Pattern Battle: Burda 6741 vs. Simplicity 1021 Pajama Shorts for the man

  Burda 6741 view D

measurements at the time: actual waist: 47 pants waist: 44 hip 46.5

Size sewn: straight 48

Date started and finished: December 24 2023

Fabric: 2 yards required; no fabric width given but cotton is listed as an acceptable fabric. I used this amazing Dwight Schrute, The Office, Cotton Woven that I purchased 04/30/2023 from Marshall Dry Goods.  it is labeled “45" CAMELOT FABRICS OFFICE SCHRUTE BUSINESS” 100% Cotton, SKU: 96090109-01, 2 Yards, $4.99/yard. Troy is an enormous Office Fan so he loved the fabric print.

A 5/8-inch Seam Allowance is hidden in the very beginning of the instructions and no elastic measurement is given

There is no cut diagram, so do I cut one or two of the waistband?? It says cut one on fold on a tiny part of the pattern piece - no fold arrows, no fold lines. After a bit of head scratching, I figured it out -you fold it in half like a hot dog, the long way. Then cut it on the fold - this tiny little long piece, and then open it with fold in the middle of the piece - not on an end like normal patterns. If you were to do it this way, Burda, why not just have the pattern piece flat with no fold! It is really odd.

The waistband ends up being 25 inches long for the largest size, but the largest waist is 45.75 inches? There is no “cut 2” or anything. I used my better judgement and cut 2.

I used 31 inches of no roll elastic 3/4 inch wide. Initially I used 44 inches of elastic that a previous pattern suggested, and worked, but the man changed his mind during try-on and preferred them really tight - because he has no rear to hold up his pants.

The hems are a narrow 1/4 inch on the legs, gross. So, add 1/4-inch next time to do at least ½, though I would prefer an inch hem.

Buttonholes: step #19 says “put in buttonholes” that's it, no further instruction where or how, apparently to insert cording. But that is not shown on the diagram or covered in any of the instructions.

step 12 to 13 - No instructions to under stitch the pocket seams to the pocket side, remember to do this next time. Also, clean up with serging on the straight edge of pockets before attaching or you will regret it later.

I thought instructions in the Burda magazine were terrible, you would think it would be a little bit better in the paper envelope, but the instructions were just terrible. It's easy enough to sew shorts, but if I was a beginner, I would need more instruction.

 

The man's thoughts: he prefers knits. He says cotton is scratchy and he's not really fond of it. His favorite shorts are the Greenstyle Hamptons that I made a while back in 2018; he wears them nonstop. Those would be his perfect pattern. He also doesn’t like that these don't have a fly and he wishes there was a fly. However, they fit well, and the length is good, and the crotch is nice and snug, not droopy.

Simplicity 1021 View C

measurements at the time: actual waist: 47 pants waist: 44 hip 46.5

Size sewn: straight 48

Date started and finished: 01/20/24

The pattern gives no waist measurement only a hip measurement. I sized up to extra-large because the pattern gave me the measurement of 47 - 49 inch hip for XL and 43 - 45 inch hip for L

HOWEVER the actual pattern piece says extra-large 46 - 48 inches for hip and it lists a finished measurement of 53 inches on the hip

Also, no fabric requirement was listed for just the shorts.

 

Pieces 7,8,9,10 and 11 are for the shorts All of the pattern pieces were on one sheet except piece #11, WHY? Piece #11 is the elastic length guide, why is it not on the sheet with every other pattern piece I don't know, however, for extra-large it is 1” x 41” for pattern piece #11, the elastic guide. Made absolutely no sense to unfold a huge flimsy pattern sheet for just that measurement.

I started with two yards, and I had 11 inches leftover, so I would say 2 yards are needed for the shorts. Thanks, Simplicity, for not saying how many yards I needed for just the shorts.

Fabric: 45" Camelot Fabrics Looney Tunes That's All Folks, purchased from Marshall Dry Goods on 06/27/23, 2 yards for $4.99/yard.

Shading in the instructions drove me crazy because it's wrong!! It's opposite - right side up was shaded and wrong side up was white, when it should be the other way around - so I was getting confused and I kept looking at the beginning and the beginning of the instructions show, like every pattern, RSU white and WSU is shaded.

There is no instruction to have you stabilize the fly where the snaps or buttonholes go. At step 5-6, in the future, stabilize at the fly where the buttonholes or snaps go.

The Pattern does have a nice 1-inch hem on the legs.

Overall, these instructions were better than the Burda instructions - besides the shading mess up. These also have a real fly, which is nice, however I knew right away that they weren't going to be a favorite for my husband for the exact reasons he lists below.

 

The man's thoughts: he doesn't like scratchy cotton; he likes knits better as above. These pajama shorts also have a very droopy crotch, yet very short legs and are very poofy in the legs, too. He was reminded of his grandpa's old boxer shorts for this pattern. He does not like it. He does not want me to make it ever again. He prefers his shorts to reach his knees. He grew up in the 90s and early 2000s, so he likes things long. He does not like the length of these short shorts.

Side by Side Comparison:

There you have it, the winner is Burda 6741 even though the instructions are terrible, there's no real fly, and they aren’t knit. (it's easy enough to change it to a real fly, but the instructions are still terrible) Since my husband prefers knit fabric, I won't be making either of these again. Unfortunately, I had other flannel and cotton fabrics for him in my stash…… I guess I get to find other uses for them.

Happy Sewing!

Kristin