Two Rescued Skirts...

Last September I made a knit dress which was a mash up of the Tilly and Buttons Agnes pattern (bodice) and the Lady Skater pattern (skirt). Alas, the bodice section was cut too short and the skirt started too high up, making the dress look quite empire line. And an empire line on me is not a good look!

I didn't want to scrap it as the fabric (a grey cotton jersey gingham from Girl Charlee) was lovely, so I chopped the bodice off and made it into a skirt instead! Well, I put slightly more thought into it than that, but not much. I cut the bodice three inches above the waistline, folded the top edge in half and sewed the bottom edge to the waist seam (leaving a small gap). I then cut a piece of elastic to fit my waist, threaded it through the gap and ta-da: a new skirt!

The skirt sits just below my natural waist and is soooo comfortable. The cotton jersey is nice and lightweight for summer too - it will get a lot more wear as a skirt than it ever would have as a dress.

The skirt has been ironed, I promise you

As I was on such a triumphant skirt-making roll, I decided to rescue another one... this next skirt started life as the fitted, high waisted Megan dress from Love at First Stitch. Sadly I cut a size too small and the bodice looked so skin tight and dreadful on me that it never saw the light of day.

I didn't need to do much to rescue it. I removed the long back zip and cut the bodice off, leaving the darts exactly as they were originally sewn. I then inserted a smaller invisible zip into the back seam and finished the waistband with wide bias tape. That's it!

I didn't make the waistband as fitted as I could have which was intentional, but the darts still give it a nice shape. I now have a lovely, stretchy fitted skirt - not as super-casual as the Lady Skater skirt, but still really comfortable. Yay! 

In other news… my Big Vintage Sewalong dress is finished!! Don't forget to check in on Friday 13th May for the big reveal! x

Delphine with roses

I told you it wouldn't be long in the making didn't I?! This version of the Delphine skirt from Love at First Stitch was even easier to make than my first, largely because I cut out the correct size this time! I made a straight size 3, with a ½" seam allowance at the waist instead of ⅝" and that was it! The fit's really good.

One thing I didn't mention in my first Delphine post was that I initially lengthened the skirt by two inches as it looked a bit short. Of course when I tried it on, it looked all wrong so I lopped two inches off the bottom, taking it back to its original length. My measuring must have been off however, (or maybe the size 4 is slightly longer?), because I didn't alter the original length at all on this version and it's turned out shorter. So just for reference, the red denim version is probably just under one inch longer than the original pattern length.

As per my last version, I added a standard dress zip rather than an invisible one, which will hopefully be more hard wearing. The waistband facing is made from the red shirting left over from my Afternoon Blouse, which is a lovely bright contrast against the Liberty Carline twill.

Yes, you read that correctly, Liberty Carline twill!! My favourite Liberty floral design - in TWILL! I didn't even know Liberty twill existed until last year when I made my blue rose shirt dress. Reader Nathalie contacted me after seeing the post to say she had a metre of Carline twill going spare. It was left over from a project she'd finished and did I want it? YES!!!!! I screeched. That's one of the best things about having a blog - the friendships you make online. I've never met Nathalie - she doesn't even have a blog -  but we've been emailing sporadically for a couple of years now thanks to our similar tastes in fabric! I'm so pleased that her leftover metre of Liberty twill has been turned into such a beaut of a skirt.

The Carline print is very busy, so I think it looks best teamed with a plain top half. The top I'm wearing isn't a particularly great match, but all my red tops were in the wash and it's the only plain cream top I own. Hmm, this might be just the kick up the arse I need to make a few neutral, short sleeved tops for summer. On the subject of summer dressmaking, I've almost finished two projects - my denim sailor shorts (talked about here) and a lemon print dress (inspiration here).  They're both pretty awesome so it will be a big punch up to decide which one features on the blog first.

And one final piece of news.… the winner of the Dragonfly Fabrics giveaway is Frankie Carson from KnitWitsOwls! Hoorah!! I'll be in touch soon to organise your prize Frankie. Thank you to everybody else who entered the giveaway. Have a great week! x

Delphine Skirt

Remember the cute little A-line skirt from the front cover of Love at First Stitch? Well, its real name is the Delphine Skirt and I was lucky enough to pattern test it, way back in October last year. It's become a familiar sight in my wardrobe and has been worn, worn and worn again, so it feels a bit odd writing a review all these months later! Here's what I thought...

For fabric, I used a red denim from the Goldhawk Road. I was only planning on buying a metre to send to Evie from Pendle Stitches as I knew she wanted some. At the counter however, I discovered it was the end of the roll and the shop keeper offered me the last three metres at a discount (you've gotta love those Goldhawk Road gents.) It would have been rude to refuse, so after dividing the remnant and sending half to Evie, I ended up with just under 1.5 metres. That's more than enough for this skirt and it's the perfect weight as the pattern requires a fabric with some structure to it, to keep its shape.

Apologies for the 'spoiling for a fight' face...

The Delphine skirt has a neat, fitted waistband and an exaggerated A-line shape. I stupidly cut out a size larger than my measurements as I was worried it might be too tight around the waist. Duh - not only was it too big, but the contrast between the fitted waist and the A-line was a bit lost. The skirt needs to be a good nipped-in fit around the waist i.e. not too big and baggy, otherwise you're liable to lose the exaggerated A-line of the skirt section. This contrast is (for me anyway) the main appeal of the skirt, so my advice is to choose the size that's nearest to your waist size and don't be tempted to make a larger size just "to be on the safe side".  The pattern sizes are accurate - trust them!

