Caramel Piped Beignet

 

Beignet....

So, I had to make a Beignet skirt from Colette patterns to go to New Orleans. And, of course, I also had to try a beignet from Cafe Du Monde. Had to.  (Delicious, by the way)

 

...and Beignet!

This is a fabulous skirt pattern.   I was sold on it after I saw Tilly's week of wearing Beignet skirts. I was a little intimidated at first, just by the number of pattern pieces.  It looks more complicated than it really is.   I made this skirt in a hurry. I started it three days before we left for Nola. I cut everything out one night and then had a marathon sewing session the next day. I constructed the whole skirt in one five hour sitting. It went together quickly and without any mishaps. I slip stitched the hem and sewed the buttons on the first morning of our trip.   I did it while sitting on the couch at our bed and breakfast, Maison de Lagniappe (built in 1831). The activity of hand sewing felt right at home there, like someone had been sitting there doing the same thing a hundred years ago.

 

I'm proud to say I used all stash fabric and notions.  The shell is a black cotton twill.   I put a caramel colored piping in the princess seams.  I used a similar caramel colored cotton sateen for the facings.  I wanted the facings to roll outside a little to mimic the piping.  The lining is red because that's all I had available.  I love that it is fully lined.   And I decided to use some fun cotton for the pockets.  I love fun little details.  I guess that's why I like making my own clothes so much.  The buttons are wooden.

 

 

I don't have a lot to say about the construction process.  Everything fit together perfectly.  I cut an 8 at the waist and graded to a 10 at the hip.  The measurements are just slightly larger than my own.  I wanted the skirt to not be quite so high waist-ed.  I find when I wear things right at my waist I'm always tugging them down a little.   The skirt was a bit too big when I was finished, but I adjusted by placing the buttons about an inch in from the pattern markings.   I love the step of sewing twill tape on the waist band seam.  I wore the skirt all day long traipsing around the French Quarter with no stretching.  The only real trouble I had was putting the buttons in the right place.  There were several I had to remove and readjust.  It's still not exactly right-- just a tiny bit uneven at the hem.

 

 A picture not in front of my brick chimney!

All in all, I'm very pleased with my new skirt. I highly recommend it. I'm already planning another. I wonder if a long version would be nice? Sure would be a lot of buttons.  Happy sewing everyone!