Saturday 17 March 2012

Brown and out

Hello people

Well lookit here - I have managed (finally) to snap a few pics of my new skirt and as a bonus I have snapped both my Jasmine and new skirt as an outfit. I managed to complete both of these items in February, and am pretty darn pleased with myself.

That's right people, girlfriend only went and made herself an 'outfit'.

Yup - I am coordinated and everything.

Yes that's right - I am a 'model'.
But please excuse the flipped out facing ! Doh !

Look down darling, look down !

Peaches the cat wanted to get a taste of what it is like
to be a 'model'.
Shame about the thunder box.

If I look at this bow long enough
will I find it easier to sew next time ?

My Jasmine could so have been an orphan

Warning !
Staring for too long makes your eyes go funny.

so I made a brown linen pencil skirt to go with. I used the (now found) skirt part of the pattern V8630, with some changes.

Its alive ! Its a Frankenstein skirt (version 2) !

ooooo the delectable mint aero skirt.
All the enjoyment, 0 calories.

I firstly lengthened the pattern by 2 inches, and then I tapered in 2 sizes at the bottom to get more of a defined 'pencil' look. I am super pleased with the end result (although I think next time I need to shave a little from the hips), and already have the fabric for my next version (which I am working on now).

I interlined the brown linen with green voile

Sweet like chocolate.

and I serged the inside seams; I also used some lace to pretty up the hem inside. I used my self drafted waistband because as this skirt forms 50% of a dress the pattern does not provide one.

Although the inside does not look coordinated -I am IN LOVE with the overall effect and neatness of it. I LOVED catch stitching the lace to the hem. How sad am I ?

Happy catch stitching !

Look inside my pretty.
I used the zipper insertion method I told you about in my last post and I am pretty pleased with the results !

1 happy zipper.

Now, I know that I am not supposed to like hand sewing, but I do, and I like something else taboo too ! I like to see stitching at my hem, so although I carefully catch stitched my lace trim, I top stitched the hem of the skirt with 2 (visible) bands of stitching !  You know what - that's what I love about sewing, I am the artistic director and I can make my clothes exactly as I like ! Yipppeeee !!   :-)

I also bought some lovely fabric

Floral furnishing fabric makes me happy to wear.
which I am going to use to make yet another (Frankenstein skirt :-)) the only problem is I have very little time at all at the minute - I am pretty busy with work and my degree and running a house and am finding little time to do anything but work, eat and sleep. I hope you will forgive my absence of late, and I hope to catch up with all of your gorgeous blogs today.

In other news, at the end of March it will be one year since I started this blog after being inspired by so many of you people out there. So I want to give something back, obvs, and will be hosting a little give-away at the end of the month to show my appreciation for you lovely lot  :-)

Happy Saturday people, and I hope you all are having a fabulous weekend.

K xxx

15 comments:

  1. I love the whole outfit! Worth the wait to see it! And totally digging those shoes :-)

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  2. Thanks ! The shoes were the starting point of the outfit, the clothes were made around them ! I must admit that I am super pleased with the whole ensemble :-) I am loving your recent makes too ! xx

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  3. I love the whole outfit too! Very chic. ;)

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    1. Hi Angie :-) Thank you for stopping by ! I cant tell you how much I love this outfit, you certainly cant beat being able to choose your own fabrics when planning an outfit. Thanks so much for your comment xx

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  4. You looked very pleased with yourself-and you should be! Fantastic! I'm finding separates are my favorite to sew, too. Oh, and those SHOES are fabulous!

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    1. Hi :-) I feel V pleased with self ;-) I really love how the whole outfit came together. It makes me look 'well planned' for a change as I usually look just like someone fired a clothes gun at me !
      I feel especially happy today as I just sewed up something else this weekend which I totally LOVE. I love separates too, but I find I have to make a coordinating neutral to go with totally 'out there' fabrics ! :-) xx

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  5. Ah, I love that chocolate brown!

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    1. Thanks ! And the best thing about brown is that it goes with so many other fabulous colours. Its a wardrobe basic now and I reckon everyone should have one ! :-) xx

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  6. I love the outfit and all the detail work you did, really looks nice, great job!

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    1. Thank you :-) You know what, I am finding that the more I sew, the nicer I want the inside to look. And, I really enjoy hand sewing (I know !!) so it is even easier to get a lovely finish. And can I say thanks all for stopping by, and all of your lovely comments, it warms a girls heart, it really does :-) xx

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  7. Really, really cute! Nice job! And it's so smart that you made a complete outfit instead of allowing your sweet Jasmine to hang in the closet alone and unmatched!

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  8. Thamks Ginger ! I really had to make a co ordinating seperate as this fabric really would struggle to be matched well with anything ! Need to work on not buying fabric cos its pretty, and rather try to throw some purchases in which are functional !! xx

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  9. Glad I'm not the only one who works an outfit around a pair of shoes! Makes total sense to me and boy what a gorgeous ensemble yours is. I quite enjoy a bit of hand stitching too. Have never finished a hem with lace to date or used a catchstitch but you have seriously inspired me to do so! I just love that pic of Peaches getting in on the action. She coordinates too, after all!

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    1. Hey, thanks ! I am pretty happy with this outfit, and I wear the skirt loads, I find brown goes with so much. I love shoes and think it very sensible to have clothes to go with them :-) You should try the lace finish, it makes you feel well happy to know its there. I used a cotton ribbon finish on a recent project and I cant stop myself from flipping up the hem to take a peek and smile happily to myself, lol ! Peaches always loves getting involved and I may well rope her into future 'shoots', especially as she takes the heat of me xx

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