (1 is the lowest score, 5 the highest)
Size Range: 4 – I am so happy to see Deer and Doe moving into plus sizing. Overall, the pattern does fit even if the style is terrible on me, which means if they go back and grade their other patterns up to plus size, I would most likely invest in the Chardon skirt and a few of their dresses.
Instructions: 5– The instructions were clear and illustrated well.
Construction Process (1-5): 3 – I found the mock fly on the shorts unnecessary and a little difficult to construct. It felt like maybe there was a mark missing or it needed a better diagram. Otherwise, all the pieces went together beautifully. I’ve never seen a pocket constructed like this and they were fun to sew.
Final Fit: 1 -The crotch did fit but the waistband came up so high! The overall ease seems like way too much.
Overall Rating: 2 – if the style works for your body and you pick a light drapey fabric, the shorts might work. The skirt is more straightforward and was an easy sewing project, but the shorts just didn’t satisfy my taste or work on my body.