Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Sweet Birdy Skirt

I came across this fabric a few weeks ago online, and knew immediately that I wanted to make up a skirt.  The polka dots and the collage look were freaking adorable.  But it was really the border print that did it for me.  The little birds along one edge were just begging to be a skirt to me.

I used the Simplicity 2215, part of the Cynthia Rowley line, for the skirt.  I like this pattern a lot and found it pretty easy to follow, even though I somehow put the zipper in the wrong side.  Whoops!  Overall I like the pattern and I'll be using it again.  But I felt the sizing was really off.  I cut my size based on the finished garment measurements, knowing I wanted it to be a bit snug in the waist (which is my preference for skirts).  Even with that, I ended up cutting the waistband down by 3-4 inches.  This meant there was a little additional volume in the skirt, which I don't mind.  Next time I make this I'll cut one size smaller in the waistband, and choose the sizing for the skirt based on the drape of the fabric.  I'll also probably make the waistband a bit wider.  The finished width here is a little over an inch, and I just like the look and feel of a thicker waistband.  I will also probably do a full lining depending on fabric choice.

Overall I do really like this pattern.  I have some fabric already chosen to make the dress version of it, with an adorable button front and collar.  Because of the sizing issues here, I'll probably make up a muslin of the bodice before I cut the dress.



This was my first time putting in pockets or invisible zippers, and this one had both.  Adding the zipper on a pocket was an adventure, but after a couple of attempts I got it.  Now that I have the hang of it (and have the foot I need for my machine) I think it will come a lot easier.

I am in love with the colors in this fabric.  It really gives you a lot of freedom in pairing.  I pulled out 3 shirts this morning and all of them went great with it!  Plus the neutral background is a really nice color to tone down the brights that I tend to wear.  Although these pictures are showing me that I definitely need to iron it when it comes out of the dryer!

Project:  Bird border pleated skirt
Pattern:  Simplicity 2215 View C
Fabric:  2 yds Collage Bird Dot in Putty (I bought it from superbuzzy but it's now out of stock.  You can get it here).  You won't need 2 yards of this if you're not using a border print, though.
Notions and other needs:  large hook and eye closure, 9" invisible zipper (and invisible zipper foot from Coats), 1/2 yd lining fabric for pockets, interfacing for the waistband.
Time to make up:  probably around 4-5 hours including cutting.  About half of this was figuring out the zipper!

1 comment:

  1. Cute fabric and a great pattern. Looking forward to seeing more from you!

    ReplyDelete