You can see the exaggerated A-line better in this picture

Delphine is a very simple skirt to make - even after cutting out the wrong size, I was able to adjust the waistband and skirt side seams to the correct measurements really easily. The instructions are clear and logical and the pattern is perfectly drafted. There was only one thing I changed about the construction and that was to use a standard dressmaking zip rather than an invisible one. This is based on my own personal experience with denim skirts and zips - my denim Ginger skirt has an invisible zip and you can really see the toll taken on it. In fact, it could do with being re-sewn as parts of it are hanging off (ahem!) Anyway, the denim I used is quite a heavyweight one, so I decided a standard zip would be more hard wearing.

The facings are neatly machine finished at the zip edges, which is a nice touch. I used a red polka dot cotton as my facing, partly to reduce bulk, but mostly because denim skirts HAVE to have polka dot facings don't they? I think I read somewhere that it's against the law to have any other kind!!

You can't go wrong with this skirt - the neat A-line shape goes with everything and because it's red and denim, it's already become a real wardrobe stable. The fact that it's denim also means you don't have to wash it very often (not in my house anyway!)

I now have a second Delphine in the correct size all cut out and ready to go. Expect to see it gracing the pages of this blog before too long. x

The Delphine pattern was given to me free of charge for pattern testing. All views my own.

Love At First Stitch

In case you haven't noticed, Love at First Stitch by Tilly Walnes was published this week!!!! Hoorah, hoorah, HOORAH!! To celebrate, Love Sewing magazine has organised a week-long blog tour, with the book being reviewed each day by a different sewing blogger. Today it's ME!!! So sit back and enjoy!

Love at First Stitch by Tilly Walnes, published by Quadrille

Since the first announcement, I've been counting the days until this book has been published. Mostly because it's written by my friend and fellow blogger Tilly and I'm so ridiculously proud of her I could burst, but also because this book contains actual PATTERNS!! Now I've reviewed two beautiful Quadrille books in the past (here and here) and both times the lack of patterns has been a real disappointment to me. This time there are full scale patterns included for five garments from the book, all multi-sized and printed on sturdy paper. You will need to trace them off as they're printed on both sides, but this is very easy to do, nothing at all like the horror of a Burda magazine or a Japanese pattern book.  I personally think the inclusion of patterns makes a massive difference to the reader, so thank you Quadrille Publishing!

Right, on with the book review…. The one thing that comes across clearly in Love at First Stitch is that making your own clothes is something that anybody can learn to do, you just have to start slowly and simply. The book starts with instructions for making the simplest project (the Brigitte scarf), followed by PJ bottoms and an A-line skirt. Then, as you increase your skills, you move on to more ambitious projects - a simple dress, a gathered skirt (there is no pattern for this, Tilly shows you how to draft your own!), a button through blouse with collar and a fully lined dress.

Learn how to draft your own Clemence Skirt!

There isn't a separate techniques section - techniques are explained as and when you need to tackle them throughout the book. So the first few projects incorporate all the basic techniques such as threading a machine, sewing and finishing seams etc. Additional techniques like inserting zips, setting in sleeves and adding facings are then covered within the next few projects. Once you've gained a bit of confidence, the projects get slightly more ambitious and include making buttonholes, lining a dress and piping seams.

All the projects are achievable - there are no quirky design features to catch you out, they're just well drafted, with classic, flattering lines. The book also includes three simple variations of each pattern, so you can make them again and again, putting your own personal stamp on them each time. I personally think the simple, elegant pattern designs are to die for and would like to make every single garment in the book (seriously - just watch me!)

Delphine skirt variation with buttons 

Megan Dress colour block variation with placket

I tested two patterns from the book in the planning stages: the Delphine skirt and the Megan dress (which I'll be reviewing in future posts) and the Brigitte headscarf which I made last week. As you would expect, if you've used a Tilly and the Buttons sewing pattern, the instructions are excellent and very clearly explained. There are plenty of tips dotted throughout each project and virtually every single step is accompanied by full colour photography. Tilly is really on a mission to get everybody sewing and she's gone to great lengths to make the projects in her book achievable for everybody. Take it from me, there is no way you can go wrong! 

I think it's also worth mentioning the 'Make it a Lifestyle' sections, which pop up in each chapter. In these, Tilly talks about ways in which you can make sewing part of your everyday life. These include fabric shopping, planning a sewing space, designing your own clothes and finding time for sewing.

I found these sections particularly well written and fascinating to read. Tilly and the Buttons has been a hugely popular blog for a number of years, and I think one of the reasons it's so popular is that she's an engaging and witty writer. This really does come across strongly, not just in these sections, but throughout the entire book. It made me want to actually sit down and read it rather than simply use it as a reference book.

Whether you're a total beginner or an experienced dressmaker, I think you'll find Love at First Stitch a very inspiring book. I don't class myself as a beginner any longer and I definitely find it inspiring. Just think, there's an entire super-stylish wardrobe up for grabs and you can make it your own if you really want to! Congratulations Tilly, this is a wonderful book that anybody who loves sewing should have on their bookshelf.

If you'd like to get your mitts on a copy of Love at First Stitch, it's available to buy from Amazon, or you can buy a signed copy from Tilly's online shop. Don't forget to check out the rest of the blog tour too. x

Monday 5th May         Love Sewing
Tuesday 6th May        House of Pinheiro
Wednesday 7th May    Did You Make That?
Thursday 8th May       What Katie Sews
Friday 9th May           A Stitching Odyssey
Saturday 10th May      Handmade Jane
Sunday 11th May        Lazy Stitching

A copy of Love at First Stitch was given to me free of charge for review. All views my own.