Tuesday 19 July 2011

The Final Skirt

Well, unless I meet with a horrid accident before my resolve weakens, I guess this blog post title is actually a lie. It's incredibly unlikely that this skirt will be the last I ever make myself, but I felt I needed to make a strong statement of intent to drill into my brain that I really don't need any more. Including this one, I have eight in my wardrobe plus a couple under my bed (all of which are made by myself I should add) yet due to my preference for trousers, it's unlikely that any of these will see their number of 'wares per year' reach double figures. Anyway, let's actually meet this recent addition shall we?

I've had this awesome piece of vintage printed cotton in my stash since around Christmas time. I'm finding it really difficult to date as to my eyes it doesn't scream any specific era, but I'm guessing either late 50's or late 60's/early 70's. Anyway, the piece wasn't big enough to make a dress and a co-ordinating plain piece of fabric that might make a dress plan viable failed to materialise. Yet it took my boss to connect the dots between this piece of fabric and my current obsession with Simplicity 2451. She noted that I had yet to make myself the longer version. As I wise philosopher one said, I love it when a plan comes together. I'm going to bust me some stash...

'Yes' is the answer to the question you are probably currently asking, 'Yes, that print does seem to consist of bandstands in the undergrowth'. I have no answers beyond that!

In general I think this skirt came out really well. There is one thing that I am unhappy about though: I was careful to cut out the front yoke and front skirt pieces from different sections of the print so that they didn't look wierd when stitched together. I congratulated myself on being so foresightful and organised and then directly went on to fuse interfacing onto the back of said front yoke and made it part of the facing instead, leaving me with the facing part to use as the yoke which had been cut from a part of the print that looks too similar to the top of the front skirt section. Arse.

Now, because this fabric (which had been half of a curtain in another life) is actually quite thin, I decided to line the skirt using some turquoise lining fabric we had laying around at work. But I didn't want to create too much bulk behind the front pleats, so I decided to underline it. Well, I'm not entirely sure if the method I deployed is actually underlining, but it seems to work well so I'm happy. (I'm planning on putting a book on linings on my Christmas list. Does anyone have this book or something similar they have found to be useful?)

Note: I really eeked the fabric out as much as I could (hence my inability to recut the messed up front yoke piece), which is why the keenest-eyed among you may spot I had to cut the back facing pieces out of an alternative fabric:

This skirt is not perfect, but I do think it's pretty good and has made good use of lovely fabric which seemed to be begging to be made into something when it was folded and piled up in my stash. Its turquoises and goldy-mustard shades are firmly on my list of favourite colours to wear. It works well with my mustard top, so it's no orphan despite it's crazy print.

I cannot promise that I won't be making myself another skirt before long, but by declaring that I don't intend to, I'm putting myself in the mindset to enjoy what I have rather than concentrate on what might be missing and constantly looking towards the next project. There are some holes in my wardrobe that I feel are worthy of attention, but they are more of the layerable knitwear, multi-functional day-dress and lined jacket varieties. Skirts, I've got covered.

14 comments:

Claire (aka Seemane) said...

Fab - just love that print! :)

Kathryn said...

I have that linings book - it's great. Really comprehensive and useful. It tells you how to draft your own lining patterns and explains what to do with skirt vents. It even tells you how to line jumpers (not sure when that's going to come in useful). However it doesn't cover underlining which is annoying.

Scruffybadger said...

Oh my word - don't you just love it when a plan comes together? It's beautiful(big fabric envy going on) & so perfect with your mustard top. What's interesting is that you cut the longer style, which is also super swish (but due in many parts to fabric choice). That will help me to decide which one to make... although still unresolved...

liza jane said...

That fabric is awesome. I would have to guess late fifties. Very cool skirt!

No Regrets, Inc. said...

It's great. And if you don't wear it, I will! The fabric is amazing. I'm guessing 50s? So many great colors to match w/ it. I like the gold flowers and your top goes so well with it. It looks like you do really nice work (pockets, lining).

Anonymous said...

Really lovely! What a perfect way to pair a stash fabric with a favorite pattern!

MrsC (Maryanne) said...

Ah now this is a fabric lover's dilemma - the kinds of fabrics we fall in love with tend to lend themselves to skirts (because you don't need much) and dresses. Noone really falls in love with trouser fabric, they fall in love with trouser patterns and the trousers themselves. So, while you ahve a love of print fabrics, this issue will never go away! I have the same trouble! I took up quilting to help ease it :)

Ali said...

Ditto on the great print and great skirt -- I've been eyeing it for awhile, seems like a great basic pattern. And hooray for you for claiming this'll be your "final" skirt! I have a problem always itching for the next project as well, and so July's been a revamping existing clothes to see if I can fill that hole-in-my-wardrobe perception. Looking forward to your knit wear and jackets!

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous colours on that print and I love the idea of the bandstand in the undergrowth :)

Anonymous said...

Zoe! I have 40 skirts aprox and like..50 something dresses! so...it's never enought!!! jaja I consider myself a collector :p

Alessa said...

That print is awesome, I love the colors! I first thought it was bird cages and tried to spot the birds... *g* It looks great with the mustard top. :)

House of Pinheiro said...

wow.. this is so good !

Anonymous said...

I look forward to the day when I've been sewing long enough to claim that I've made myself enough skirts. Yours is beautiful, by the way. But, quick question from the sewing novice: why can't you use the interfaced fabric for the front of the waistband? If the facing needs to be interfaced, why can't you just interface both pieces? Thanks in advance if you have time to reply!

Anonymous said...

this one is gorgeous! I'm planning to make a similar one for my sister.

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