Timey-Wimey Skirt

Back in the spring, JoAnn's put out a line of Doctor Who fabrics, and apparently they sold like hotcakes because I found myself impulsively driving waaaaaay OTP (Outside The Perimeter, aka the 'burbs) to go to the only JoAnn's in greater metropolitan Atlanta with any left in stock. I literally stole the bolt off a pallet of new merchandise tucked in the corner, removed the wrapping and nonchalantly presented it to the lady at the cutting counter, who asked me what the blue boxes were among all the pretty swirls. I tried to explain, but sometimes Muggles just don't understand the need to make skirt celebrating a British sci-fi show.

I'd say the trip was worth it! This is my third iteration of Simplicity 2226 (Version 1 and Version 2). It's the perfect pattern for stiffer quilting cottons and prints that might be a bit much as a full dress, so I returned to it again. I love a good pattern repeat.

This time I got smart about the excessive ease in this pattern and sized down to a 10 in the waist.  Halfway through I became nervous that it would be too tight if I had a big lunch and let it back out a bit on the side seams and center back. It's a little big now but my measurements have fluctuated over the past year and better safe than sorry. Other than that, I made all the same changes as my previous comic book version, so not much to say about construction. The print is really the star of the show anyway.

I must have re-done the gathers three times over a couple of days. Gathers, it seems, will always be my Achilles heel. Invisible zip? No problem. Smooth dart points? I'm on it. Gathers? Well, settle in, because it's going to be a looooong afternoon.

As always, the pockets are my favorite part. The construction is cleverly done, so you have roomy pockets without bulk. Exactly what you need to go on timey-wimey adventures.

Pattern repeats are awesome

Recently I made up new versions of two patterns I've used in the past, the Sewaholic Renfrew and Colette Beignet. It was a good reminder of just how much I like returning to old patterns. You're really free to enjoy the experience when you take the sizing guesswork out!

First up, I made this Renfrew out of an impulse addition to my Girl Charlee cart. It's completely ridiculous and makes me laugh every time I wear it. Best $6.50 ever spent.

I think I've got the Renfrew fit alllllmost perfect. This time I did a size 8 in the shoulders, a 6 in the bust and then blended to a 4 in the hips. I also did a 1/2" broad back adjustment using Sunny's method like I have in the past, but somehow it still felt really tight in the shoulders/armpits and I had to let it out. I saw a different method in the most recent issue of Threads magazine that I'm going to try next time around.

I also tried interfacing the hem with lightweight Stitch Witchery before I used my twin needle, and it came out so much better than the hem on my Lady Skater did with Wonder Tape. I'll be sticking with interfacing in the future, especially for lighter weight knits. 

I was inordinately proud that I was able to squeeze this out of a single yard of fabric without sacrificing pattern matching. I did a Breakfast Club-style air fist when I was left with my teeny tiny pile of scraps. I felt like such a cutting wizard! Or, maybe more appropriately, like a Boss Witch.

Secondly, I finished my Colette Beignet do-over! I was gutted last fall when my special birthday outfit turned out to be such a bust. Luckily I had enough corduroy left over to give it another go, and this time it came out much, much better!

The first version came out too big, and in attempt to make it fit better I cinched the waist and ended up with crooked buttons. This time I sewed up a straight size 4, and the fit is much improved. I worked really hard to get the buttons straight and even, but they're still not perfect and my eye starts to twitch if I look too closely. My machine has a 4 step buttonhole, and it's hard to be 100% consistent every time no matter how carefully you make your markings. Still, it's at least not in-your-face wonky like the first version, so I'm calling it a win.

I'm still not convinced that this is the most flattering silhoutte for my figure, but it's nice to know that I am capable of sewing this intermediate pattern. Sometimes I just need to prove to myself I CAN do a thing, so that I know in the future I'm choosing not to do it because I really don't want to, not because I'm afraid to fail.

It's funny looking back at how difficult I found this pattern to be a year ago. I really struggled with the lining and the waistband, and this time I didn't find it that challenging, just time consuming. It was a really gratifying, tangible example of how much my skills have grown in the past year, and it makes me even more excited to take on new projects and new challenges. Next up, Ginger Jeans in stretch corduroy!

Colette Beignet

Hello again! It's been a while, hasn't it? I've been going to Halloween parties and birthday dinners, playing about a thousand rounds of this game, knitting and frogging my miette cardigan by turns (ugh fitting), and reading like a demon. You know, the usual.

