Monday, June 20, 2011

Just One More...

 
Aaaannnd.... I'm done.  I do believe I've made enough skirts now.  This is the last installment of my pattern drafting/skirt making adventure known as The Summer of No Pants.  I whipped out all the other skirts really fast but this one took quite a bit longer.  Too many pieces, I think.  And some things were lost in translation on this variation. 


The fabric is a shirting I bought well over a year ago, so I feel good about using up a stash fabric.  And I used every little bit except for a few scraps.  These peasant style skirts really use a lot of fabric.   I played around with the stripes.  I didn't bother matching them where they are on the bias.  I figured they change color anyway.

Again I used my basic a-line skirt pattern  I drafted using Design-It-Yourself Clothes.  I cut the a-line skirt pattern shorter and added the two tiers like adding a ruffle, only longer.  The ruffle at the very bottom was a last minute addition.  I wanted a bit more length.  It nearly killed me-- 135 inches of gathering, ruffling, hemming and pinning to match. Yuck.  Something is not quite right about the yoke on this particular skirt.  I used the yoke piece I drafted on the olive green linen twirly version and subtracted it from the original a-line skirt pattern.  In hindsight, I probably should have drafted a new yoke from the a-line pattern.  It ended up too wide.  I took some of the width out at the side seams but the fit around the waist is not quite right.  It sits down quite a bit lower than the other skirts.  Can't win em' all.  I'll still wear the skirt plenty.  It's just not as nice as the others.


All in all, my tally is five skirts-- all variations of the basic a-line skirt pattern.  Not too shabby.   I'm tucking the pattern block away for future use.  I've enjoyed the whole process of drafting a pattern based completely on my measurements.  Lots of possibilities.  I may even try out a basic trouser pattern block instead of fiddling with commercial patterns.  I'll just add that to my ever-growing list of things to do... ;) 


Happy sewing!

12 comments:

  1. It looks fantastic! And very comfy. Will look good with a long sleeve tee too.

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  2. oh, that skirt is way too fantastic for once in a while! i love they way you've switched up the stripe pattern-- maybe you can love it for a month and change the yoke when you've recovered from the gathering :)

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  3. I think you made the right decission by adding the ruffles, it needed the extra length. It's a great, fun, summery and I assume comfy skirt, what's not to love about that?!

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  4. I think this one is actually my favourite. I love that you've changed the direction of the stripe throughout the garment.

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  5. You want a ruffler, is all. Maybe next time. This one looks lovely.

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  6. I love your skirt, especially with the ruffle!

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  7. Thanks so much, everyone!

    Oona- I think you're right. Maybe when I've recovered from the gathering I'll fix the yoke.

    ejvc- A ruffler- is that a ruffling foot? I've always wondered if they really work.

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  8. Looks like a great comfy skirt to wear this summer!

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  9. Yay, maxi skirt! I love it, like others said, especially what you've done with the stripes. Now I want one.

    As for the gathering... don't even get me started ;). (one should always start a tiered skirt by gathering the bottom, widest tier first. Because if you don't start that way, you're going to want to kill yourself when you get to that part later.)

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  10. Oh wow, Liza Jane, I think this one is so gorgeous!! I just adore it, and I want one, like, exactly like it now...
    And, yay! for using up all your fabric! A double win!

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  11. love the print and the game! it's beautiful, such a balanced composition!

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