Winter wardrobe extension

Now that winter is well upon us, I have been getting into sorting my wardrobe out and finishing some basics so I can get on with the fun stuff. Sometimes the basic cake makes are just as rewarding as the frosting, and in the cast of these two skirts they are a welcome addition to extend my winter options.

Version 1 of the Sewaholic Hollyburn blogged here gets worn often and I find this shape skirt goes with almost everything I have, it was almost inevitable that I would make this pattern again.

For version 2 I had some lovely double wool crepe that I bought on Goldhawk Road for £6/m - a total steal! Knowing this would only be a winter wear, I lined the skirt to stop it sticking to my tights. The heavier fabric makes it hang differently, it sticks out a bit more than my other one, but I don't mind, and it is super warm to wear. I made the version with the waist tabs and finished them with a couple of vintage buttons from my recently bought stash .  Sorry forgot the close up, but they are cream with a black spiral on them.

For version 2 I used the same patch pocket variation as my first version (tutorial this week I promise), the fabric is a chocolate brown gabardine and is unlined. I wore this all day today and had no sticky tights issue, so yay for gabardine!

I did have one issue though...in changing out of it this evening, the stupid invisible zip broke and I had to unpick myself out of it!!  This is not the first time I have had issues with an invisible zip, I am tempted to not use them ever again.  I don't have any issues with a lapped zipper, they never seem to break and seem to always insert with no issues.

I really like this pattern (obviously having made three) and think I will make it up in a patterned fabric next time- do you know I don't have any patterned skirts??

On my work table now:
- a dress in need of hemming, but I need to find someone to help me, it's too uneven (circle skirt) and needs serious attention (anyone local able to offer assistance?? Marjorie, Erin??)
- a dress my sewing machine hates - all it needs it hemming, but the stitches keep skipping with this fabric
- another Papercut Coppelia cardigan - so far going well

Don't you just hate when things don't go as planned??

MMM - the final days and a couple of new things

Well MMM has now wrapped up, and whilst I like wearing me-made each day, it turns out for the most part I wear at least one me-made item each day, taking a picture of myself everyday is a little tedious.  I apologize in advance for the pics that all have the same backdrop.  I am now back in Brisbane and it turns out winter is well on the way and it is now dark at 5.30pm so I can't go outside to take pics.

Day 20
A bonus for you - two outfits today! One a new one, still not sure how I feel about it though. The top is a Sorbetto (free download don't ya know!), and the skirt a simple dirndl.

That evening I met up with Erin of MissCrayolaCreepy for ice cream in Arroyo Grande.  I had emailed her for some fabric shopping tips and she suggested we meet up. "Hell Yeah" I thought, what a fun opportunity.  Of course we talked sewing patterns, adjustments and blogging all over the most delicious ice cream!  I had Strawberry with a chocolate fudgy ribbon and Erin had one called Motoroil, a super chocolate-y one!  Yum-o!  If you haven't checked out Erin's blog, go do it, she has some lovely makes and is currently hosting a Gatsby Challenge.

It was a little cooler and I wanted to wear a cardi, so I wore my Spring has Sprung Hazel.

 photo courtesy of MissCrayolaCreepy

 

Day 21

Off to LA in my I Feel Pretty Hazel.  Here I am rummaging through fabric at The Loft where they sell fabric offcuts by the pound, and when I say offcuts they were mostly 5-10 yards a piece! I bought 9lb of fabric - go me!!

Day 22
Guess where we went today (in Colette Sorbetto blogged here):

Day 23
Lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, wearing Tiramisu (appropriate perhaps??).

 

Day 24

We had a super long day as our flight was not until 11.45pm. We filled most of the time in an Outlet Mall for some last minute shopping. This is a new top, a variation on the Banksia by Megan Nielsen.

Day 25 - Ha - we totally missed this day on our flight home!

Day 26 - No pics sorry, I was feeling super average after our long overnight flight. I can't even remember what I wore!!

Day 27
My Buttons are Expensive Dress

Day 28
Hmmm, black photographs so badly, I have tried lightening the photo, but now it looks like my top is see-thru!! It's not, but it is printed with little charcoal polka dots that reflect the flash. The skirt is my basic black made last year and blogged here.

Day 29
Breakfast meeting today so I had to look presentable, wearing Vintage Vogue 9463.

Day 30
More black - what can I say, it feels like winter today and the colour seems appropriate. Merino ruffle top and BurdaStyle skirt.

 

Day 31
Working at home today, yay, in my Hollyburn skirt, look out for two more soon!

 

MMM Summary

So I really learnt about my wardrobe shortfalls this month, although perhaps it wasn't super indicative as I was away for most of the month and my travelling wardrobe is always different from what I wear day to day.  Not sure why this is, I guess the majority of my time is spent at work so I need work appropriate attire.  But being away made me really notice how many casual clothes I need to make. Tops and skirts will be the go before my next trip away, whenever that might be!! This week I have also noticed a desperate shortage of work appropriate winter wear. I have started on some of these items already and hope to blog them soon. 

 

Whew, so glad to not have to photograph myself everyday - that is hard work!!  How did you all go?

Hollyburn Awesome-ness

When Rachel of My Messings announced she was doing a sewalong for the new Hollyburn skirt pattern from Sewaholic I knew I to be in on it.  Not only do I love the pattern, but it was a good opportunity to support a fellow Aussie.



This pattern is just adorable and I was drawn to the retro appeal of the style.  Oddly I have never tried this style before, but now I do believe I am converted!

On the left is how I wore this to a meeting in the morning and in the afternoon I changed it to a more casual look. I can totally see me wearing this in winter too with tights, boots and a jumper. What a brilliantly versatile pattern!

I cut the size 14 for my waist measurement, and view C (the shortest one). The only change I made to the pattern was the pockets, insired by many patterns from the 40s and by Tasha's skirt, I went for a turned down patch pocket with covered button instead of the set in ones on the pattern.  My pockets don't have the removable flap like Tasha's, they are a simple turned over rectangle. If anyone would like me to put up a tutorial on how I achieved these, let me know in the comments and I will write one up.

Ok the back is pretty wrinkly because I made this out of cotton twill, whilst super cool and a good drape, creases like nothing else. In saying that, I had been sitting in it at work for a couple of hours, so some wrinkling is to be expected, they do seem to drop out when I have been standing a while.

I would love to make this with a really nice drapey wool crepe, I think it would be divine for winter.

I am really happy with the pattern and my thanks go out to Rachel, her sewalong was full of loads of great information, inspiration and tips.  Whilst I didn't actually sewalong as such, I still read all the posts with great interest, it is great to see how others construct garments and there are always tips to be learned!

 

Quick info:

Skirt: made by me, Hollyburn pattern

Fabric: Cotton Twill

Notions: Lapped zipper & 2 covered buttons

 

 

Did any of you participate in the sewalong?  Did you like the pattern as much as I did?