I've also been fitting in some sewing here and there, and have spent the past month or so working on a Colette Beignet. After admiring the corduroy beignets by Andrea of Four Square Walls and Shona Stitches, I decided to hop on the ripoff train and make one myself (thanks ladies!).

It's a well drafted pattern and the instructions are pretty clear. All of my issues were, as usual, of my own making. I think after the success of my chambray shirt dress I got a little overambitious. I could knit pick my beignet death, so suffice it to say that the finish just isn't as nice as I want it to be. I mean, it's probably nicer than anything at Forever21 or H&M, but the whole point of sewing for myself is to exceed that (very) low bar.

Like others have pointed out, this was pretty time consuming, between the multiple panels, lining, pockets and twelve (twelve!!) buttons. The pattern is definitely intermediate, and I found it to be challenging throughout. It didn't help that I picked a fussy fabric that requires careful pressing and shows every ripped stitch. I do like the pockets though, and the panels are flattering.

I cut a size 8 in the waist and then graded down to a 6 in the hips, as recommended by the size chart. It's a little loose in the waist, so I probably should have cut a straight 6. It is pretty comfortable though, and as Tasia from Sewaholic always points out, you need room to eat a big lunch. Which is pretty important when you've got leftover butternut squash lasagna to devour. I did try to cinch it in at the waist a little bit, and now the buttons don't line up (argh!). If you see me on the street, pretend you don't notice, okay?

I used quilting cotton for the facings to reduce bulk. This floral print already in my stash from my remnants haul from Fabric World, and I love how it came out.

Overall, I'm kind of disappointed in this one. I'm not sure that it was the best choice for my figure, or match between pattern and fabric. Maybe I should have chosen a darker colored corduroy? What really tears me up is that my mom sent me the pattern and money for fabric for my birthday. After such a thoughtful, generous gift, and weeks of work, I feel terrible that the final result is so meh.

Chalk it up to a lesson learned. On the bright side, this only took a little over a yard of 60" fabric, so I think have enough to make a Grainline Moss skirt. On we go!

Comic Book Skirt

Hello again! I recently finished a second version of Simplicity 2226, in a really fun print. Inspired by Cindy of Cation Design's geek dresses and Leila of Three Dresses Project's Comic Book Hummingbird skirt, I decided to make one up myself for Dragon Con.

Okay, okay, this might be quilting cotton. Shhh...don't blow my secret identity (I'm still a sewist!). They don't seem to make novelty super hero prints in apparel fabric, so sometimes you just have to take a leap (wearing your web-slingers, of course) and try and choose the pattern wisely. Originally I was going to make a dress, but I decided to go back to the skirt pattern Simplicity 2226, because I've made it before with a fairly stiff fabric. Also look at this print! It's awesome, but also a whole lotta look. An entire dress would have made other people cross eyed.

I flat measured the dimensions of my last version of it, and then decided to cut a 6 in the skirt and a 14 in the waist. I knew from the last go around that with stiffer fabric, the gathers wouldn't drape well and I was better off just cutting a smaller skirt to begin with.

After putting in the zipper I realized it was way too big in the waist, so I ripped it out and then took it in by about 5/8" on each side of the center back seam. Happily, the second time I put in the zipper I think I did a better job. I prefer invisible zippers, so I used that instead of the lapped zipper it called for.

I didn't even attempt to match the pattern in the back because I squeezed this out of 1 1/2 yards of fabric. In fact, I had to piece together the inner waistband from a bunch of tiny pieces - it was a little like quilting!

I usually follow the directions to the letter, but I got a little brazen with this one. Invisible zipper! Machine invisible hem! Nicer finishing! My biggest change was the the inside finish of the waistband to give it a cleaner look. This pattern is marketed towards beginners, so it instructs you to leave the bottom edge of the waistband exposed, like this:

It looks messy to me, even if it is technically a finished edge, so this go around I folded the edge under and stitched it down.

My favorite part about this is the pockets. I love it when skirts and dresses have pockets!

It's funny, I remember the first time I made this skirt it took me weeks and weeks and felt like an uphill climb the whole way. This time, though, it all came together pretty quickly and easily. I really must be getting better at this. Except for gathers. Those are kind of my kryptonite. I must have redone the gathers 3 or 4 times, trying to get them evenly spaced, and eventually settled for good enough.

Still, I'm overall really happy with how this came out, and I'm beyond excited for Dragon Con.

I hope you all have fun Saturday plans. I have do some house cleaning and errands (ugh) before I head out to watch a rolly derby match with some friends. I've been dying to see roller derby since that Ellen Paige movie came out a couple of years ago!