Dear readers,For the third edition of Things I made, I am showing you what ended up being a final sample for Just Patterns (you know, that project I keep promising to write more about and never do...). So far I only saw the version of Leisa at A Challenging Sew popping up on social media but I'm expecting more soon. Her bold floral version looked so great that we instantly had more sales after she published her post!Full midi skirts is a look I've tried before, but I am falling in love with it all over again. I've been experimenting with this skirt quite a bit these days and I'm surprised that I keep coming up with different combinations with other items in my closet and many of my shoes. A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable for me to pair it with flat shoes or with a loose sweater but this time it was a success. This is how much I love this skirt! I'm even thinking of a very casual look with white Adidas sneakers [insert gasp emoji]...
Pattern
Pattern - Just Patterns #1101 - Pleated SkirtSize - 34This is the final sample for the pattern, so it's sewn as-is. I didn't make any modifications. I just want to point out that this is not a pleated rectangle but rather a flared skirt with inverted box pleats. The flare is better distributed and the overall movement of the garment is nicer.
Making
Fabric - "brocade" from Mood in NYC, unidentified fiberNotions - Invisible zip, hook and eye closure.Helpful resources - Just Patterns come with limited information on construction but we compile useful links from around the web on a dedicated resource page for each pattern. #1101 - Pleated Skirt resource page.Because black is difficult to photograph, the fabric doesn't show very well but it's medium to heavy weight with an interesting texture. It's most likely some kind of polyester blend but it also looks like it was entirely block fused. The final result has both body and drape and this is something to keep in mind when you just can't find fabric with the right weight. I found it in the brocade corner of Mood (main floor on the left when you enter, after the lace). This section has many other intriguing options, not necessarily what you imagine when thinking "brocade". I recommend checking it out if you wander by New York's garment district!
I don't have a lot to say about the construction, when you drafted the pattern yourself, sewing is very straight forward. My main time waster was trying to use horsehair braid. Since reading Gertie's blog years ago, I've had it in my stash. So yes, for 6 years I've been carrying horsehair braid around the world and I never found a use for it. I thought this would be the perfect occasion but I was completely wrong. I couldn't get to my seam ripper fast enough! Which means that I didn't take a picture of the mess first and you will have to take my word for it. I'm not sure if it's because of the flared hem but it made it wave in a super weird and unflattering way... So I removed it, and hand sewed the hem while watching Netflix. Horsehair Braid is back in the stash for the next 6 years unless one of you come up with a recommendation of what to do with it.The plaid scarf is also an obsession from last winter. You can blame it on nesting instinct but I was smitten with the idea of wearing a plaid blanket around my neck. So that'st what I did. I went to mood, found some plaid wool, cut it so that it would be a square and frayed the edges. It also doubled as a couch blanket when the weather was chilly...
I love the final skirt. It's extremely versatile and I keep thinking that I need at least a white and a navy version. I'm obsessed with navy. We are finally approaching summer in New York City, millennial pink and other sorbet colors are trending. And all I can think about is navy. Something is wrong with me...Over to you readers, let me know what you think about the full midi skirts, horsehair braid or about your latest color obsession!!