Hello all! This very skirt is very much all about the fabric. I found this amazing multicoloured woven cotton fabric for 10 pounds a metre in a local fabric shop which I had no idea existed. I could have bought half of the shop, but settled for this fabric because it was special.
It's medium-weight to heavy-weight and I was originally going to make a Chardon with it, but I decided that it was too heavy and the box pleats just wouldn't hang right. I settled for a simple mini skirt which would showcase the amazing weave of the fabric. The stripes are actually vertical, and going in the same direction as the grainline, but I preferred the stripes going horizontally so I cut it on the cross-grain instead.
I'm so chuffed with the stripe matching on this project. Can you spot the seam?! I can't!!! And the darts are almost invisible which is fab. The pattern I used was New Look 6335 which I've used a number of times before. I thought I'd got the fit right after a couple of cm's was shaved off each side seam, but I had to take even more out. To be honest, I could have done with taking even more out!
I used a yellow zip, because I will never make a yellow piece of clothing, and it co-ordinates well with the yellow in the skirt. It was hand-picked for accuracy. I love how many colours are in the skirt because it means that it goes with pretty much everything!
I wanted to make the skirt really special. Something that will be worn loads and last a long time. I overlocked all of the pieces separately and pressed all of the seams open. I also lined it by attaching it right sides together at the waist seam, understitching and turning it inside the skirt. The lining was then handpicked to the zip from the inside so it should be doubly secure! The hem was bias bound right sides to right sides, turned to the inside and slip-stitched in place.
I haven't actually blogged the cardigan and the shirt, both of which I made last year so I'll quickly talk about them now. The shirt is a
Grainline Archer which I made at the same time as my navy one. It's sleeveless, so was taken in quite a bit at the underarm to stop gaping. For the cardigan I used the basic tee pattern from Wendy Mullins Sew U Home Stretch and adapted it to get the open front.
We couldn't resist an action shot...
Thanks very much for reading and to Beth for very kindly taking this weeks pictures!
Lauren xx
