Pocket skirt

Another quick project before I dig in my big spring coat project. It has been some time I have sewn a skirt, so here we go, one little for spring.

I found a gorgeous brown wool fabric with little orange threads in it (on most of the pictures the colour is more brown-grey; in reality it is a nice warm brown), it is supposed to be suit wool, but after ironing it, I suspect there is something else blended in. Anyhow, I still have some more 3 meters of it so will probably try to make a whole suit from it.

I have chosen Burda 104-02/2010 which was even available in size 34. I made my muslin and it fitted. I would say no big surprise, the bottom pieces are rather easy to fit for me and the skirt has an A-line, but it was very pleasant to concentrate on other things, like the details:

First is the interfacing of pockets – I did not use fusible interfacing this time, but a strip of muslin fabric to reinforce the pocket edge.

Second is an interfacing technique I used on the belt: I cut the pieces in the fashion fabric, muslin AND organza. The organza and muslin are then sewn together and attached to the fashion fabric. It gives the belt real form and prevents it from wrinkling.

Third, the invisible zip, supported with muslin strips alongside the seams

The skirt is lined with light cotton-silk, and finished according to my usual standards.

I am really proud of seam matching, invisible zip and the whole result, so I am pretty sure I will be sewing this pattern again in summer.

Inspiration: do I need to be inspired?

Pattern: Burda 104-02/2010

Pattern changes: none !!!

Technique: pockets, belt interfacing

Fabric: brown wool (blend?)

Time to Complete: a week-end

Total Cost: 14 EUR

Not-so-Black Skirt

A quick project to see a quick result. The idea was to replace my old black skirt which I had to throw away as it was too large and too used. The fabric is not exactly black (more a very dark grey) and has a design. I bought a coupon of 3 meters so am planning a jacket, as well as a top to add to this skirt.

I used Burda’s 120-02/2014 mini-skirt without any modification (!!!), for once the pattern was perfect, but I usually do not have any problems with fitting the skirts, it is the upper body which makes problems. Also, the Burda miniskirt makes a normal skirt for me :o)

The skirt is fully lined with a side zipper and a large waist band. What I did not think through is the suitability of the fabric design to my pattern. The skirt part is not exactly straight so matching the sides and the skirt to the belt was not an easy task.

What was great with this project was the instant gratification. After one evening the skirt was pretty much completed, the other evening was spent only on hemming, as I hem even the lining by hand, and small finishing on the zipper. Thanks to its looser form, I did not have to adjust the pattern, be it in the beginning or in the end.

After having it worn, I realized that the fabric creases a lot and is not as stiff or universal as my original black skirt. So this skirt will probably be transformed into a summer one, rather than a spring one. I am also planning a short top in the same fabric to create a “sort-of-a-dress”.

Anyhow, I still need a new replacement for my old black skirt…

I have seen this kind of “pattern review” on several blogs, and actually consider it quite useful, so let's try:

Inspiration: my old black skirt
Pattern: Burda 120-02/2014

Pattern changes: none

Fabric: grey cotton satin

Notions: pattern matching

Time to Complete: 2 days

Total Cost: 14 eur

First Worn: April 2014, for work

Wear Again: MMM, for work

Grey pencil skirt

Last week-end’s trip to Montmartre, where the highest concentration of fabric shops is, did not end up well :o) The original aim was to find a dark blue silk or whatever fine fabric for the next dress, but that somehow evaporated when I saw the sales at Le Bonheur des dames. I came home with six pieces, ranging from 0.8m to 3m, mostly wool and cotton. Oh well, next time, hopefully ..., for the moment I only have to work on my muslin for that special dress.

But getting back to the topic… I wanted a quick project. A wool pencil skirt, suitable for the strange winter/spring weather going on right now, just like the model 113 from 04/2014.

I omitted the pockets, as I think they were on a very odd place on the original model and honestly, do not like people putting hands in their skirts/dresses. I also shortened the upper part of the skirt, as the pattern suggested 10cm above the waist for all sizes. Just to say, that 10cm above the waist are my breasts. The wool fabric I bought in coupon (for 4.50 euros) was little bit stretchy, but very pleasant to work with. A nice surprise was also the length of the pattern; for once, I did not have to shorten it.

The skirt is fully lined, as usual, with an invisible zip.

It has a very high waist, which I managed to adapt to my size (note to myself: take 34 directly, even for the waist, Burda seems to count with too much ease), some further alterations were needed in the middle of the process. 

Here is the final result, now I only need glasses to complete my secretary look!