Ultra High Waisted Pencil Skirt |2016 Sewing|

Well I finally found a day to sit down and complete March and April's sewing project from the six sewing goals I set myself at the beginning of the year! 

I'm quite pleased with how it turned out really. I used Simplicity 2 Hour Skirt (version 3) as a base and altered it just a tad. I made it longer, not by slashing in the middle as I'm a rebel, but just by adding a few inches to the hem! I extended the side seams (and centre back) up till I was happy with where it say under my bust. The pattern darts I ignored completely. I stuck the skirt on a dress form once it was pieced together with the zip inserted, and just pinned the darts to fit. 

I haven't got it quite right round the waist, but it fits, and I can fettle it next time! 

Outfit Details:

Hair Flowers: Old Asda and Gifted by @thegalcanthelpit 

Top: Old Matalan

Skirt: Self Made

Shoes: Pleaser (mine were off eBay)

Foundations:

Bra: House of Satin (sorry the strap is showing!!)

Girdle: Maidenform

Nude Seam Stockings: Seamer from Stockings HQ

Now for some more pictures! 

I originally intended to add braces to the skirt, and I have buttons ready to do so, but I think it might just look a little odd! So we'll stick with it as is for now!! 

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

Jo :) 

2016 Sewing Projects |Sewing|

I had six projects planned for 2016, but wasn't totally sure on one of them. Then circumstances conspired this January and I have an event at the end of February that I need a couple of things for. So item six was bumped, projects were rearranged and here we are! 

I wanted to set out these items to sew because they've all been on my list of "things I want" for ages. I still want them, so I might as well have a productive year! It doesn't mean I won't sew other things alongside hopefully, just that I want to get these done. Two months for each project, plenty of time to research, buy patterns and materials and sew the items. Which as you'll see are not always in one piece.... 

January February

Petticoat for Laura Ashley dress. 

Airplane prints circle skirt using vintage prints from VintagePleasure on Instagram. 

I want to wear the airplane prints skirt during the day at a conference and the dress in the evening for the dinner dance. My Vivien of Holloway petticoat is just too short for the skirt on the Laura Ashley dress and without spending a crazy amount on a bridal petticoat I'm at a loss. So dress net and ruffles on a handmade petticoat it is!!

The prints I saw on Instagram from ???? and just fell in love with. I'm hoping with some bondaweb they'll make an awesome statement skirt. 

March April

Ultra high waisted pencil skirt with detachable braces. 

From Collectif. 

I've seen similar to what I want all over the place in vintage repro stores, but nothing perfect. I hope I'll be able to recreate the picture in my head in fabric. I'm thinking interesting kick pleat, detailed top band, gorgeous fabric. It might be a bit ambitious!! 

May June

Grey silk cape and circle skirt. 

An old photo. The hat looks almost white here! 

I need to find the perfect fabric for this. I have a gorgeous grey silk pillbox hat with feathers and a veil, but it doesn't really go with anything I own... I want to remedy that and I reckon this could be a very chic outfit. Or total disaster. I've never sewn with silk. 

July August

Blue and white striped robe. 

Underwear and frillies! 

Taking inspiration right off the pattern envelope! It will also be kind of a muslin as I seriously need to do my Godmother's robe as I've had her fabric for literal years and not made it for her. A mixture of fear and laziness I think has held me back!! Terrible goddaughter!! 

Plus if there's time I'd like to play around with underwear and slips etc. Just for fun. It's my birthday month after all. 

September October

Grey woollen suit jacket, pencil skirt and pleated full circle skirt. 

Sorry about the terrible quality, it's the only one I can find!! 

When I saw this photo I completely fell in love with the look, but knew I'd probably never be able to afford a true vintage version as beautiful or even a repro version. Do they exist this gorgeous?

So I know I can sew circle skirts, and pencil skirts. It's just the jacket. So some clothing construction learning might be required. Which will be interesting at least. These two months are Definintely Ambitious. 

November December 

Quilted circle skirt. 

I can't remember where I first saw a quilted circle skirt. It was somewhere in blog land and true vintage. Gorgeous and as usual, way beyond my budget. 

Then Gertie and her fabulous blog popped up again recently with a tutorial for one. Dreams do come true. I'm terrible at actually following directions, so I might not totally stick to her instructions....it's the same basic idea though! Pretty fabrics and toasty legs! 

I hope I do get through them all this year. Fingers crossed. I get way laid easily!! 

What are your projects for this year? 

Jo :) 

Simple Gathered Skirt |Sewing Tutorial|

I wrote a simple tutorial for this on my old blog, but this will be better, plus it has photos! 

I made this skirt for a friends birthday (lacking her measurements) hence the shorter length. If I was making myself this double layer style, I'd be at knee length at least.

 

Anyway, take your measurements as shown in my wonderful (!) hand drawn diagram so you can work out how much fabric you need to buy.

 

Make sure you pre wash your fabric! Ironing it after gives you extra brownie points but I really hate ironing.....

 

Cut your two rectangles out. Hem along one long side of each one. This will be the lower hem. Fold over half a cm and then again so the raw edge is nearly enclosed.
 

If you have lace or anything to add to the hems, do so now. I stitched my lace on just straight along (didn't even pin, I'm so slap dash!) the bottom hem of each rectangle so that it hung underneath the fabric. 

 

I like to French seam, so fold your rectangle in half, wrong sides together with the two short sides meeting. Sew straight down that edge as close to the edge as possible. Turn the tube inside out so your right sides are together and press the seam flat. Then sew the hem up 5mm from the edge to enclose the raw edge. My favourite seam for skirts! Repeat on the second rectangle. 

 

 

Cut your waistband. Fold it in half, and then turn the long raw edges in by 1cm so they will end up in the waistband. Iron it and iron it again. Make sure it lines up well and your life will be easier than mine!
 

The two tubes should now fit nicely one inside the other. Make sure you put the shorter one on top!! Line the raw top edges up neatly and pin your waistband over both pieces. Fold the end you are starting to stitch at under itself so the frayed ends aren't showing. Do not stitch it closed.
 

Sew around your waistband until you're a few centimetres from the end and back stitch to stop the thread unravelling. 

 

Use a large safety pin in the end of your elastic to feed it through the waistband until you have both ends showing. I favour a criss cross square stitch to make sure it doesn't spring apart! Manoeuvre it into the waistband so you can tuck the leftover raw ends over. Finish stitching the waistband on and run up over the elastic to join the waistband into a circle.

 

Hey presto. One pretty, comfy, layered skirt. 

 

Notes:

Always backstitch at the beginning and end of any sewing, bonus points for tying off too. 

If you've got wavy lace, follow the top edge so it doesn't flop over a straight line of stitching. 

Match your top thread to your lace, but if it's fairly thick, leave your bobbin thread as the main fabric colour and the inside will look neater. 

Make sure your elastic doesn't twist. 

Ironing is more awesome than I think it is. 

So is pinning. 

Don't be lazy :) 

I like it because there's no zips or buttons. Win. 

Think you'll give this style of simple skirt a try? 

Jo :)